crat, advertised our rising fortunes to
the street, and greatest marvel of all, at least to my awed eyes, my
father's Sunday clothes came into weekday wear, new ones taking their
place in the great wardrobe that hitherto had been the stronghold of
our gentility; to which we had ever turned for comfort when rendered
despondent by contemplation of the weakness of our outer walls. "Seeing
that everything was all right" is how my mother would explain it. She
would lay the lilac silk upon the bed, fondly soothing down its rustling
undulations, lingering lovingly over its deep frosted flounces of rich
Honiton. Maybe she had entered the room weary looking and depressed, but
soon there would proceed from her a gentle humming as from some small
winged thing when the sun first touches it and warms it, and sometimes
by the time the Indian shawl, which could go through a wedding ring, but
never would when it was wanted to, had been refolded and fastened again
with the great cameo brooch, and the poke bonnet, like some fractious
child, shaken and petted into good condition, she would be singing
softly to herself, nodding her head to the words: which were generally
to the effect that somebody was too old and somebody else too bold and
another too cold, "so he wouldn't do for me;" and stepping lightly as
though the burden of the years had fallen from her.

One evening--it was before the advent of this Hasluck--I remember
climbing out of bed, for trouble was within me. Creatures, indescribable
but heavy, had sat upon my chest, after which I had fallen downstairs,
slowly and reasonably for the first few hundred flights, then with haste
for the next million miles or so, until I found myself in the street
with nothing on but my nightshirt. Personally, I was shocked, but nobody
else seemed to mind, and I hailed a two-penny 'bus and climbed in. But
when I tried to pay I found I hadn't any pockets, so I jumped out and
ran away and the conductor came after me. My feet were like lead, and
with every step he gained on me, till with a scream I made one mighty
effort and awoke.

Feeling the need of comfort after these unpleasant but by no means
unfamiliar experiences, I wrapped some clothes round me and crept
downstairs. The "office" was dark, but to my surprise a light shone from
under the drawing-room door, and I opened it.

The candles in the silver candlesticks were lighted, and in state,
one in each easy-chair, sat my father and mother, bo