Intimately as Miss Garth was
acquainted with this peculiarity in her pupil, she now saw it asserting
itself for the first time, in association with mental exertion of any
kind on Magdalen's part. Feeling, therefore, some curiosity to know how
long the combing and the studying had gone on together, she ventured on
putting the question, first to the mistress; and (receiving no answer in
that quarter) secondly to the maid.
"All the afternoon, miss, off and on," was the weary answer. "Miss
Magdalen says it soothes her feelings and clears her mind."
Knowing by experience that interference would be hopeless, under these
circumstances, Miss Garth turned sharply and left the room. She
smiled when she was outside on the landing. The female mind does
occasionally--though not often--project itself into the future. Miss
Garth was prophetically pitying Magdalen's unfortunate husband.
Dinner-time presented the fair student to the family eye in the same
mentally absorbed aspect. On all ordinary occasions Magdalen's appetite
would have terrified those feeble sentimentalists who affect to
ignore the all-important influence which female feeding exerts in the
production of female beauty.
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