There she stood, shading her eyes and looking out to sea.

For the millionth time, perhaps, she looked at the sea.  A peacock butterfly now spread himself upon the teasle, fresh and newly emerged, as the blue and chocolate down on his wings testified.  Mrs. Pascoe went indoors, fetched a cream pan, came out, and stood scouring it.  Her face was assuredly not soft, sensual, or lecherous, but hard, wise, wholesome rather, signifying in a room full of sophisticated people the flesh and blood of life.  She would tell a lie, though, as soon as the truth.  Behind her on the wall hung a large dried skate.  Shut up in the parlour she prized mats, china mugs, and photographs, though the mouldy little room was saved from the salt breeze only by the depth of a brick, and between lace curtains you saw the gannet drop like a stone, and on stormy days the gulls came shuddering through the air, and the steamers’ lights were now high, now deep.  Melancholy were the sounds on a winter’s night.

The picture papers were delivered punctually on Sunday, and she pored long over Lady Cynthia’s wedding at the Abbey.  She, too, would have liked to ride in a carriage with springs.  The soft, swift syllables of educated speech often shamed her few rude ones.  And then all night to hear the grinding of the Atlantic upon the rocks instead of hansom cabs and footmen whistling for motor cars. ...  So she may have dreamed, scouring her cream pan.  But the talkative, nimble-witted people have taken themselves to towns.  Like a miser, she has hoarded her feelings within her own breast.  Not a penny piece has she changed all these years, and, watching her enviously, it seems as if all within must be pure gold.

The wise old woman, having fixed her eyes upon the sea, once more withdrew.  The tourists decided that it was time to move on to the Gurnard’s Head.

Three seconds later Mrs. Durrant rapped upon the door.

“Mrs. Pascoe?” she said.

Rather haughtily, she watched the tourists cross the field path.  She came of a Highland race, famous for its chieftains.

Mrs. Pascoe appeared.

“I envy you that bush, Mrs. Pascoe,” said Mrs. Durrant, pointing the parasol with which she had rapped on the door at the fine clump of St. John’s wort that grew beside it.  Mrs. Pascoe looked at the bush deprecatingly.

“I expect my son in a day or two,” said Mrs. Durrant.  “Sailing from Falmouth with a friend in a little boat. ...  Any news of Lizzie yet, Mrs. Pascoe?”

Her long-tailed ponies stood twitching their ears on the road twenty yards away.  The boy, Curnow, flicked flies off them occasionally.  He saw his mistress go into the cottage; come out again; and pass, talking energetically to judge by the movements of her hands, round the vegetable plot in front of the cottage.  Mrs. Pascoe was his aunt.  Both women surveyed a bush.  Mrs. Durrant stooped and picked a sprig from it.  Next she pointed (her