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Springer Series in Advanced Manufacturing

Sotiris Makris

Cooperating
Robots
for Flexible
Manufacturing
Springer Series in Advanced Manufacturing

Series Editor
Duc Truong Pham, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
The Springer Series in Advanced Manufacturing includes advanced textbooks,
research monographs, edited works and conference proceedings covering all major
subjects in the field of advanced manufacturing.
The following is a non-exclusive list of subjects relevant to the series:
1. Manufacturing processes and operations (material processing; assembly; test and
inspection; packaging and shipping).
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management; product development; manufacturing system planning).
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and control; quality management).
Emphasis will be placed on novel material of topical interest (for example, books
on nanomanufacturing) as well as new treatments of more traditional areas.
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communication technology (ICT), books dealing with advanced ICT tools for
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More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/7113


Sotiris Makris

Cooperating Robots
for Flexible Manufacturing
Sotiris Makris
Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems
and Automation, Department for Mechanical
Engineering and Aeronautics
University of Patras
Patras, Greece

ISSN 1860-5168 ISSN 2196-1735 (electronic)


Springer Series in Advanced Manufacturing
ISBN 978-3-030-51590-4 ISBN 978-3-030-51591-1 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51591-1

© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021


This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of
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The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Eι γ άρ ηδ ´ νατ o šκασ τ oν τ ων oργ άνων
(κελευσ θ šν ή π ρ oαισ θαν óμεν oν)
απ oτ ελείν τ o αυτ o´ šργ oν, oυδ šν αν
šδει o´ τ ε τ oις αρχ ιτ šκτ oσ ιν υπ ηρετ ών,
o´ τ ε τ oις δεσ π óτ αις δ o´ λων
Aristotele, Politics
καὶ τ òν ™π ιχ ειρ oàντ α λ´ ειν τ ε καὶ
¢ν άγ ειν, ε‡ π ως ™ν τ α ‹ς χ ερσ ὶ δ ´ ναιντ o
λαβε‹ν καὶ ¢π oκτ είνειν
Plato, Republic
To Sophia, John and Dimitra
Preface

This book is the derivation of my research work at the Laboratory for Manufac-
turing Systems and Automation, University of Patras in Greece. It is based on close
interaction with both industry and research colleagues. There have been many great
ideas conceived over these years of research on the topic of cooperating robots for
flexible manufacturing. This book writing is an effort to share these experiences with
a broader audience in a format that is concise enough to summarize many different
concepts but also provides adequate detail and references to allow those interested
to follow similar a direction.
This book aims to consolidate the content of discussions and experiences with
experts, practitioners and engineers in manufacturing systems. With the great variety
of manufacturing systems, we had the opportunity to study a noteworthy set of
methods and tools have been produced. The aim of the book is sharing this expe-
rience with academia and industry practitioners hoping to contribute to improving
manufacturing practice. While there is a plethora of books detailed enough to teach
principles of robotics, this book offers a unique opportunity to dive into the practical
aspects of implementing real-world complex robotic applications.
The term “Cooperating robots” in this book refers to robots that either coop-
erate between themselves or cooperate with people. The book investigates aspects
of cooperation towards implementing flexible manufacturing systems. Therefore,
manufacturing systems are the main driver behind the discussion on implementing
such robotic systems.
Numerous methods have been proposed to design and to operate manufacturing
systems. This book aims to introduce a novel set of methods for designing and
operating manufacturing systems consisting of cooperating robots. Many methods
are available in the literature on designing or operating robotized manufacturing
systems when the main priority is efficiency and robustness; the essential element of
these robotized manufacturing systems is the need for flexibility.
Initially, the concept of a manufacturing system will be briefly introduced,
followed by aspects of flexibility. Following the key aspects of robotic systems
will be introduced while the discussion will be streamlined towards implementing
systems of cooperating robots towards flexible manufacturing systems. Aspects of
designing such systems, such as considering material flow, logistics, processing
ix
x Preface

