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Mrs.KempwasinthehabitofslumberingsomewhatheavilyonSundaymornings,orLizawouldnothavebeenallowedtogoonsleepingasshedid.Whenshewoke,sherubbedhereyestogatherhersensestogetherandgraduallysherememberedhavinggonetothetheatreonthepreviouseveningthensuddenlyeverythingcamebacktoher.Shestretchedoutherlegsandgavealongsighofdelight.HerheartwasfullshethoughtofJim,andthedelicioussensationoflovecameoverher.Closinghereyes,sheimaginedhiswarmkisses,andsheliftedupherarmsasiftoputthemroundhisneckanddrawhimdowntohershealmostfelttheroughbeardonherface,andthestrongheavyarmsroundherbody.Shesmiledtoherselfandtookalongbreaththen,slippingbackthesleevesofhernightdress,shelookedatherownthinarms,justtwopiecesofbonewithnotamuscleonthem,butverywhiteandshowingdistinctlytheinterlacementofblueveins:shedidnotnoticethatherhandswererough,andredanddirtywiththenailsbroken,andbittentothequick.Shegotoutofbedandlookedatherselfintheglassoverthemantelpiece:withonehandshebrushedbackherhairandsmiledatherselfherfacewasverysmallandthin,butthecomplexionwasnice,clearandwhite,withadelicatetintofredonthecheeks,andhereyeswerebiganddarklikeherhair.Shefeltveryhappy.
Shedidnotwanttodressyet,butrathertositdownandthink,soshetwistedupherhairintoalittleknot,slippedaskirtoverhernightdress,andsatonachairnearthewindowandbeganlookingaround.Thedecorationsoftheroomhadbeencentredonthemantelpiecethechiefornamentconsistedofapearandanapple,apineapple,abunchofgrapes,andseveralfatplums,allverybeautifullydoneinwax,aswasthefashionaboutthemiddleofthismostgloriousreign.Theywereappropriatelycoloured—theappleblushingred,thegrapesaninkyblack,emeraldgreenleaveswerescatteredhereandtheretolendfinish,andthewholewasmountedonanebonisedstandcoveredwithblackvelvet,andprotectedfromdustanddirtbyabeautifulglasscoverborderedwithredplush.Liza'seyesrestedonthiswithapprobation,andthepineapplequitemadehermouthwater.AteitherendofthemantelpiecewerepinkjarswithblueflowersonthefrontroundthetopinGothiclettersofgoldwasinscribed:'APresentfromaFriend'—thesewereproductsofalater,butnotlessartisticage.Theinterveningspacesweretakenupwithlittlejarsandcupsandsaucers—goldinside,withaviewofatownoutside,andsurroundingthem,'APresentfromClacton-on-Sea,'or,alliteratively,'AMementoofMargate.'Ofthesemanywerebroken,buttheyhadbeenmendedwithglue,anditiswellknownthatpotteryintheeyesoftheconnoisseurlosesnoneofitsvaluebyacrackortwo.Thentherewer