Miss Haven, the Winifred in question, began to talk apart with Rhoda Nunn.

‘I do wish my aunt wouldn’t exaggerate so,’ she said in a subdued voice, whilst Mrs. Smallbrook still talked loudly and urgently.  ’I never said that I was favourably impressed.  The girl protests far too much; she has played on aunt’s weaknesses, I fear.’

‘But who is she?’

’Oh, some one who lost her character long ago, and lives, I should say, on charitable people.  Just because I said that she must once have had a very nice face, aunt misrepresents me in this way—­it’s too bad.’

‘Is she an educated person?’ Miss Barfoot was heard to ask.

‘Not precisely well educated.’

‘Of the lower classes, then?’

‘I don’t like that term, you know.  Of the poorer classes.’

‘She never was a lady,’ put in Miss Haven quietly but decidedly.

‘Then I fear I can be of no use,’ said the hostess, betraying some of her secret satisfaction in being able thus to avoid Mrs. Smallbrook’s request.  Winifred, a pupil at Great Portland Street, was much liked by both her teachers; but the aunt, with her ceaseless philanthropy at other people’s expense, could only be considered a bore.

’But surely you don’t limit your humanity, Miss Barfoot, by the artificial divisions of society.’

‘I think those divisions are anything but artificial,’ replied the hostess good-humouredly.  ’In the uneducated classes I have no interest whatever.  You have heard me say so.

‘Yes, but I cannot think—­isn’t that just a little narrow?’

’Perhaps so.  I choose my sphere, that’s all.  Let those work for the lower classes (I must call them lower, for they are, in every sense), let those work for them who have a call to do so.  I have none.  I must keep to my own class.’

‘But surely, Miss Nunn,’ cried the widow, turning to Rhoda, ’we work for the abolition of all unjust privilege?  To us, is not a woman a woman?’

’I am obliged to agree with Miss Barfoot.  I think that as soon as we begin to meddle with uneducated people, all our schemes and views are unsettled.  We have to learn a new language, for one thing.  But your missionary enterprise is admirable.’

‘For my part,’ declared Mrs. Smallbrook, ’I aim at the solidarity of woman.  You, at all events, agree with me, Winifred?’

’I really don’t think, aunt, that there can be any solidarity of ladies with servant girls,’ responded Miss Haven, encouraged by a look from Rhoda.

’Then I grieve that your charity falls so far below the Christian standard.’

Miss Barfoot firmly guided the conversation to a more hopeful subject.