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told nobody that we are sisters； or that you are known in any way to
me or to mother or to any of us。 I thought that would be best； from
what you said。'
'Yes； perhaps it is best for the present。'
'The box of clothes came safely； and I find very little alteration
will be necessary to make the dress do beautifully for me on
Sundays。 It is quite new…fashioned to me； though I suppose it was
old…fashioned to you。 O； and Berta； will the title of Lady
Petherwin descend to you when your mother…in…law dies？'
'No； of course not。 She is only a knight's widow； and that's
nothing。'
'The lady of a knight looks as good on paper as the lady of a lord。'
'Yes。 And in other places too sometimes。 However； about your
journey home。 Be very careful； and don't make any inquiries at the
stations of anybody but officials。 If any man wants to be friendly
with you； try to find out if it is from a genuine wish to assist
you； or from admiration of your fresh face。'
'How shall I know which？' said Picotee。
Ethelberta laughed。 'If Heaven does not tell you at the moment I
cannot；' she said。 'But humanity looks with a different eye from
love； and upon the whole it is most to be prized by all of us。 I
believe it ends oftener in marriage than do a lover's flying smiles。
So that for this and other reasons love from a stranger is mostly
worthless as a speculation； and it is certainly dangerous as a game。
Well； Picotee； has any one paid you real attentions yet？'
'Nothat is'
'There is something going on。'
'Only a wee bit。'
'I thought so。 There was a dishonesty about your dear eyes which
has never been there before； and love…making and dishonesty are
inseparable as coupled hounds。 Up comes man； and away goes
innocence。 Are you going to tell me anything about him？'
'I would rather not； Ethelberta； because it is hardly anything。'
'Well； be careful。 And mind this； never tell him what you feel。'
'But then he will never know it。'
'Nor must he。 He must think it only。 The difference between his
thinking and knowing is often the difference between your winning
and losing。 But general advice is not of much use； and I cannot
give more unless you tell more。 What is his name？'
Picotee did not reply。
'Never mind： keep your secret。 However； listen to this： not a
kissnot so much as the shadow； hint； or merest seedling of a
kiss！'
'There is no fear of it；' murmured Picotee； 'though not because of
me！'
'You see； my dear Picotee； a lover is not a relative； and he isn't
quite a stranger； but he may end in being either； and the way to
reduce him to whichever of the two you wish him to be is to treat
him like the other。 Men who come courting are just like bad cooks：
if you are kind to them； instead of ascribing it to an exceptional
courtesy on your part； they instantly set it down to their own
marvellous worth。'
'But I ought to favour him just a little； poor thing？ Just the
smallest glimmer of a gleam！'
'Only a very little indeedso that it comes as a relief to his
misery； not as adding to his happiness。'
'It is being too clever； all this； and we ought to be harmless as
doves。'
'Ah； Picotee！ to continue harmless as a dove you must be wise as a
serpent； you'll finday； ten serpents； for that matter。'
'But if I cannot get at him； how can I manage him in these ways you
speak of？'
'Get at him？ I suppose he gets at you in some way； does he not？
tries to see you； or to be near you？'
'Nothat's just the pointhe doesn't do any such thing； and
there's the worry of it！'
'Well； what a silly girl！ Then he is not your lover at all？'
'Perhaps he's not。 But I am his； at any ratetwice over。'
'That's no use。 Supply the love for both sides？ Why； it's worse
than furnishing money for both。 You don't suppose a man will give
his heart in exchange for a woman's when he has already got hers for
nothing？ That's not the way old Adam does business at all。'
Picotee sighed。 'Have you got a young man； too； Berta？'
'A young man？'
'A lover I meanthat's what we call 'em down here。'
'It is difficult to explain；' said Ethelberta evasively。 'I knew
one many years ago； and I have seen him again； andthat is all。'
'According to my idea you have one； but according to your own you
have not； he does not love you； but you love himis that how it
is？'
'I have not quite considered how it is。'
'Do you love him？'
'I have never seen a man I hate less。'
'A great deal lies covered up there； I expect！'
'He was in that carriage which drove over the hill at the moment we
met here。'
'Ah…ahsome great lord or another who has his day by candlelight；
and so on。 I guess the style。 Somebody who no more knows how much
bread is a loaf than I do the price of diamonds and pearls。'
'I am afraid he's only a commoner as yet； and not a very great one
either。 But surely you guess； Picotee？ But I'll set you an example
of frankness by telling his name。 My friend； Mr。 Julian； to whom
you posted the book。 Such changes as he has seen！from affluence
to poverty。 He and his sister have been playing dances all night at
WyndwayWhat is the matter？'
'Only a pain！'
'My dear Picotee'
'I think I'll sit down for a moment； Berta。'
'Whathave you over…walked yourself； dear？'
'Yesand I got up very early； you see。'
'I hope you are not going to be ill； child。 You look as if you
ought not to be here。'
'O； it is quite trifling。 Does not getting up in a hurry cause a
sense of faintness sometimes？'
'Yes； in people who are not strong。'
'If we don't talk about being faint it will go off。 Faintness is
such a queer thing that to think of it is to have it。 Let us talk
as we were talking beforeabout your young man and other
indifferent matters； so as to divert my thoughts from fainting； dear
Berta。 I have always thought the book was to be forwarded to that
gentleman because he was a connection of yours by marriage； and he
had asked for it。 And so you have met thisthis Mr。 Julian； and
gone for walks with him in evenings； I suppose； just as young men
and women do who are courting？'
'No； indeedwhat an absurd child you are！' said Ethelberta。 'I
knew him once； and he is interesting； a few little things like that
make it all up。'
'The love is all on one side； as with me。'
'O no； no： there is nothing like that。 I am not attached to any
one； strictly speakingthough； more strictly speaking； I am not
unattached。'
''Tis a delightful middle mind to be in。 I know it； for I was like
it once； but I had scarcely been so long enough to know where I was
before I was gone past。'
'You should have commanded yourself； or drawn back entirely； for let
me tell you that at the beginning of caring for a manjust when you
are suspended between thinking and feelingthere is a hair's…
breadth of time at which the question of getting into love or not
getting in is a matter of willquite a thing of choice。 At the
same time； drawing back is a tame dance； and the best of all is to
stay balanced awhile。'
'You do that well； I'll warrant。'
'Well； no； for what between continually wanting to love； to escape
the blank lives of those who do not；