"They seem very ordinary views," she said modestly.
"You share them?" cried Lady Sunderbund.
"But of course," said Lady Ella.
"Wondyful!" cried Lady Sunderbund.
"Tell me, Lady Sunderbund," said the bishop, "are you going to alter the
outer appearance of the old doctor's house?" And found that at last he
had discovered the saving topic.
"Ha'dly at all," she said. "I shall just have it pointed white and do
the doa--I'm not su' how I shall do the doa. Whetha I shall do the doa
gold or a vehy, vehy 'itch blue."
For a time she and Lady Ella, to whom these ideas were novel, discussed
the animation of grey and sombre towns by house painting. In such matter
Lady Sunderbund had a Russian mind. "I can't bea' g'ey," she said. "Not
in my su'oundings, not in my k'eed, nowhe'e." She turned to the bishop.
"If I had my way I would paint you' cathed'al inside and out."
"They used to be painted," said the bishop. "I don't know if you have
seen Ely. There the old painting has been largely restored...."
From that to the end there was no real danger, and at last the bishop
found himself alone with his wife again.
"Remarkable person," he said tentatively.
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