hty-five; though they did not want to think of themselves when they
had Timothy, who was not yet eighty-two, to think of. There was, of
course, a better world. 'In my Father's house are many mansions' was
one of Aunt Juley's favourite sayings--it always comforted her, with its
suggestion of house property, which had made the fortune of dear Roger.
The Bible was, indeed, a great resource, and on very fine Sundays
there was church in the morning; and sometimes Juley would steal into
Timothy's study when she was sure he was out, and just put an open New
Testament casually among the books on his little table--he was a great
reader, of course, having been a publisher. But she had noticed that
Timothy was always cross at dinner afterwards. And Smither had told
her more than once that she had picked books off the floor in doing the
room. Still, with all that, they did feel that heaven could not be quite
so cosy as the rooms in which they and Timothy had been waiting so long.
Aunt Hester, especially, could not bear the thought of the exertion.
Any change, or rather the thought of a change--for there never was
any--always upset her very much. Aunt Juley, who had more spirit,
sometimes thought it would be quite exciting; she had so enjoyed that
visit to Brighton the year dear Susan died. But then Brighton one knew
was nice, and it was so difficult to tell what heaven would be like, so
on the whole she was more than content to wait.

On the morning of James' birthday, August the 5th, they felt
extraordinary animation, and little notes passed between them by the
hand of Smither while they were having breakfast in their beds. Smither
must go round and take their love and little presents and find out
how Mr. James was, and whether he had passed a good night with all
the excitement. And on the way back would Smither call in at Green
Street--it was a little out of her way, but she could take the bus up
Bond Street afterwards; it would be a nice little change for her--and
ask dear Mrs. Dartie to be sure and look in before she went out of town.

All this Smither did--an undeniable servant trained many years ago under
Aunt Ann to a perfection not now procurable. Mr. James, so Mrs. James
said, had passed an excellent night, he sent his love; Mrs. James had
said he was very funny and had complained that he didn't know what all
the fuss was about. Oh! and Mrs. Dartie sent her love, and she would
come to tea.

Aunts Juley and Hester, rather