th, arched with hazels,
whence the cat had now disappeared, ending in three old brick steps,
wide and flat, lichened and mossed, set about with flower-pots and
leading up to the yew walk. But the whole air was full of summer sound
and life and scent, heavy and redolent, streaming in from the old
box-lined kitchen-garden on their right beyond the hedge and from the
orchard on the left. It was the kind of atmosphere suggesting Nature
in her most sensible mood, full-blooded, normal, perfectly fulfilling
her own vocation; utterly unmystical, except by very subtle
interpretation; unsuggestive, since she was already saying all that
could be said, and following out every principle by which she lived to
the furthest confine of its contents. It presented the same kind of
rounded-off completion and satisfactoriness as that suggested by an
entirely sensuous and comfortable person. There were no corners in it,
no vistas hinting at anything except at some perfectly normal lawn or
set garden, no mystery, no implication of any other theory or glimpse
of theory except that which itself proclaimed.

Something of its air seemed now to breathe in Maggie's expression of
contentment, as she smiled softly and happily, clasping her arms
behind her head. She looked perfectly charming, thought Mabel; and she
laid a hand delicately on her friend's knee, as if to share in the
satisfaction--to verify it by participation, so to speak.

"It doesn't seem to have done you much harm," she said.

"No, thank you; I'm extremely well and very content. I've looked
through the door once, without in the least wishing to; and I don't in
the least want to look again. It's not a nice view."

"But about--er--religion," said the younger girl rather awkwardly.

"Oh! religion's all right," said Maggie. "The Church gives me just as
much of all that as is good for me; and, for the rest, just tells me
to be quiet and not bother--above all, not to peep or pry. Listeners
hear no good of themselves: and I suppose that's true of the other
senses too. At any rate, I'm going to do my best to mind nothing
except my own business."

"Isn't that rather unenterprising?"

"Certainly it is; that's why I like it.... Oh! Mabel, I do want to be
so absolutely ordinary all the rest of my life. It's so extremely rare
and original, you know. Didn't somebody say that there was nothing so
uncommon as common sense? Well, that's what I'm going to be. A genius!
Don't you understand?--t