Essays on Life 



might be kept a little more free of spiders' 

 webs ; but in all these chapels, bats, mice and 

 spiders are troublesome. 



Off the main drawing-room on the side 

 facing the window there is a dais, which is 

 approached by a large raised semicircular step, 

 higher than the rest of the floor, but lower 

 than the dais itself. The dais is, of course, 

 reserved for the venerable Lady Principal and 

 the under-mistresses, one of whom, by the 

 way, is a little more mondaine than might 

 have been expected, and is admiring herself in 

 a looking-glass unless, indeed, she is only 

 looking to see if there is a spot of ink on her 

 face. The Lady Principal is seated near a 

 table, on which lie some books in expensive 

 bindings, which I imagine to have been pre- 

 sented to her by the parents of pupils who 

 were leaving school. One has given her a 

 photographic album ; another a large scrap- 

 book, for illustrations of all kinds ; a third 

 volume has red edges, and is presumably of 

 a devotional character. If I dared venture 

 another criticism, I should say it would be 

 better not to keep the ink-pot on the top of 



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