rs to the strong similarity about the brow and eyes which our
second son David bears to his great-grandfather, High Sheriff Plunkett,
and I do not question in the least that she believes the cast in the
old gentleman's optic never to have existed save in the original
portrait-painter's imagination. I must admit that, notwithstanding the
changes made by local talent in my ancestor's physiognomy, I am
occasionally struck myself with the strong resemblance specified by
Josephine; and the longer I live the less doubt I have that she is a
far cleverer person than your humble servant.

III

Shortly before we moved to the seaside this summer, it was evident to
me that Josephine had something on her mind which she hesitated to
broach to me. I suspect that the dear girl realized that we had had
rather a trying winter in our new establishment, and was accordingly a
little nervous as to how I would receive a new suggestion, which was
aimed directly at my personal comfort. I had indeed found the winter
somewhat trying on account of the number of small repairs which had
proved to be necessary. Most of the doors would not open except by the
application of brute force, and many of the windows rattled, so that
carpenters were in possession of the premises a total of one hundred
and twenty-eight hours in the course of nine calendar months, and I was
compelled to listen in hang-dog silence to Josephine's sibilant
commentary, that this was the natural result of buying a ready-made
house. Still, I must admit that on the whole she behaved
extraordinarily well under these trying circumstances, and said nothing
more tart than that, if she ever were so foolish as to move again, she
should insist on building a house to suit herself; which struck me as
rather a boomerang of a speech, seeing that it implied a lurking doubt
on her part as to whether she had been wise in moving at all. I even
came near admitting to her in consequence that I was thankful we had
moved, and that, surface indications to the contrary notwithstanding, I
was extremely happy in my new surroundings, and egregiously proud of
her taste and cleverness in the selection of wall-papers and
upholstery. I could have truthfully added also that, though a slippery
hump had replaced the cosey hollow in my renovated easy-chair, I had
found one of the new chairs exactly suited to my sensibilities, and
should be secretly pleased if the old one were to softly and suddenly
va