nt to be partial, but I think most people would agree that
Herbert reads Shakespeare _rather_ better than the Vicar."

"I wonder," said Miss Gibbins, turning to Delia, as the murmur of assent
to this speech died away, "that you haven't joined us yet, but I suppose
your studies occupy you at present."

"But I couldn't read aloud, in any case, before a lot of people," said
Delia, "and Shakespeare must be so very difficult."

"You'd get used to it," said Miss Gibbins. "I remember," with a little
laugh, "how nervous _I_ felt the first time I stood up to read. My
heart beat so fast I thought it would choke me. The first sentence I
had to say was, `Cut him in pieces!' and the words came out quite in a
whisper. But now I can read long speeches without losing my breath or
feeling at all uncomfortable."

"I like the readings," said Mrs Hurst, "because they keep up one's
knowledge of Shakespeare, and that _must_ be refining and elevating, as
Herbert says."

"So pleasant, too, that the clergy can join," added Miss Gibbins.

"Mrs Crow objects to that," said Mrs Hurst. "She told me once she
considered it wrong, because they might be called straight away from
reading plays to attend a deathbed. Herbert, of course, doesn't agree
with her, or he wouldn't have helped to get them up. He has a great
opinion of Shakespeare as an elevating influence, and though he _did_
write plays, they're hardly ever acted. He doesn't seem, somehow, to
have much to do with the theatre."

"Between ourselves," said Miss Gibbins, sinking her voice and glancing
to the other end of the room, where Mrs Crow's black bonnet was nodding
confidentially at Mrs Hunt, "dear old Mrs Crow is _rather_
narrow-minded. I should think the presence of the Vicar at the readings
might satisfy her that all was right."

"The presence of _any_ clergyman," began Mrs Hurst, "ought to be
sufficient warrant that--"

But her sentence was not finished, for at this moment a little general
rustle at the further end of the room, the sudden ceasing of
conversation, and the door set wide open, showed that it was time to
adjourn for tea. Work was rolled up, thimbles and scissors put away in
work-bags, and very soon the whole assembly had floated across the hall
into the dining-room, and was pleasantly engaged upon Mrs Hunt's
hospitable preparations for refreshment. Brisk little remarks filled
the air as they stood about with their teacups in their hands.

"I never can r