times, shop floor footprint and design of flexible handling systems, are going to
be discussed. Additionally, key issues in operating such systems involve decision
making, autonomy, cooperation, communication, task scheduling, motion generation
and distribution of control at the control level of different devices among others.
The book consolidates knowledge published in papers with co-authors; however,
it introduces several novel concepts that have not been published before. It presents
a number of chapters in the form of technical papers discussing industrial challenges
and approaches taken. These chapters are organized in four major parts. Part I intro-
duces the topics of cooperating robots in two dimensions. On the one hand, there
are the topics of robots cooperating among themselves, and on the other hand, there
are the aspects of robots cooperating with humans. Part II includes aspects of robot
to robot cooperation. Part III elaborated aspects of collaborative robotics, namely
humans cooperating with robots. Part IV summarizes with an outlook for the future.
I would like to thank the European Commission for the financial support in my
research over the years. Thanks to a number of funding programs, namely the Facto-
ries of the Future program and the Robotics initiative it has been possible to facilitate
this work in cooperation with the European industry and realize the journey towards
implementing the vision discussed throughout this book. Moreover, I am grateful
for a number of leading European manufacturing companies for the great coopera-
tion, namely Daimler, PSA, FCA, Volvo, Ford, Bic Violex, Electrolux, Comau, Prima
Industrie, Siemens, Festo and Pilz. I have enjoyed extensive and fruitful conversations
over the years.
My very good friends and associates in our Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems
and Automation, in the University of Patras, have been invaluable in both performing
research activities and also achieving this first edition of the manuscript. Special
thanks to the colleague and friend, Dr. George Michalos for his persistence and
hard work in many fronts and for sharing the vision for researching the issues of
cooperating robots in industry.
In addition, I am grateful for the support and good cooperation with Professor
Dimitris Mourtzis from the manufacturing systems group in LMS, Dr. Kosmas Alex-
opoulos from the software development group in LMS and Professor Panagiotis
Stavropoulos from the manufacturing processes group in LMS.
I would like to thank the great team I had the opportunity to cooperate with
over the years, in the Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems and Automation, in the
University of Patras. They have been a great help in developing these topics, and I am
grateful for their passion and commitment; Niki Kousi, Panagiotis Karagiannis, Pana-
giotis Aivaliotis, Apostolis Papavasileiou, Dionisis Andronas, Christos Gkournelos,
Stereos Matthaiakis, Andreas Sardelis, Konstantinos Dimoulas, Nikolaos Nikolakis,
Charalampos Kouros, Spyros Koukas, Plato Sipsas, Evangelos Xanthakis, Dr. Loukas
Renztos, Dr. Konstantinos Efthymiou and Dr. Panagiota Tsarouchi have greatly
contributed to the work behind the actual manuscript over the years. There are many
others not being mentioned, and I would like to thank them all.
Preface xi

Above all, I would like to thank my teacher and mentor, Prof. George
Chryssolouris, for his encouragement and enlightenment over the years.
Finally, I would like to greatly and warmly thank my wife, Sophia, for the tolerance
and support over the years as well as my children, John and Dimitra, wishing them
a bright future.

Patras, Greece Sotiris Makris


June 2020
Contents

Part I
1 Introduction to Cooperating Robots and Flexible
Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.2 Cooperating Robots for Flexible Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.2.1 Flexible Production Systems with Cooperating
Robots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.2.2 Efficiency Aspects of Cooperating Robots
Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.3 Human–Robot Collaboration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.3.1 Safe Human–Robot Cooperative Assembly
Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
1.3.2 Efficiency Aspects in Human–Robot Collaboration . . . . 22
1.4 Technology Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
1.4.1 Robotic Perception of Shop Floor, Process
and Human . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
1.4.2 Task Planning and Communication for Shop Floor
Reconfiguration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
1.4.3 Facility and Workload Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Part II Cooperating Robots: Robot–Robot Cooperation


