“Alittlesilvergoesalongwayinthiscountry，“shechuckled。
　　ShesentSusanbacktofetchanothercup。
　　“Theyhavesuchexcellentbiscuitshere，“shesaid，contemplatingaplateful。“Notsweetbiscuits，whichIdon’tlike——drybiscuits……Haveyoubeensketching？“
　　“Oh，I’vedonetwoorthreelittledaubs，“saidMrs。Elliot，speakingratherlouderthanusual。“Butit’ssodifficultafterOxfordshire，wheretherearesomanytrees。Thelight’ssostronghere。
　　Somepeopleadmireit，Iknow，butIfinditveryfatiguing。“
　　“Ireallydon’tneedcooking，Susan，“saidMrs。Paley，whenherniecereturned。“Imusttroubleyoutomoveme。“Everythinghadtobemoved。Finallytheoldladywasplacedsothatthelightwaveredoverher，asthoughshewereafishinanet。Susanpouredouttea，andwasjustremarkingthattheywerehavinghotweatherinWiltshiretoo，whenMr。Venningaskedwhetherhemightjointhem。
　　“It’ssonicetofindayoungmanwhodoesn’tdespisetea，“
　　saidMrs。Paley，regaininghergoodhumour。“Oneofmynephewstheotherdayaskedforaglassofsherry——atfiveo’clock！I
　　toldhimhecouldgetitatthepublichouseroundthecorner，butnotinmydrawingroom。“
　　“I’drathergowithoutlunchthantea，“saidMr。Venning。
　　“That’snotstrictlytrue。Iwantboth。“
　　Mr。Venningwasadarkyoungman，aboutthirty-twoyearsofage，veryslapdashandconfidentinhismanner，althoughatthismomentobviouslyalittleexcited。HisfriendMr。Perrottwasabarrister，andasMr。PerrottrefusedtogoanywherewithoutMr。Venningitwasnecessary，whenMr。PerrottcametoSantaMarinaaboutaCompany，forMr。Venningtocometoo。Hewasabarristeralso，butheloathedaprofessionwhichkepthimindoorsoverbooks，anddirectlyhiswidowedmotherdiedhewasgoing，soheconfidedtoSusan，totakeupflyingseriously，andbecomepartnerinalargebusinessformakingaeroplanes。Thetalkrambledon。Itdealt，ofcourse，withthebeautiesandsingularitiesoftheplace，thestreets，thepeople，andthequantitiesofunownedyellowdogs。
　　“Don’tyouthinkitdreadfullycruelthewaytheytreatdogsinthiscountry？“askedMrs。Paley。
　　“I’dhave’emallshot，“saidMr。Venning。
　　“Oh，butthedarlingpuppies，“saidSusan。
　　“Jollylittlechaps，“saidMr。Venning。“Lookhere，you’vegotnothingtoeat。“AgreatwedgeofcakewashandedSusanonthepointofatremblingknife。Herhandtrembledtooasshetookit。
　　“Ihavesuchadeardogathome，“saidMrs。Elliot。
　　“Myparrotcan’tstanddogs，“saidMrs。Paley，withtheairofonemakingaconfidence。“Ialwayssuspectthatheorshe
　　wasteasedbyadogwhenIwasabroad。“
　　“Youdidn’tgetfarthismorning，MissWarrington，“saidMr。Venning。
　　“Itwashot，“sheanswered。Theirconversationbecameprivate，owingtoMrs。Paley’sdeafnessandthelongsadhistorywhichMrs。Elliothadembarkeduponofawire-hairedterrier，whitewithjustoneblackspot，belongingtoanuncleofhers，whichhadcommittedsuicide。“Animalsdocommitsuicide，“
　　shesighed，asifsheassertedapainfulfact。
　　“Couldn’tweexplorethetownthisevening？“Mr。Venningsuggested。
　　“Myaunt——“Susanbegan。
　　“Youdeserveaholiday，“hesaid。“You’realwaysdoingthingsforotherpeople。“
　　“Butthat’smylife，“shesaid，undercoverofrefillingtheteapot。
　　“That’snoone’slife，“hereturned，“noyoungperson’s。You’llcome？“
　　“Ishouldliketocome，“shemurmured。
　　AtthismomentMrs。Elliotlookedupandexclaimed，“Oh，Hugh！
　　He’sbringingsomeone，“sheadded。
　　“Hewouldlikesometea，“saidMrs。Paley。“Susan，runandgetsomecups——therearethetwoyoungmen。“
　　“We’rethirstingfortea，“saidMr。Elliot。“YouknowMr。Ambrose，Hilda？Wemetonthehill。“
　　“Hedraggedmein，“saidRidley，“orIshouldhavebeenashamed。
　　I’mdustyanddirtyanddisagreeable。“Hepointedtohisbootswhichwerewhitewithdust，whileadejectedflowerdroopinginhisbuttonhole，likeanexhaustedanimaloveragate，addedtotheeffectoflengthanduntidiness。Hewasintroducedtotheothers。
