n one or other of these matters. There was always a wrong
flavour somewhere, either in the curry, or the church opinions, or the
reading aloud, and perhaps this result was partly caused by the close
observation of Mrs Fotheringham and the parrot, who seemed to lie in
wait for all shortcomings with cold and critical glances. The bird was
accustomed often to sit on its mistress's shoulder in which position it
would trifle lovingly with the border of her cap and croon softly and
coaxingly into her ear. At these times there was an air of most
complete and confidential understanding between the two, which did not
include the outside world, and there was something weird about it which
might well affect the nerves of the lady on trial.

At any rate, though few other things changed much at Paradise Court, the
companions were always coming and going, and shortly before Iris's visit
a new one had arrived. Her name was Miss Munnion.

Iris reached Paradise Court at five o'clock in the afternoon, after a
long and dusty journey. The old sober grey house looked very peaceful
and quiet, but all round trees and shrubs and flowers waved their little
green hands and seemed to dance rejoicing in their new spring dresses.
For it was May time, and the weather, which had hitherto been cold and
wet, had suddenly changed, sunshine streamed over the country, and the
air was as warm as summer. Everything smelt so sweet, and looked so
luxuriant and gay, that Iris felt quite confused and giddy as she stood
waiting for the door to be opened; her winter frock and jacket seemed
hot and stuffy, and the scent of the great lilac bushes and syringas and
hawthorns wrapped her heavily round in a sort of dream.

But the door opened and the dream vanished at the appearance of a
stiff-looking maid-servant, who scanned the small dusty figure and the
shabby box on the top of the cab with equal indifference. "Mrs
Fotheringham was walking in the garden," she said. "Would Miss Graham
join her there, or would she prefer to go to her room?"

In a nervous flurry of shyness Iris replied that she would go to Mrs
Fotheringham in the garden, though it was far from what she really
wished, and the maid immediately led the way thither. There was no Mrs
Fotheringham visible for some time, but presently, turning under a low
archway, they entered a small walled garden, and then Iris saw her. She
was inspecting her tulips, and was followed by Miss Munnion, and at a