2 Flexible Cooperating Robots for Reconfigurable Shop Floor . . . . . . . 35
2.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
2.1.1 Fixed Assembly Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
2.1.2 Flexible Assembly Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
2.1.3 Illustrative Industrial Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.2 Approach for Controlling Flexible Assembly Systems
with Cooperating Robots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
2.2.1 Unit Level Control Logic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
2.2.2 Line Level Control Logic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
xiii
xiv Contents

2.2.3 Service Oriented Approach for System Integration


and Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
2.3 Real World Implementation of the Robotic Cell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
2.4 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
3 On the Coordination of Multiple Cooperating Robots
in Flexible Assembly Systems Using Mobile Robots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
3.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
3.1.1 Manufacturing System Integration and Control . . . . . . . . 75
3.1.2 Mobile Robots and Manipulators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
3.2 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
3.2.1 Data Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
3.2.2 Decision Making Triggering and Resource
Negotiation Mechanisms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
3.2.3 Integration and Communication Architecture . . . . . . . . . 83
3.2.4 Mobile Robot Control Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
3.2.5 Execution Software System Implementation . . . . . . . . . . 88
3.3 Case Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
3.4 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
4 Cooperating Dexterous Robotic Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
4.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
4.2 Robot to Robot Cooperation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
4.3 Robotic Perception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
4.3.1 Training of Vision Algorithm for Object Detection . . . . 99
4.3.2 Calibration of the Vision System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
4.3.3 Region of Interest (RoI) Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
4.3.4 Hybrid 3D Vision Algorithm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
4.3.5 Machine Learning Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
4.4 Dexterous Manipulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
4.4.1 Design of the Gripper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
4.4.2 Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
4.5 High Speed Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
4.5.1 Motion Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
4.5.2 Grasping Mechanism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
4.5.3 Rotating Mechanism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
4.5.4 Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
4.5.5 Integration and Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
4.5.6 Hardware and Software Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
4.5.7 Use Case from Consumer Goods Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
4.6 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Contents xv

5 Cooperative Manipulation—The Case of Dual Arm Robots . . . . . . . 123


5.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
5.2 State of the Art Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
5.3 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
5.4 Industrial Relevance and Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
5.4.1 Heavy Part Grasping with a Dual Arm Robot . . . . . . . . . 127
5.4.2 Parts Grasping and Screwing Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
5.5 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
6 An Approach for Validating the Behavior of Autonomous
Robots in a Virtual Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
6.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
6.1.1 Virtual Commissioning and Simulation Tools . . . . . . . . . 135
6.2 Virtual Resources Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
6.2.1 Services of Robotic Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
6.2.2 Data Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
6.2.3 Ontology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
6.2.4 Simulation Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
6.3 Illustrative Virtual Validation Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
6.3.1 Actual Assembly Cell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
6.3.2 Virtual Assembly Cell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
6.4 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
7 Physically Interacting Cooperating Robots for Material
Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
7.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
7.2 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
7.3 Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
7.4 Industrial Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
7.5 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
8 Generating Motion of Cooperating Robots—The Dual Arm
Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
8.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
8.2 Related Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
8.3 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
8.4 Industrial Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
8.5 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
xvi Contents

9 Physics Based Modeling and Simulation of Robot Arms . . . . . . . . . . . 175


9.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
9.2 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
9.2.1 Physical-Based Simulation Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
9.2.2 Numerical Estimation Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
9.2.3 Identification Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
9.3 Industrial Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
9.3.1 Single Robot Operation—Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
9.3.2 Experiments and Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
9.3.3 Cooperating Robot Concept—Implementation . . . . . . . . 189
9.3.4 Mechanical Structure Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
9.3.5 Gearbox Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
9.4 Full Robot Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
9.5 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
10 Vision Guided Robots. Calibration and Motion Correction . . . . . . . . 205
10.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
10.2 Calculating 3D Coordinates Using Stereo Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
10.2.1 Stereo Triangulation Principle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
10.2.2 The Correspondence Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
10.2.3 Physical Setup for Stereo Triangulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
10.2.4 Images Capturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
10.2.5 Images Un-Distortion and Rectification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
10.2.6 Image Features Correspondence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
10.3 Calibration of Camera and Robot Base Frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
10.3.1 Identification of Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
10.3.2 Physical Setup for Calibrating Camera Frame
and Robot Base Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
10.3.3 Accuracy Aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
10.4 Robot Path Correction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
10.5 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
11 Cooperating Robots for Smart and Autonomous Intralogistics . . . . . 223
11.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
11.2 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
11.2.1 Shared Data Repository . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
11.2.2 Decisional Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
11.2.3 Execution Control Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
11.2.4 Physical Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
11.3 Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
11.4 Industrial Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
11.4.1 Discrete Event Simulation (DES) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
11.5 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Contents xvii

12 Robots for Material Removal Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245


12.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
12.2 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
12.2.1 Case Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
12.3 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252

Part III Cooperating Robots: Human–Robot Collaboration


13 Workplace Generation for Human–Robot Collaboration . . . . . . . . . . 255
13.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
13.2 State-of-the-Art Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
13.3 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
13.3.1 Multiple Criteria Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
13.4 Industrial Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
13.5 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
14 Dynamic Safety Zones in Human Robot Collaboration . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
14.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
14.2 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
14.2.1 Virtual Safety Zones’ Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
14.2.2 Real Time Human Robot Distance
Monitoring—Static Virtual Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
14.2.3 Dynamically Switching Safety Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
14.3 Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
14.3.1 Real Time Human Robot Distance
Monitoring—Static Virtual Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
14.3.2 Dynamically Switching Safety Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
14.4 Industrial Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
14.4.1 Real Time Human Robot Distance
Monitoring—Static Virtual Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
14.4.2 Dynamically Switching Safety Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
14.5 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
15 Seamless Human–Robot Interaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
15.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
15.2 HRI Functionalities for the Programming Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
15.2.1 User Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
15.2.2 Programming Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
15.3 HRI Functionalities for the Execution Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
15.3.1 Assembly Process Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
15.3.2 Robot Motion and Workspace Visualization . . . . . . . . . . 293
15.3.3 Visual Alerts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
15.3.4 Assembly Status Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
xviii Contents

15.3.5 Running Task Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296


15.3.6 Production Line Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
15.4 System Architecture—Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
15.4.1 Control System Without Digital Twin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
15.5 Industrial Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
15.6 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
16 Gesture-Based Interaction of Humans with Dual Arm Robot . . . . . . 309
16.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
16.2 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
16.3 Industrial Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
16.3.1 High Level Commands for Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
16.3.2 High Level Commands for Interaction During
Execution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
16.4 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
17 Synthesis of Data from Multiple Sensors and Wearables
for Human–Robot Collaboration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
17.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
17.2 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
17.2.1 Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
17.2.2 Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
17.3 Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
17.3.1 Perception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
17.3.2 Intelligent Multimodal Interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
17.3.3 Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
17.3.4 Integration and Communication Architecture . . . . . . . . . 332
17.4 Industrial Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
17.5 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
18 Virtual Reality for Programming Cooperating Robots Based
on Human Motion Mimicking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
18.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
18.2 State-of-the-Art Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
18.3 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
18.3.1 Hierarchical Model for Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
18.3.2 Human Motion Data Capturing and Processing . . . . . . . . 343
18.3.3 Human Motion Data Fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344
18.3.4 Motion Identification and Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
18.3.5 Human Robot Frames Transformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
18.3.6 System Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
18.4 Industrial Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
18.4.1 Cable Handling Use Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Contents xix

18.4.2 Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349


18.5 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
19 Mobile Dual Arm Robots in Cooperation with Humans . . . . . . . . . . . 355
19.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
19.2 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
19.2.1 Mobility in Resource Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
19.2.2 Mobility in Product Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
19.2.3 Shopfloor Virtual Representation—Digital World
Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
19.2.4 Real Time Robot Behavior Adaptation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
19.3 Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
19.4 Industrial Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
19.4.1 Current State—Manual Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 366
19.4.2 Hybrid Production Paradigm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
19.5 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
19.6 Conclusions and Ongoing Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
20 Allocation of Manufacturing Tasks to Humans and Robots . . . . . . . . 373
20.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
20.2 Related Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
20.3 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
20.4 Industrial Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
20.5 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
21 Sensoreless Detection of Robot Collision with Humans . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
21.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381
21.2 Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
21.2.1 Task 1: Monitoring and Filtering of Robot’s
Current and Position Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
21.2.2 Task 2: Prediction of Nominal Industrial Robot’s
Current Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
21.2.3 Task 3: Inverse Dynamic Modelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
21.2.4 Task 4: Simulation and Prediction of Nominal
Current Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
21.3 Industrial Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392
21.3.1 Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392
21.3.2 Data Collection and Filtering—Implementation . . . . . . . 392
21.3.3 Robot Modelling and Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
21.3.4 Implementation of Supervised NN for Prediction
Improvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394
21.3.5 Safety Conditions Determination and Safe Mode . . . . . . 394
21.3.6 Integration and Communication Architecture . . . . . . . . . 395
xx Contents

21.3.7 Experiments and Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 395


21.4 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400

Part IV Epilogue
22 Epilogue and Outlook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
22.1 Emerging Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406
22.2 Social and Ethical Aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407
22.3 The Need for Life-Long Education and the Teaching Factory . . . 408
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
Part I
2 Part I
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
CONSTANCE
CONWAY.

FROM MRS. ROMILLY TO MISS CONWAY.

May 7.

MY DEAREST CONSTANCE,—I have persuaded


my watchful Nellie, with great difficulty, to let
me send a few words in answer to yours. I
cannot get out of my head a haunting fear that
somehow you do not quite appreciate my
precious Maggie. It would grieve sue intensely if
things were so.

Maggie is like me, reserved as to her deepest


feelings: and it may be that you have scarcely
read as yet her true nature. She is capable of
giving such devoted love. Dear Constance, have
you won it yet? Forgive me for asking the
question. Forgive a mother's anxieties. I can
scarcely judge from Maggie's letters, but I have
had doubts, and your letter has awakened real
fear. Your mention of her is so slight, compared
with all that you say of my other dear girls.
Does that—can it—betoken indifference?

I know well how terribly my sweet Maggie is


suffering at my absence, though she will bear
up courageously for the sake of others. And I
want you to see below the surface with her. I
want you to know my child's real worth and
depth. She is so humble, so tender-spirited,—I
could not bear, dear Constance, to think that
you and she should not fully understand one
another.

It rejoices me to hear that darling Elfie is


really trying to be brave. She is, as you say, a
sensitive little puss—not with the acute
sensibilities and intense feeling of dear Maggie,
so seldom allowed to appear,—but excitable,
nervous, fanciful, and soon overwrought. Miss
Jackson had not quite the right method of
managing Elfie. I was compelled at one time to
make a strong stand, and to insist on no
spoiling. I trust to you for more firmness.

Nona's powers will develop. I am not at all


afraid for that dear girl. She is capable of
anything: but sixteen is very young, and the
high spirits which seem to you such a
disadvantage, I should call quite a blessing. I
wish I could look forward as hopefully for
Thyrza as for Nona. I do find there a strange
hardness, which exists in no other of my
children. If you are able to influence her for
good, so much the better. But, dear friend, do
think over what I have said about my precious
Maggie. I have so depended on your loving
companionship for her, now in her time of trial
and loneliness. If you knew how that dear girl
has always clung to me and depended upon
Nellie, you would realise a little of what she
must now be suffering. Try to win her heart,
dear Constance,—for my sake! I can assure you
my Maggie's love is worth having.
I must not write more. I shall suffer severely
for this.—Believe me, your warmly-attached
friend—

GERTRUDE
ROMILLY.

CHAPTER XIV.
SUBLIMITY AND MAGGIE.

CONSTANCE CONWAY'S JOURNAL.

May 12. Tuesday.

IF ever anybody managed to write a harmless and non-


exciting letter, I should have said that mine to Mrs. Romilly
came under that description. Her answer fell upon me like a
small thunder-clap.

Of course I showed Mrs. Romilly's letter to nobody:


though, equally of course, I was expected to pass the sheet
round the breakfast-table. That very bad habit prevails in
this house to an unfortunate extent. Mr. Romilly labours
under a ludicrous belief that anything written by any near
relative of his own must be intended for his eyes: and
nobody is supposed ever to receive a letter or note which
cannot be regarded as common property. Hence arises an
occasional necessity for objectionable little private slips and
secret postscripts, as the only possible mode of saying what
must be said, and avoiding betrayed confidences.

All eyes were on me as I read, and when I put the letter


into my pocket glances of meaning were exchanged. Mr.
Romilly, who had just appeared, sighed in an audible and
appealing fashion, while Maggie remarked that "Mother
could write so seldom and only to one at once, and tell all
the news."

"Mrs. Romilly tells me really no news," I said.

"And no messages to any of us!" exclaimed Nona,—


pertly, I thought.

"None," I replied. "Perhaps she was tired with writing,


for she ends abruptly."

"Jackie always showed her letters from mother!" These


words in a subdued whisper reached my ears. Of course I
paid no regard to the sound.

Mr. Romilly sighed afresh, and observed that his dear


wife was really not in a state to write at all—er, just before
a journey—er. He hoped, however, that she must be feeling
a little stronger—er, as she ventured on the exertion—er.

"I am afraid it was not very prudent of Mrs. Romilly," I


said.

Then the Prayer-bell rang, and the subject had to be


dropped.

My thoughts have dwelt a good deal on that letter to-


day, as is perhaps natural. Mrs. Romilly has never before
said or done anything to make me really uncomfortable,
and to be made uncomfortable by friend is a trial. One must
allow for the weakened fancies of illness. But what could
induce her to suppose that I objected to Nona's high spirits?
I would not, if I could, lower them by a single half-inch.
Certainly I should be glad to find something in Nona besides
the love of fun.

I am wondering, too, what more I can do with respect


to Maggie. True it is, no doubt, that I have not yet
succeeded in winning her love. Is this my fault? Everybody
cannot suit everybody else: and the winning of another's
affection must surely depend in some degree on natural
compatibility of temper and of tastes. I hope in time to
possess Maggie's trust and esteem. But suppose I never
succeeded in gaining her love,—should I be necessarily to
blame? Surely I need not count myself so lovable a person,
that all with whom I come in contact must needs care for
me!

Again, what about Mrs. Romilly's estimate of Maggie?


Are there really such hidden depths beneath that childish
manner? It might, of course, be so: yet somehow I cannot
help thinking with a smile of the famous Chicken's soliloquy,
as he views the empty egg-shell whence his little body has
just emerged—

"And my deep heart's sublime imaginings


In there!!"

One might almost as soon credit a newly-hatched


chicken with "sublime imaginings" as Maggie Romilly with
hidden depths of profound affection and acute suffering.
Maggie grieving terribly over the parting! Maggie hiding
intense sorrow under an appearance of cheerfulness! I
could laugh as I write the words, remembering the high
glee with which two or three hours ago she and Nona were
racing round the schoolroom, trying to catch the little ones.
Quite right too. I am only glad to see them so happy. But
certainly I detect no symptoms in Maggie of severe self-
control, of concealed depression, of overmastering anxiety.
And with one so quick to betray each passing mood, pain
and sorrow could scarcely be held under continuously.

It seems to me that Maggie is rather gratified than


otherwise with her present position in the house; and is
very much preoccupied with out-of-door engagements,
especially tennis. She likes an unbroken course of such
amusements as Glynde can afford, and is rather apt at
present to let duty wait upon pleasure. Care has not fed yet
upon her damask cheek. She looks well, is plump and rosy,
and at times she strikes me as quite pretty. Indeed, I
should say that she and all the girls, except Elfie, are
unconsciously rejoicing under the sudden cessation of the
strain which always comes upon a household with long
illness.

