f."

But Jean pouted, and protruded her chin in the old pugnacious fashion.

"But--in our case, I'm not so sure that it _is_ finer! This upheaval is
not one hundredth part so great a trial to Rob as it is to me. He's
sorry, of course, and regrets that he did not sell out his shares; but
it will be no trial to him to have a small house, with a greengrocer's
shop at the corner of the road. _He_ won't mind a marble paper in the
hall; it won't cost him a thought to have a drawing-room composed of odd
hideosities, instead of my lovely Chippendale. He won't even notice if
the little girls are shabby, and I wear a hat two years. Is there much
credit in being calm and resigned over a thing you don't _feel_? I nag
at the servants, and snap at the children, and grizzle to you, and any
one looking on would say: What a saint! What a wretch! but really and
truly I'm fighting hard, and slaying dragons every hour of the day; and
if I succeed in stifling my feelings and being decently agreeable for an
hour or two in the evening, I've won a big victory; and it's I who am
the saint, not he! Vanna--do you think I am a beast?"

Vanna's laugh was very sweet and tender.

"Not I! I quite agree; but I want to help you, dear, to fight to the
end. Grumble to me as much as you like. I'm a woman, and understand;
but play the game with Robert. You are his Ideal, his Treasure. Be
pure gold! Hide the feet of clay--"

"Don't preach! Don't preach!" cried Jean; but before the words were out
of her mouth, she had rushed across the room and thrown her arms
impetuously round Vanna's neck. "Yes; I will! I will! Oh, Vanna, how
you help! Scold me! Make me ashamed! I don't want anything in the
world but to be a good wife to Rob."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

A month later the removal was accomplished, and Jean struggled valiantly
to make the best of the altered conditions. She rarely complained--
never in Robert's presence; set herself diligently to the study of
economy, and put aside embroidery and painting in favour of plain sewing
and mending. In six months' time the new _menage_ was running as
smoothly as if it had been in existence for years, and neither the
master of the house nor his children had suffered any diminution of
comfort from the change. Robert's special little fads were attended to
as scrupulously as in the larger establishment; the little girls were
invariably spick