Marianne paused, saying, "I see that," and Mrs. Eldridge said also: "I see _that_." Whereupon the former said, unreasonably: "What _don't_ you see?" and her friend replied: "Nothing. Go on." Which Marianne did, after a very slight hesitation, as of doubt. "'I annex a plan of the position showing the angle at which the mirror was placed, the relative positions of myself and the lady, and our respective images in the glass. So I could see plainly by looking at her reflection that she took a good long look at herself before answering my question.'" "Is there another cup left, dear?" said Mrs. Eldridge. "Never mind if you haven't...." "It won't be good," said the tea-maker feelingly. But the applicant said never mind, that would do! She liked it strong. But might she look at the plan? She would promise not to read. There was nothing there she needn't read, said her friend. Nevertheless, she folded back the script behind the rough bird's-eye view, with dotted lines of sight to show how things had worked. "Well!" said Marianne, as she handed the cup of tea--which didn't look bad. "I don't believe the sofa was half as long as that." "Charlotte--you're ridiculous!" "Well, I _don't_! Now go on reading.... 'She took a good long look at herself....'" Mrs. Eldridge considered whether she should reveal the thought in her mind that Mr. Challis must also have taken a good long look to know. No!--she would not! Whatever she was, she was not a mischief-maker; and to prove this to her own satisfaction, she not infrequently abstained from saying something about a lady and gentleman. She often found an opportunity of doing this, as she never thought on any subject not spiced with both. Satisfaction to conscience through this abstention would be sure to result in free handling soon after. Also, the abstention was easy to her this time, because she believed--rightly or wrongly--that Marianne knew she was making it. Perhaps rightly, but no outward sign to that effect came. Marianne glanced forward in the letter, and went on reading: "'This young woman, I fancy, is savagely jealous of the younger sister posing as an active promoter of all sorts of upnesses-to-date....' I wish," said the reader parenthetically, "that Titus wouldn't use such unusual expressions. I dare say they are very clever, but I don't profess to understand ... what?... Oh, of course, I see what he _means_, but it's a kind of thing I shall never understand.... No, my dear Charlotte!--it's no use talking and trying to persuade me. 'Upnesses-to-date'--just fancy!" Now Titus had been in two minds whether to allow this phrase to remain, but had decided to do so, as better on the whole than to provoke speculation over an obliterated text. _He_ might have speculated himself over such an erasure.