ood clothes or beauty, without charm or interest, without even
the skill to play a part. They looked at her with loathing. "Board and
lodging--privilege to attend Masters' lectures and laundry (body-linen
only)." That was all she had thought of and clutched at--all along,
since first she read the Fraulein's letter. Her keep and the chance of
learning... and Germany--Germany, das deutsche Vaterland--Germany, all
woods and mountains and tenderness--Hermann and Dorothea in the dusk of
a happy village.

And it would really be those women, expecting things of her. They would
be so affable at first. She had been through it a million times--all
her life--all eternity. They would smile those hateful women's
smiles--smirks--self-satisfied smiles as if everybody were agreed about
everything. She loathed women. They always smiled. All the teachers had
at school, all the girls, but Lilla. Eve did... maddeningly sometimes...
Mother... it was the only funny horrid thing about her. Harriett
didn't.... Harriett laughed. She was strong and hard somehow....

Pater knew how hateful all the world of women were and despised them.

He never included her with them; or only sometimes when she pretended,
or he didn't understand....

Someone was saying "Hi!" a gurgling muffled shout, a long way off.

She opened her eyes. It was bright morning. She saw the twist of
Harriett's body lying across the edge of the bed. With a gasp she
flung herself over her own side. Harry, old Harry, jolly old Harry had
remembered the Grand Ceremonial. In a moment her own head hung, her long
hair flinging back on to the floor, her eyes gazing across the bed at
the reversed snub of Harriett's face. It was flushed in the midst of
the wiry hair which stuck out all round it but did not reach the floor.
"Hi!" they gurgled solemnly, "Hi.... Hi!" shaking their heads from side
to side. Then their four frilled hands came down and they flumped out of
the high bed.

They performed an uproarious toilet. It seemed so safe up there in
the bright bare room. Miriam's luggage had been removed. It was away
somewhere in the house; far away and unreal and unfelt as her parents
somewhere downstairs, and the servants away in the basement getting
breakfast and Sarah and Eve always incredible, getting quietly up in the
next room. Nothing was real but getting up with old Harriett in this old
room.

She revelled in Harriett's delicate buffoonery ("voluntary incongruity"
she quoted to