　　Mr。HewetandMr。Hirstbroughtchairs，andteabeganagain，Susanpouringcascadesofwaterfrompottopot，alwayscheerfully，andwiththecompetenceoflonguse。
　　“Mywife’sbrother，“RidleyexplainedtoHilda，whomhefailedtoremember，“hasahousehere，whichhehaslentus。
　　IwassittingonarockthinkingofnothingatallwhenElliotstarteduplikeafairyinapantomime。“
　　“Ourchickengotintothesalt，“HewetsaiddolefullytoSusan。
　　“Norisittruethatbananasincludemoistureaswellassustenance。
　　Hirstwasalreadydrinking。
　　“We’vebeencursingyou，“saidRidleyinanswertoMrs。Elliot’skindenquiriesabouthiswife。“Youtouristseatupalltheeggs，Helentellsme。That’saneye-soretoo“——henoddedhisheadatthehotel。“Disgustingluxury，Icallit。Welivewithpigsinthedrawing-room。“
　　“Thefoodisnotatallwhatitoughttobe，consideringtheprice，“
　　saidMrs。Paleyseriously。“Butunlessonegoestoahotelwhereisonetogoto？“
　　“Stayathome，“saidRidley。“IoftenwishIhad！Everyoneoughttostayathome。But，ofcourse，theywon’t。“
　　Mrs。PaleyconceivedacertaingrudgeagainstRidley，whoseemedtobecriticisingherhabitsafteranacquaintanceoffiveminutes。
　　“Ibelieveinforeigntravelmyself，“shestated，“ifoneknowsone’snativeland，whichIthinkIcanhonestlysayIdo。IshouldnotallowanyonetotraveluntiltheyhadvisitedKentandDorsetshire——
　　Kentforthehops，andDorsetshireforitsoldstonecottages。
　　Thereisnothingtocomparewiththemhere。“
　　“Yes——Ialwaysthinkthatsomepeopleliketheflatandotherpeoplelikethedowns，“saidMrs。Elliotrathervaguely。
　　Hirst，whohadbeeneatinganddrinkingwithoutinterruption，nowlitacigarette，andobserved，“Oh，butwe’reallagreedbythistimethatnature’samistake。She’seitherveryugly，appallinglyuncomfortable，orabsolutelyterrifying。Idon’tknowwhichalarmsmemost——acoworatree。Ioncemetacowinafieldbynight。
　　Thecreaturelookedatme。Iassureyouitturnedmyhairgrey。
　　It’sadisgracethattheanimalsshouldbeallowedtogoatlarge。“
　　“Andwhatdidthecowthinkof_him_？“VenningmumbledtoSusan，whoimmediatelydecidedinherownmindthatMr。Hirstwasadreadfulyoungman，andthatalthoughhehadsuchanairofbeingcleverheprobablywasn’tascleverasArthur，inthewaysthatreallymatter。
　　“Wasn’titWildewhodiscoveredthefactthatnaturemakesnoallowanceforhip-bones？“enquiredHughlingElliot。HeknewbythistimeexactlywhatscholarshipsanddistinctionHirstenjoyed，andhadformedaveryhighopinionofhiscapacities。
　　ButHirstmerelydrewhislipstogetherverytightlyandmadenoreply。
　　Ridleyconjecturedthatitwasnowpermissibleforhimtotakehisleave。PolitenessrequiredhimtothankMrs。Elliotforhistea，andtoadd，withawaveofhishand，“Youmustcomeupandseeus。“
　　ThewaveincludedbothHirstandHewet，andHewetanswered，“Ishouldlikeitimmensely。“
　　Thepartybrokeup，andSusan，whohadneverfeltsohappyinherlife，wasjustabouttostartforherwalkinthetownwithArthur，whenMrs。Paleybeckonedherback。ShecouldnotunderstandfromthebookhowDoubleDemonpatienceisplayed；andsuggestedthatiftheysatdownandworkeditouttogetheritwouldfillupthetimenicelybeforedinner。
　　AmongthepromiseswhichMrs。Ambrosehadmadehernieceshouldshestaywasaroomcutofffromtherestofthehouse，large，private——
　　aroominwhichshecouldplay，read，think，defytheworld，afortressaswellasasanctuary。Rooms，sheknew，becamemorelikeworldsthanroomsattheageoftwenty-four。Herjudgmentwascorrect，andwhensheshutthedoorRachelenteredanenchantedplace，wherethepoetssangandthingsfellintotheirrightproportions。
