out on the Sabbath day. This seemed to him
unreasonable, and he said as much to his wife.

"But why in the name of all that's ridiculous, _Sunday_? I'm at home on
Sunday. Sunday's the day when we need nurse most of all. It's my
holiday."

Mrs Manning represented that Sunday was also a holiday for nurse and
her friends, and Francis said, very well, then, they must have _two_
nurses. If necessary they must have three. The one thing certain was
that he could not be disturbed on his day of rest, so a capable
assistant was engaged forthwith, and comfort was re-established.

The Mannings took no part in the intellectual life of the neighbourhood.
There, were several book clubs, lecture courses, and the like, which
they were urged to join, but without success. Francis declared that he
worked all day, and came home to rest, and his wife said, thank you, no;
she had no wish to go back to school at her age. They went out to
dinner now and then, and made a point of giving two or three dinners
themselves every winter. They provided lavishly on such occasions, and
were agreeably conscious that their guests were impressed. Both husband
and wife enjoyed rich foods, and saw no reason for denying themselves
the gratification.

As far as religion was concerned, the Mannings made a point of going to
church with the children every Sunday morning when it was fine, or they
were not late for breakfast, or Francis did not feel inclined for a
walk. Sometimes he went off golfing for the day, and then Mrs Manning
dressed Maud in her best clothes and they went to church together. She
had been brought up to go to church, and thought the habit "nice."
Besides it was pleasant to see friends coming out, and walk home with
Mrs Lane, her favourite neighbour. They would meet on the path outside
the graveyard, and turn uphill together, and Mrs Lane would say:
"_What_ a sermon! My dear, _did_ you see the woman in the pew before
ours? She came in late, just before the psalms. She took off her coat,
_and_, my dear, her blouse--"

She would proceed to describe the blouse in detail, and Mrs Manning
would sigh and say: "It _is_ nice to have something interesting to look
at in the next pew! We have those awful Miss Newtes."

The neighbours on both sides envied the Francis Mannings, and quoted
their doings with admiration. In the matter of holidays, for instance,
how sane and sensible were their arrangements! The children were sent
with