s but none of her fineness of line. She missed altogether
that quality of fineness. Her darkness was done with a quite perceptible
heaviness, her dignity passed into solidity and her profile was, with an
entire want of hesitation, handsome. She was evidently the elder by a
space of some years and she was dressed with severity in grey.

These two ladies seemed to Mr. Brumley to offer a certain resistance of
spirit to the effusion of Lady Beach-Mandarin, rather as two small
anchored vessels might resist the onset of a great and foaming tide, but
after a time it was clear they admired her greatly. His attention was,
however, a little distracted from them by the fact that he was the sole
representative of the more serviceable sex among five women and so in
duty bound to stand by Lady Harman and assist with various handings and
offerings. The tea equipage was silver and not only magnificent but, as
certain quick movements of Miss Sharsper's eyes and nose at its
appearance betrayed, very genuine and old.

Lady Beach-Mandarin having praised the house and garden all over again
to Mrs. Sawbridge, and having praised the cypress and envied the tea
things, resumed her efforts to secure the immediate establishment of
permanent social relations with Lady Harman. She reverted to the
question of the Shakespear Dinners Society and now with a kind of large
skilfulness involved Mrs. Sawbridge in her appeal. "Won't _you_ come on
our Committee?" said Lady Beach-Mandarin.

Mrs. Sawbridge gave a pinched smile and said she was only staying in
London for quite a little time, and when pressed admitted that there
seemed no need whatever for consulting Sir Isaac upon so obviously
foregone a conclusion as Lady Harman's public adhesion to the great
movement.

"I shall put his hundred guineas down to Sir Isaac and Lady Harman,"
said Lady Beach-Mandarin with an air of conclusion, "and now I want to
know, dear Lady Harman, whether we can't have _you_ on our Committee of
administration. We want--just one other woman to complete us."

Lady Harman could only parry with doubts of her ability.

"You ought to go on, Ella," said Miss Sawbridge suddenly, speaking for
the first time and in a manner richly suggestive of great principles at
stake.

"Ella," thought the curious mind of Mr. Brumley. "And is that Eleanor
now or Ellen or--is there any other name that gives one Ella? Simply
Ella?"

"But what should I have to do?" fenced Lady Harman, resisting