‘You are a brick, Milly.  And I didn’t think you were, I didn’t really.’

‘What a horrid pig you are, Eth!’ Milly protested, and Ethel laughed.

‘Did you give Fred my note all right?’ Ethel demanded.

‘Yes,’ answered Milly.  ‘I suppose he’s coming up to-night?’

‘I asked him to.’

‘There’ll be a frantic row one day.  I’m sure there will,’ Milly said meditatively, after a pause.

‘Oh! there’s bound to be!’ Ethel assented, and she added:  ’Mother does trust us.  Have a choc?’

Milly said yes, and Ethel drew a box of bonbons from her pocket.

They seemed to contemplate with a fearful joy the probable exposure of that life of flirtations and chocolate which ran its secret course side by side with the other life of demure propriety acted out for the benefit of the older generation.  If these innocent and inexperienced souls had been accused of leading a double life, they would have denied the charge with genuine indignation.  Nevertheless, driven by the universal longing, and abetted by parental apathy and parental lack of imagination, they did lead a double life.  They chafed bitterly under the code to which they were obliged ostensibly to submit.  In their moods of revolt, they honestly believed their parents to be dull and obstinate creatures who had lost the appetite for romance and ecstasy and were determined to mortify this appetite in others.  They desired heaps of money and the free, informal companionship of very young men.  The latter—­at the cost of some intrigue and subterfuge—­they contrived to get.  But money they could not get.  Frequently they said to each other with intense earnestness that they would do anything for money; and they repeated passionately, ‘anything.’

‘Just look at that stuck-up thing!’ said Milly laughing.  They stood together at the window, and Milly pointed her finger at Rose, who was walking conscientiously to and fro across the garden in the gathering dusk.

Ethel rapped on the pane, and the three sisters exchanged friendly smiles.

‘Rosie will never pass her exam, not if she lives to be a hundred,’ said Ethel.  ’And can you imagine father making me go to the works?  Can you imagine the sense of it?’

‘He won’t let you walk up with Fred at nights,’ said Milly, ’so you needn’t think.’

‘And your housekeeping!’ Ethel exclaimed.  ’What a treat father will have at meals!’

‘Oh!  I can easily get round mother,’ said Milly with confidence.  ’I can’t housekeep, and ma knows that perfectly well.’

’Well, father will forget all about it in a week or two, that’s one comfort,’ Ethel concluded the matter.  ’Are you going down to Burgesses to see Harry?’ she inquired, observing Milly put on her hat.

‘Yes,’ said Milly.  ’Cissie said she’d come for me if I was late.  You’d better stay in and be dutiful.’

’I shall offer to play duets with mother.  Don’t you be long.  Let’s try that chorus for the Operatic before supper.’