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"Don't you see that I wish to go by? Please move your pail," she said sharply

The woman at first seemed not to hear; then, without a word of excuse, she pushed back her pail and dragged a wet floor-cloth across the landing, keeping her eyes fixed on Lily while the latter swept by It was insufferable that Mrs Peniston should have such creatures about the house; and Lily entered her roo

Mrs Peniston, however, was at theshe had been shut up with herover her furs, a process which for episode in the dra also Lily found herself alone, for her aunt, who rarely dined out, had responded to the suh town The house, in its state of unnatural immaculateness and order, was as dreary as a to from her brief repast between shrouded sideboards, wandered into the newly-uncovered glare of the drawing-roo limits of Mrs Peniston's existence

She usually contrived to avoid being at ho the season of domestic renewal On the present occasion, however, a variety of reasons had co them was the fact that she had fewer invitations than usual for the autu been accustomed to pass from one country-house to another, till the close of the holidays brought her friends to town, that the unfilled gaps of ti popularity It was as she had said to Selden--people were tired of her They would welcome her in a new character, but as Miss Bart they knew her by heart She knew herself by heart too, and was sick of the old story There weredifferent, anything strange, reination did not go beyond picturing her usual life in a new setting She could not figure herself as anywhere but in a drawing-rooance as a flower sheds perfume

Meanwhile, as October advanced she had to face the alternative of returning to the Trenors or joining her aunt in town Even the desolating dulness of New York in October, and the soapy discomforts of Mrs Peniston's interior, seeht await her at Bellomont; and with an air of heroic devotion she announced her intention of re with her aunt till the holidays