ever and always, though it did last for only two or three seconds, but she could not feel at home there. . . . And yet during those ten years her life had sped and sped and sped. . . . It sped on without resting. . . . She was always busy. . . .
She had sent Adeletje upstairs, to change her things at once, and opened the door of the drawing-room. . . . It felt a little chilly, she thought; and, while she saw her mother sitting quietly in the conservatory, peering out of doors from her usual seat, she went to the stove, moved the cinder-drawer to and fro to send the ashes to the bottom and make the fire glow up behind the mica doors. . . .
"Aren't you cold out there, Mummie?"
The old woman looked round at the sound of her voice. Constance went into the conservatory and again asked:
"Aren't you cold, Mummie?"
The old woman heard her this time; and Constance stooped over her and kissed the waxen forehead.
"It's blowing," said the old woman.
"Yes, it's blowing like anything!" said Constance. "You don't feel cold?"
The old woman smiled, with her eyes in her daughter's.
"Won't you rather come and sit inside, Mamma?"
But the old woman only smiled and said:
"The trees are waving from side to side; and just now a branch fell . . . right in front of the window."
"Yes. Harm'll have plenty of work to-morrow. There are branches lying all over the place."
"It's blowing," said the old woman.
Constance went in, took a shawl and put it over her mother's shoulders:
