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104 littleness. There would be no loss of dignity in making a proposal that her enemy, she felt sure, would accept: it merely showed a Christian spirit, and set an example to Elizabeth, to make the first move. Janet she did not consider.

“If you are in a fit state to listen to reason, Elizabeth,” she began.

Miss Mapp heaved a sigh of relief. Diva had thought of something. She swallowed the insult at a gulp.

“Yes, dear,” she said.

“Got an idea. Take away Janet’s frock, and wear it myself. Then you can wear yours. Too pretty for parlour-maids. Eh?”

A heavenly brightness spread over Miss Mapp’s face.

“Oh, how wonderful of you to have thought of that, Diva,” she said. “But how shall we explain it all to everybody?”

Diva clung to her rights. Though clearly Christian, she was human.

“Say I thought of tacking chintz on and told you,” she said.

“Yes, darling,” said Elizabeth. “That’s beautiful, I agree. But poor Janet!”

“I’ll give her some other old thing,” said Diva. “Good sort, Janet. Wants me to win.”

“And about her having been seen wearing it?”

“Say she hasn’t ever worn it. Say they’re mad,” said Diva.

Miss Mapp felt it better to tear herself away before she began distilling all sorts of acidities that welled up in her fruitful mind. She could, for instance, easily have agreed that nothing was more probable than that Janet had been mistaken for her mistress.…