　　Somedaysafterthevisionofthehotelbynightshewassittingalone，sunkinanarm-chair，readingabrightly-coveredredvolumeletteredontheback_Works__of__Henrik__Ibsen_。Musicwasopenonthepiano，andbooksofmusicroseintwojaggedpillarsonthefloor；
　　butforthemomentmusicwasdeserted。
　　Farfromlookingboredorabsent-minded，hereyeswereconcentratedalmoststernlyuponthepage，andfromherbreathing，whichwasslowbutrepressed，itcouldbeseenthatherwholebodywasconstrainedbytheworkingofhermind。Atlastsheshutthebooksharply，layback，anddrewadeepbreath，expressiveofthewonderwhichalwaysmarksthetransitionfromtheimaginaryworldtotherealworld。
　　“WhatIwanttoknow，“shesaidaloud，“isthis:Whatisthetruth？
　　What’sthetruthofitall？“Shewasspeakingpartlyasherself，andpartlyastheheroineoftheplayshehadjustread。
　　Thelandscapeoutside，becauseshehadseennothingbutprintforthespaceoftwohours，nowappearedamazinglysolidandclear，butalthoughthereweremenonthehillwashingthetrunksofolivetreeswithawhiteliquid，forthemomentsheherselfwasthemostvividthinginit——anheroicstatueinthemiddleoftheforeground，dominatingtheview。Ibsen’splaysalwaysleftherinthatcondition。
　　Sheactedthemfordaysatatime，greatlytoHelen’samusement；
　　andthenitwouldbeMeredith’sturnandshebecameDianaoftheCrossways。ButHelenwasawarethatitwasnotallacting，andthatsomesortofchangewastakingplaceinthehumanbeing。
　　WhenRachelbecametiredoftherigidityofherposeonthebackofthechair，sheturnedround，slidcomfortablydownintoit，andgazedoutoverthefurniturethroughthewindowoppositewhichopenedonthegarden。HermindwanderedawayfromNora，butshewentonthinkingofthingsthatthebooksuggestedtoher，ofwomenandlife。
　　Duringthethreemonthsshehadbeenhereshehadmadeupconsiderably，asHelenmeantsheshould，fortimespentininterminablewalksroundshelteredgardens，andthehouseholdgossipofheraunts。
　　ButMrs。Ambrosewouldhavebeenthefirsttodisclaimanyinfluence，orindeedanybeliefthattoinfluencewaswithinherpower。
　　Shesawherlessshy，andlessserious，whichwasalltothegood，andtheviolentleapsandtheinterminablemazeswhichhadledtothatresultwereusuallynotevenguessedatbyher。Talkwasthemedicineshetrustedto，talkabouteverything，talkthatwasfree，unguarded，andascandidasahabitoftalkingwithmenmadenaturalinherowncase。Nordidsheencouragethosehabitsofunselfishnessandamiabilityfoundeduponinsinceritywhichareputatsohighavalueinmixedhouseholdsofmenandwomen。
　　ShedesiredthatRachelshouldthink，andforthisreasonofferedbooksanddiscouragedtooentireadependenceuponBachandBeethovenandWagner。ButwhenMrs。AmbrosewouldhavesuggestedDefoe，Maupassant，orsomespaciouschronicleoffamilylife，Rachelchosemodernbooks，booksinshinyyellowcovers，bookswithagreatdealofgildingontheback，whichweretokensinheraunt’seyesofharshwranglinganddisputesaboutfactswhichhadnosuchimportanceasthemodernsclaimedforthem。Butshedidnotinterfere。
　　Rachelreadwhatshechose，readingwiththecuriousliteralnessofonetowhomwrittensentencesareunfamiliar，andhandlingwordsasthoughtheyweremadeofwood，separatelyofgreatimportance，andpossessedofshapesliketablesorchairs。Inthiswayshecametoconclusions，whichhadtoberemodelledaccordingtotheadventuresoftheday，andwereindeedrecastasliberallyasanyonecoulddesire，leavingalwaysasmallgrainofbeliefbehindthem。
　　IbsenwassucceededbyanovelsuchasMrs。Ambrosedetested，whosepurposewastodistributetheguiltofawoman’sdownfallupontherightshoulders；apurposewhichwasachieved，ifthereader’sdiscomfortwereanyproofofit。Shethrewthebookdown，lookedoutofthewindow，turnedawayfromthewindow，andrelapsedintoanarm-chair。