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clever like that。 They overwork when they are young； and then when
they grow up〃
Meanwhile Mary led her private life。 She attached herself to no one
but Jeremy； she was delicate and suffered from perpetual colds； she
therefore spent much of her time in the nursery reading； her huge
spectacles close to the page； her thin legs like black sticks stuck
up on the fender in front of the fire or curled up under her on the
window…seat。
Very different was Helen。 Helen had a mass of dark black hair； big
black eyes with thick eye…lashes； a thin white neck； little feet；
and already an eye to 〃effects〃 in dress。 She was charming to
strangers； to the queer curates who haunted the family hall； to poor
people and rich people； to old people and young people。 She was
warm…hearted but not impulsive； intelligent but not clever；
sympathetic but not sentimental； impatient but never uncontrolled。
She liked almost everyone and almost everything； but no one and
nothing mattered to her very deeply； she liked going to church；
always learnt her Collect first on Sunday； and gave half her pocket…
money to the morning collection。 She was generous but never
extravagant； enjoyed food but was not greedy。 She was quite aware
that she was pretty and might one day be beautiful； and she was glad
of that； but she was never silly about her looks。
When Aunt Amy； who was always silly about everything； said in her
presence to visitors； 〃Isn't Helen the loveliest thing you ever
saw？〃 she managed by her shy self… confidence to suggest that she
was pretty； that Aunt Amy was a fool； and life was altogether very
agreeable； but that none of these things was of any great
importance。 She was very good friends with Jeremy； but she played no
part in his life at all。 At the same time she often fought with him；
simply from her real deep consciousness of her superiority to him。
She valued her authority and asserted it incessantly。 That authority
had until last year been unchallenged； but Jeremy now was growing。
She had； although she did not as yet realise it； a difficult time
before her。
Helen and Mary advanced with their presents； laid them on the
breakfast…table； and then retreated to watch the effect of it all。
〃Shall I now？〃 asked Jeremy。
〃Yes； now；〃 said Helen and Mary。
There were three parcels； one large and 〃shoppy；〃 two small and
bound with family paper； tied by family hands with family string。 He
grasped immediately the situation。 The shoppy parcel was bought with
mother's money and only 〃pretended〃 to be from his sisters； the two
small parcels were the very handiwork of the ladies themselves； the
same having been seen by all eyes at work for the last six months；
sometimes； indeed； under the cloak of attempted secrecy； but more
oftenbecause weariness or ill…temper made them carelessin the
full light of day。
His interest was centred almost entirely in the 〃shoppy〃 parcel；
which by its shape might be 〃soldiers〃； but he knew the rules of the
game； and disregarding the large； ostentatious brown…papered thing；
he went magnificently for the two small incoherent bundles。
He opened them。 A flat green table…centre with a red pattern of
roses； a thick table…napkin ring worked in yellow worsted； these
were revealed。
〃Oh！〃 he cried； 〃just what I wanted。〃 （Father always said that on
his birthday。）
〃Is it？〃 said Mary and Helen。
〃Mine's the ring；〃 said Mary。 〃It's dirty rather； but it would have
got dirty； anyway； afterwards。〃 She watched anxiously to see whether
he preferred Helen's。
He watched them nervously； lest he should be expected to kiss them。
He wiped his mouth with his hand instead； and began rapidly to talk：
〃Jampot will know now which mine is。 She's always giving me the
wrong one。 I'll have it always； and the green thing too。〃
〃It's for the middle of a table；〃 Helen interrupted。
〃Yes； I know；〃 said Jeremy hurriedly。 〃I'll always have it toolike
Mary'swhen I'm grown up and all。 。 。 。 I say； shall I open the
other one now？〃
〃Yes； you can；〃 said Helen and Mary； ceasing to take the central
place in the ceremony； spectators now and eagerly excited。
But Mary had a last word。
〃You do like mine； don't you？〃
〃Of course； like anything。〃
She wanted to say 〃Better than Helen's？〃 but restrained herself。
〃I was ever so long doing it； I thought I wouldn't finish it in
time。〃
He saw with terror that she meditated a descent upon him； a kiss was
in the air。 She moved forward； then； to his extreme relief； the door
opened and the elders arriving saved him。
There were Father and Mother； Uncle Samuel and Aunt Amy； all with
presents； faces of birthday tolerance and 〃do…as…you…please…to…day；
dear〃 expressions。
The Rev。 Herbert Cole was forty years of age； rector of St。 James's；
Polchester； during the last ten years； and marked out for greater
preferment in the near future。 To be a rector at thirty is unusual；
but he had great religious gifts； preached an admirable 〃as…man…to…
man〃 sermon； and did not believe in thinking about more than he
could see。 He was an excellent father in the abstract sense； but the
parish absorbed too much of his time to allow of intimacies with
anyone。
Mrs。 Cole was the most placid lady in Europe。 She had a comfortable
figure； but was not stout； here a dimple and there a dimple。 Nothing
could disturb her。 Children； servants； her husband's sermons；
district visiting； her Tuesday 〃at homes；〃 the butcher； the dean's
wife； the wives of the canons； the Polchester climate； bills；
clothes； other women's clothesover all these rocks of peril in the
sea of daily life her barque happily floated。 Some ill…natured
people thought her stupid； but in her younger days she had liked
Trollope's novels in the Cornhill； disapproved placidly of 〃Jane
Eyre；〃 and admired Tennyson； so that she could not be considered
unliterary。
She was economical； warm…hearted； loved her children； talked only
the gentlest scandal； and was a completely happy womanall this in
the placidest way in the world。 Miss Amy Trefusis； her sister； was
very different； being thin both in her figure and her emotions。 She
skirted tempestuously over the surface of things； was the most
sentimental of human beings； was often in tears over reminiscences
of books or the weather； was deeply religious in a superficial way；
and reallyalthough she would have been entirely astonished had you
told her socared for no one in the world but herself。 She was
dressed always in dark colours； with the high shoulders of the day；
elegant bonnets and little chains that jingled as she moved。 In her
soul she feared and distrusted children； but she did not know this。
She did know； however； that she feared and distrusted her brother
Samuel。
Her brother Samuel was all that the Trefusis family； as a
conservative body who believed in tradition； had least reason for
understanding。 He had been a failure from the first moment of his
entry into the Grammar School in Polchester thirty…five years before
this story。 He had continued a failure at Winchester and at Christ
Church； Oxford。 He had desired to be a painter； he had broken from
the family and gone to study Art in Paris。 He had starved an