‘You didn’t sit up for me, of course?’

’Certainly not; you are not so very agreeable when you come home, as to make me sit up for you.’

’I say, Netta, do you know I have written to invite my mother to come and pay us a visit.’

‘Your mother! then you must amuse her, for I certainly won’t.’

’I beg to say you will, and will do everything in your power to make her visit agreeable.  It will be worse for you if you do not.  What do you mean by always disobeying me?’

’You had better not strike me again, you coward, you!  Justine will hear you.  She can see and hear, if she can’t understand.’

’I tell you what, Netta, everything may depend on our reception of my mother—­your very living, and mine, and Minette’s.’

’I don’t care about living; I’d rather starve than live the life I do, and if I have Aunt ‘Lizbeth, too, I shall run away, I am sure I shall.’

‘With whom, madam?’

’With anybody or nobody; I don’t care what becomes of me since you’re so unkind.  Perhaps you’d like to see my shoulder that you hurt yesterday?  I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing you since.  Your shakes, and pinches ain’t very soft, sir, I assure you.’

Netta threw off a portion of the white dressing-gown she had on, and displayed her round white neck and shoulder disfigured by a black-and-blue mark.

‘I’ll do the same to the other if you aggravate me any more,’ said Howel, clenching his teeth, and moving towards Netta.

‘Not to-night, anyhow,’ said Netta, running through the door and short passage into her child’s bedroom.  She knew that he was always sufficiently master of himself not to expose himself before the servants.

’Justine, I shall sleep with Minette to-night—­that is to say, I shall lie down on this sofa by her side.  You can go to bed as usual,’ said Netta.

And when Minette and Justine were fast asleep in their respective beds, poor Netta sat and cried the livelong night, with her feet upon the fender, and her eyes fixed upon the almost-extinguished fire.

The following morning, when she was watching her child, Howel came into the room.  He went up to the bed on which Minette lay, and kissed her, and asked her how she did.  The little girl looked pleased, and putting her arms round her father’s neck, whispered,—­

’Papa! do you know mamma has not been in bed all night?  Will you tell her I am quite well, and ask her to go to bed?’

’I will, darling.  I have a new picture-book for you downstairs Mamma will come and fetch it.  Mamma, will you come and fetch a new book for Minette?’

Netta looked at Howel for the first time, and seeing that his face was tolerably pleasant, followed him out of the room, and down into the dining-room, where his breakfast was awaiting him.

’Netta! you must make my breakfast, and have some with me.  Minette is better, and you needn’t starve yourself to death,’ said Howel, sitting down at the breakfast-table.