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stamped off to join the Admiral in his morning walk。
As the door slammed Ida burst into a shout of laughter。 〃You see；
Clara；〃 she cried； 〃the charm works already。 He has gone to number one
instead of to number three。 Oh； we shall win a great victory。 You've
been very good； dear； I could see that you were on thorns to help him
when he was looking for his boots。〃
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〃Poor papa！ It is so cruel。 And yet what are we to do？〃
〃Oh； he will enjoy being comfortable all the more if we give him a
little discomfort now。 What horrible work this chemistry is！ Look at
my frock！ It is ruined。 And this dreadful smell！〃 She threw open the
window； and thrust her little golden…curled head out of it。 Charles
Westmacott was hoeing at the other side of the garden fence。
〃Good morning； sir；〃 said Ida。
〃Good morning！〃 The big man leaned upon his hoe and looked up at
her。
〃Have you any cigarettes； Charles？〃
〃Yes； certainly。〃
〃Throw me up two。〃
〃Here is my case。 Can you catch！〃
A seal…skin case came with a soft thud on to the floor。 Ida opened it。
It was full。
〃What are these？〃 she asked。
〃Egyptians。〃
〃What are some other brands？〃
〃Oh； Richmond Gems； and Turkish； and Cambridge。 But why？〃
〃Never mind！〃 She nodded to him and closed the window。 〃We
must remember all those； Clara；〃 said she。 〃We must learn to talk about
such things。 Mrs。 Westmacott knows all about the brands of cigarettes。
Has your rum come？〃
〃Yes； dear。 It is here。〃
〃And I have my stout。 Come along up to my room now。 This smell
is too abominable。 But we must be ready for him when he comes back。
If we sit at the window we shall see him coming down the road。〃
The fresh morning air； and the genial company of the Admiral had
caused the Doctor to forget his troubles； and he came back about midday
in an excellent humor。 As he opened the hall door the vile smell of
chemicals which had spoilt his breakfast met him with a redoubled
virulence。 He threw open the hall window； entered the dining…room； and
stood aghast at the sight which met his eyes。
Ida was still sitting among her bottles； with a lit cigarette in her left
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hand and a glass of stout on the table beside her。 Clara； with another
cigarette； was lounging in the easy chair with several maps spread out
upon the floor around。 Her feet were stuck up on the coal scuttle； and
she had a tumblerful of some reddish…brown composition on the smoking
table close at her elbow。 The Doctor gazed from one to the other of them
through the thin grey haze of smoke； but his eyes rested finally in a settled
stare of astonishment upon his elder and more serious daughter。
〃Clara！〃 he gasped； 〃I could not have believed it！〃
〃What is it； papa？〃
〃You are smoking！〃
〃Trying to； papa。 I find it a little difficult； for I have not been used to
it。〃
〃But why； in the name of goodness〃
〃Mrs。 Westmacott recommends it。〃
〃Oh； a lady of mature years may do many things which a young girl
must avoid。〃
〃Oh； no；〃 cried Ida； 〃Mrs。 Westmacott says that there should be one
law for all。 Have a cigarette； pa？〃
〃No； thank you。 I never smoke in the morning。〃
〃No？ Perhaps you don't care for the brand。 What are these； Clara？〃
〃Egyptians。〃
〃Ah； we must have some Richmond Gems or Turkish。 I wish； pa；
when you go into town； you would get me some Turkish。〃
〃I will do nothing of the kind。 I do not at all think that it is a fitting
habit for young ladies。 I do not agree with Mrs。 Westmacott upon the
point。〃
〃Really； pa！ It was you who advised us to imitate her。〃
〃But with discrimination。 What is it that you are drinking； Clara？〃
〃Rum； papa。〃
〃Rum？ In the morning？〃 He sat down and rubbed his eyes as one
who tries to shake off some evil dream。 〃Did you say rum？〃
〃Yes； pa。 They all drink it in the profession which I am going to take
up。〃
〃Profession； Clara？〃
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〃Mrs。 Westmacott says that every woman should follow a calling； and
that we ought to choose those which women have always avoided。〃
〃Quite so。〃
〃Well； I am going to act upon her advice。 I am going to be a pilot。〃
〃My dear Clara！ A pilot！ This is too much。〃
〃This is a beautiful book； papa。 ‘The Lights； Beacons； Buoys；
Channels； and Landmarks of Great Britain。' Here is another； ‘The Master
Mariner's Handbook。' You can't imagine how interesting it is。〃
〃You are joking； Clara。 You must be joking！〃
〃Not at all； pa。 You can't think what a lot I have learned already。
I'm to carry a green light to starboard and a red to port； with a white light
at the mast…head； and a flare…up every fifteen minutes。〃
〃Oh； won't it look pretty at night！〃 cried her sister。
〃And I know the fog…signals。 One blast means that a ship steers to
starboard； two to port； three astern； four that it is unmanageable。 But this
man asks such dreadful questions at the end of each chapter。 Listen to
this： ‘You see a red light。 The ship is on the port tack and the wind at
north； what course is that ship steering to a point？'〃
The Doctor rose with a gesture of despair。 〃I can't imagine what has
come over you both；〃 said he。
〃My dear papa； we are trying hard to live up to Mrs。 Westmacott's
standard。〃
〃Well； I must say that I do not admire the result。 Your chemistry； Ida；
may perhaps do no harm； but your scheme； Clara； is out of the question。
How a girl of your sense could ever entertain such a notion is more than I
can imagine。 But I must absolutely forbid you to go further with it。〃
〃But； pa；〃 asked Ida； with an air of innocent inquiry in her big blue
eyes； 〃what are we