Her conversation, profuse when she was in good spirits, rarely went beyond the trifling separate events of existence personal and domestic--the life of the house hour by hour and minute by minute.

It was often astounding to Hilda that her mother never showed any sign of being weary of these topics, nor any desire to discover other topics.
"Yes," said Hilda.

"Miss Gailey--" Mrs.Lessways became instantly a different creature.
"And does he know ?" she asked blankly, when Hilda had informed her of Janet's visit and news.
"Yes.

I told him--of course." "You ?" "Well, somebody had to tell him," said Hilda, with an affectation of carelessness.

"So I told him myself." "And how did he take it ?" "Well, how should he take it ?" Hilda retorted largely.