she was not celebrated; but Donkey Street held comparatively
humble rank in a district overshadowed by Dungemarsh Court, and Arthur
was not the man to push himself into consideration, though Ellen had
agreed that half her marriage portion should be spent on the improvement
of his farm.

No one of any consequence had called upon her, though her drawing-room,
with its black cushions and Watts pictures, was more fit to receive the
well-born and well-bred than Joanna's disgraceful parlour of oleographs
and aspidistras and stuffed owls. The Parson had "visited" Mrs. Alce a
few weeks after her arrival, but a "visit" is not a call, and when at
the end of three months his wife still ignored her existence, Ellen made
Arthur come over with her to Brodnyx and Pedlinge on the Sundays she
felt inclined to go to church, saying that she did not care for their
ways at Romney, where they had a lot of ceremonial centering round the
alms-dish.

It was bitter for her to have to watch Joanna's steady rise in
importance--the only respect in which she felt bitter towards her
sister, since it was the only respect in which she felt inferior to her.
After a time, Joanna discovered this. At first she had enjoyed pouring
out her triumphs to Ellen on her visits to Donkey Street, or on the
rarer occasions when Ellen visited Ansdore.

"Yes, my dear, I've made up my mind. I'm going to give a dinner-party--a
late dinner-party. I shall ask the people to come at seven, and then not
have dinner till the quarter, so as there'll be no chance of the food
being kept waiting. I shall have soup and meat and a pudding, and wine
to drink."

"Who are you going to invite?" asked Ellen, with a curl of her lip.

"Why, didn't I tell you? Sir Harry Trevor's coming back to North
Farthing next month. Mrs. Tolhurst got it from Peter Crouch, who had it
from the Woolpack yesterday. He's coming down with his married sister,
Mrs. Williams, and I'll ask Mr. Pratt, so as there'll be two gentlemen
and two ladies. I'd ask you, Ellen, only I know Arthur hasn't got an
evening suit."

"Thanks. I don't care about dinner-parties. Who's going to do your
waiting?"

"Mene Tekel. She's going to wear a cap, and stand in the room all the
time."

"I hope that you'll be able to hear yourselves talk through her
breathing."

It struck Joanna that Ellen was not very cordial.

"I believe you want to come," she said, "and I tell you, duckie, I'll
try and manage it. It doesn't matter