again.' But the toneless rejoinder was
innocent of rancour. Janet Fox-Moore gave the impression of being too
chilled, too drained of the generous life-forces, even for anger.

'Besides,' said Vida, hurriedly, 'I'd nearly forgotten; there's the
final practising at eleven.'

'_I'd_ forgotten your charity concert was so near!' As Mrs. Fox-Moore
gathered up her letters, she gave way for the first time to a wintry
little smile.

'The concert's mine, I admit, but the charity's the bishop's. What
absurd things we women fill up the holes in our lives with!' Vida said,
as she followed her sister into the hall. 'Do you know the real reason
I'm getting up this foolish concert?'

'Because you like singing, and do it so well that--yes, without your
looks and the indescribable "rest," you'd be a success. I told you that,
when I begged you to come and try London.'

'The reason I'm slaving over the concert--it isn't all musical
enthusiasm. It amuses me to organize it. All the ticklish, difficult,
"bothering" part of getting up a monster thing of this sort, reconciling
malcontents, enlisting the great operatic stars and not losing the great
social lights--it all interests me like a game. I'm afraid the truth is
I like managing things.'

'Perhaps Mrs. Freddy's not so far wrong.'

'Does Mrs. Freddy accuse me of being a "managing woman," horrid
thought?'

'She was talking about you in her enthusiastic way when she was here the
other day. "Vida could administer a state," she said. Yes, _I_ laughed,
too, but Mrs. Freddy shook her head quite seriously, and said, "To think
of a being like Vida--not even a citizen."'

'I'm not a citizen?' exclaimed the lady, laughing down at her sister
over the banisters. 'Does she think because I've lived abroad I've
forfeited my rights of----'

'No, all she means is---- Oh, you know the bee she's got in her bonnet.
She means, as she'll tell you, that "you have no more voice in the
affairs of England than if you were a Hottentot."'

'I can't say I've ever minded that. But it has an odd sound, hasn't
it--to hear one isn't a citizen.'

'Mrs. Freddy forgets----'

'I know! I know what you're going to say,' said the other,
light-heartedly. 'Mrs. Freddy forgets our unique ennobling influence;'
and the tall young woman laughed as she ran up the last half of the long
flight of stairs. At the top she halted a moment, and called down to
Mrs. Fox-Moore, who was examining the cards left the day before,