Now listen.' And the vicar's wife sketched out a programme of festivities for the next fortnight she had been revolving in her inventive head, which took the sisters' breath away.

Rose bit her lip to keep in her laughter.
Agnes, with vast self-possession, took Mrs.Thornburgh in hand.

She pointed out firmly that nothing would be so likely to make Catherine impracticable as fuss.

'In vain is the net spread,' etc.

She preached from the text with a worldly wisdom which quickly crushed Mrs.
Thornburgh.
'Well, _what_ am I to do, my dears ?' she said at last, helplessly.
'Look at the weather! We must have some picnics, if it's only to amuse Robert.' Mrs.Thornburgh spent her life between a condition of effervescence and a condition of feeling the world too much for her.