face seemed to reflect some of Hans's discomfort.
"Mirah is quite right to scold you, Hans. You are always taking Mr Deronda's name in vain. And it is horrible, joking in that way about his marrying Mrs Grandcourt. Men's minds must be very black, I think," ended Mab, with much scorn.
"Quite true, my dear," said Hans, in a low tone, rising and turning on his heel to walk towards the back window.
"We had better go on, Mab; you have not given your full time to the lesson," said Mirah, in a higher tone than usual, "Will you sing this again, or shall I sing it to you?"
"Oh, please sing it to me," said Mab, rejoiced to take no more notice of what had happened.
And Mirah immediately sang Lascia ch'io pianga, giving forth its melodious sobs and cries with new fulness and energy. Hans paused in his walk and leaned against the mantelpiece, keeping his eyes carefully away from his mother's. When Mirah had sung her last note and touched the last chord, she rose and said, "I must go home now. Ezra expects me."
She gave her hand silently to Mrs Meyrick and hung back a little, not daring to look at her, in-
