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invited her to every party； because her beauty was an instrument of
attraction she knew how to use； and Miss Lucas took a downright
fancy to her； drove her in the park； and on Sundays to the
Zoological Gardens； just beginning to be fashionable。
The Lucases rented a box at the opera； and if it was not let at the
library by six o'clock； and if other engagements permitted； word
was sent round to Mrs。 Staines； as a matter of course； and she was
taken to the opera。 She began almost to live at the Lucases； and
to be oftener fatigued than moped。
The usual order of things was inverted； the maiden lady educated
the matron； for Miss Lucas knew all about everybody in the Park；
honorable or dishonorable； all the scandals； and all the
flirtations； and whatever she knew； she related point…blank。 Being
as inquisitive as voluble； she soon learned how Mrs。 Staines and
her husband were situated。 She took upon her to advise her in many
things； and especially impressed upon her that Dr。 Staines must
keep a carriage； if he wanted to get on in medicine。 The piece of
advice accorded so well with Rosa's wishes； that she urged it on
her husband again and again。
He objected that no money was coming in； and therefore it would be
insane to add to their expenses。 Rosa persisted； and at last
worried Staines with her importunity。 He began to give rather
short answers。 Then she quoted Miss Lucas against him。 He treated
the authority with marked contempt； and then Rosa fired up a
little。 Then Staines held his peace； but did not buy a carriage to
visit his no patients。
So at last Rosa complained to Lady Cicely Treherne； and made her
the judge between her husband and herself。 Lady Cicely drawled out
a prompt but polite refusal to play that part。 All that could be
elicited from her； and that with difficulty； was； 〃Why quall with
your husband about a cawwige； he is your best fwiend。〃
〃Ah； that he is；〃 said Rosa； 〃but Miss Lucas is a good friend； and
she knows the world。 We don't； neither Christopher nor I。〃
So she continued to nag at her husband about it； and to say that he
was throwing his only chance away。
Galled as he was by neglect； this was irritating； and at last he
could not help telling her she was unreasonable。 〃You live a gay
life； and I a sad one。 I consent to this； and let you go about
with these Lucases； because you were so dull； but you should not
consult them in our private affairs。 Their interference is
indelicate and improper。 I will not set up a carriage till I have
patients to visit。 I am sick of seeing our capital dwindle； and no
income created。 I will never set up a carriage till I have taken a
hundred…guinea fee。〃
〃Oh！ Then we shall go splashing through the mud all our days。〃
〃Or ride in a cab；〃 said Christopher； with a quiet doggedness that
left no hope of his yielding。
One afternoon Miss Lucas called for Mrs。 Staines to drive in the
Park； but did not come up…stairs； it was an engagement； and she
knew Mrs。 Staines would be ready； or nearly。 Mrs。 Staines； not to
keep her waiting； came down rather hastily； and in the very passage
whipped out of her pocket a little glass； and a little powder puff；
and puffed her face all over in a trice。 She was then going out；
but her husband called her into the study。 〃Rosa； my dear；〃 said
he； 〃you were going out with a dirty face。〃
〃Oh！〃 cried she； 〃give me a glass。〃
〃There is no need of that。 All you want is a basin and some nice
rain…water。 I keep a little reservoir of it。〃
He then handed her the same with great politeness。 She looked in
his eye； and saw he was not to be trifled with。 She complied like
a lamb； and the heavenly color and velvet gloss that resulted were
admirable。
He kissed her and said； 〃Ah！ now you are my Rosa again。 Oblige me
by handing over that powder…puff to me。〃 She looked vexed； but
complied。 〃When you come back I will tell you why。〃
〃You are a pest；〃 said Mrs。 Staines； and so joined her friend； rosy
with rain…water and a rub。
〃Dear me； how handsome you look to…day！〃 was Miss Lucas's first
remark。
Rosa never dreamed that rain…water and rub could be the cause of
her looking so well。
〃It is my tiresome husband；〃 said she。 〃He objects to powder； and
he has taken away my puff。〃
〃And you stood that？〃
〃Obliged to。〃
〃Why； you poor…spirited little creature； I should like to see a
husband presume to interfere with me in those things。 Here； take
mine。〃
Rosa hesitated a little。 〃WellnoI think not。〃
Miss Lucas laughed at her； and quizzed her so on her allowing a man
to interfere in such sacred things as dress and cosmetics； that she
came back irritated with her husband； and gave him a short answer
or two。 Then he asked what was the matter。
〃You treat me like a childtaking away my very puff。〃
〃I treat you like a beautiful flower； that no bad gardener shall
wither whilst I am here。〃
〃What nonsense！ How could that wither me？ It is only violet
powderwhat they put on babies。〃
〃And who are the Herods that put it on babies？〃
〃Their own mothers； that love them ten times more than the fathers
do。〃
〃And kill a hundred of them for one a man ever kills。 Mothers！
the most wholesale homicides in the nation。 We will examine your
violet…powder： bring it down here。〃
While she was gone he sent for a breakfast…cupful of flour； and
when she came back he had his scales out； and begged her to put a
teaspoonful of flour into one scale and of violet powder into
another。 The flour kicked the beam； as Homer expresses himself。
〃Put another spoonful of flour。〃
The one spoonful of violet powder outweighed the two of flour。
〃Now；〃 said Staines； 〃does not that show you the presence of a
mineral in your vegetable powder？ I suppose they tell you it is
made of white violets dried； and triturated in a diamond mill。 Let
us find out what metal it is。 We need not go very deep into
chemistry for that。〃 He then applied a simple test； and detected
the presence of lead in large quantities。 Then he lectured her：
〃Invisible perspiration is a process of nature necessary to health
and to life。 The skin is made porous for that purpose。 You can
kill anybody in an hour or two by closing the pores。 A certain
infallible ass； called Pope Leo XII。； killed a little boy in two
hours； by gilding him to adorn the pageant of his first procession
as Pope。 But what is death to the whole body must be injurious to
a part。 What madness； then； to clog the pores of so large and
important a surface as the face； and check the invisible
perspiration： how much more to insert lead into your system every
day of your life； a cumulative poison； and one so deadly and so
subtle； that the Sheffield file…cutters die in their prime； from
merely hammering on a leaden anvil。 And what do you gain by this
suicidal habit？ No plum has a sweeter bloom or more delicious
texture than the skin of your young face； but this mineral filth
hides that delicate texture； and substitutes a dry； uniform
appearance； more like a certain kind of leprosy than health。
Nature made your face the rival of peaches； roses； lilies； and you
say； 'No； I know better than my Creator and my God； my face shall
be like a dusty miller's。' Go into any flour…mill； and there you
shall see men with faces exactly like your friend Miss Lucas's。
But before a miller goes to his sweetheart； he always washes his
face。 You ladies would never get a miller down to your level in
brains。 It is a miller's DIRTY face our mono…maniacs of woman
imitate； not the face a miller goes a…courting with。〃
〃La！ what a fuss about nothing！〃
〃About nothing！ Is your health nothing？ Is your beauty nothing？
Well； then； it will cost you nothing to promise me never to put
powder on your face again。〃
〃Very well； I promise。 Now what will you do for me？〃
〃Work for youwrite for yousuffer for yoube self…denying for
youand even give myself the pain of disappointing you now and
thenlooking forward to the time when I shall be able to say 'Yes'
to everything you ask me。 Ah！ child； you little know what it costs
me to say 'No' to YOU。〃
Rosa put her arms round him and acquiesced。 She was one of those
who go with the last speaker； but； for that very reason； the
eternal companionship of so flighty and flirty a girl as Miss Lucas
was injurious to her。
One day Lady Cicely Treherne was sitting with Mrs。 Staines； smiling
languidly at her talk； and occasionally drawling out a little plain
good sense； when in came Miss Lucas； with her tongue well hung； as
usual； and dashed into twenty topics in ten minutes。
This young lady in her discourse was like those little oily beetles
you see in small ponds； whose whole life is spent in tacking
confound them for it！generally at right angles。 What they are in
navigation was Miss Lucas in conversation： tacked so eternally from
topic to topic； that no man on earth； and not every woman； could
follow her。
At the sight and sound of her； Lady Cicely congealed and stiffened。
Easy and unpretending with Mrs。 Staines； she was all dignity； and
even majesty； in the presence of this chatterbox； and the
smoothness with which the transfiguration was accomplis