Now and then I see Maggie to be greatly put out with


me, when I have to take some decisive step in opposition to
Miss Millington.

One odd phase of affairs is Maggie's devotion to Miss


Millington. It is odd, because in some respects Maggie is
proud. She will not brook a hint or suggestion from any one
as to the management of things and she has an extremely
good notion, transparently shown, of her own reflected
honours as the daughter of Mr. Romilly, owner of a big
house in the south and a fine estate in the north. But pride
does not come between her and "Millie."
Certainly I will allow that Miss Millington is quite
ladylike, as well as almost pretty. Still, it is a little droll and
out of place to see Maggie, the eldest daughter at home and
present head of the establishment, running perpetually
after the little nursery governess, fondling her, making
much of her, holding long consultations with her late at
night, behaving, in short, as if Miss Millington were her
most intimate personal friend and most trusted adviser. I
am wrong to say that Maggie will take hints from nobody;
for she will receive any number from Miss Millington.

The most singular part of this devotion is its novelty. I


suppose Maggie has been fond of Miss Millington before, but
by no means to the same extent. "Maggie always allowed
Millie to call her by her name," Thyrza observed a day or
two ago, "so of course she has done the same to me. I
know Nellie didn't think it a good plan. But they were very
little together. Maggie was always dangling after mother and
Nellie,—it didn't matter which: and she was the same to
Jackie as to Millie. But now Jackie is gone, and mother and
Nellie are away, there's only Millie; and Maggie always must
have somebody!"

Does the clue lie in those words,—that Maggie "always


must have somebody!" Woodbine must cling to something.
If one prop be removed, it will find a second.

What to write to Mrs. Romilly, I do not know. For I must


comfort her: and yet I cannot say what is not true.
Something vaguely kind and cheering will be best. I shall
tell her how pretty Maggie's eyes are, and how fond she
seems of her sisters—not mentioning poor Thyrza. Then I
might perhaps generalise a little—abstractedly—about the
deepest natures not being always the most quickly won. Not
that I believe in that theory, but it will do as well as
anything else just now for my poor friend: and it is safe
enough to assert that a thing is "not always" this or the
other. But I shall have to be very careful. She is so quick to
read "between the lines."

May 14. Thursday.—My letter to Mrs. Romilly has gone


off. I feel rather "quaky" as to results.

Maggie will scarcely speak to me to-day. She is looking


her prettiest, not sulky and disagreeable, like most people
when they are vexed, but pensively grave, with just a little
heightening of colour, and a shy serious droop in her grey
eyes which suits them to perfection. Nona, taking her cue
from Maggie, is blunt, almost pert: and Elfie looks pinched
and miserable.

Of course I know the reason. Yesterday afternoon I


refused permission for Popsie to practise in the schoolroom,
while I was giving a lesson on Grecian history to the twins
and Thyrza. Miss Millington had kept her upstairs during the
usual time for her scale-playing, and desired that she might
do it later instead. I sent a kind message, saying I was
sorry that it could not be. A small thunder-cloud has
brooded in the air ever since. "Millie" was doleful at tea, and
she and Maggie shared grievances till twelve o'clock at
night, in Miss Millington's room.

But for Miss Millington, I do think my difficulties here


would soon lessen. I do not wish to make too much of her
conduct. She is what some people wrongly call "sensitive;"
that is, she has a susceptible temper, and is always
imagining slights. I believe she had delicate health in
childhood, which too often means a more or less spoiling
preparation for after-life. Whether or no that is the chief
cause, I do find her a difficult little person to get on with
comfortably. The friction is incessant.

One cannot expect to go through life without some


rubs; and no doubt there are faults on both sides. Very
likely I am a trouble to her, as well as she to me. I do not
exactly see how I could follow any different line of conduct:
but perhaps nothing is harder than to weigh dispassionately
one's own conduct, above all one's own bearing, towards
another, in such a case as this. We are each in a somewhat
ticklish position: and then, is not compatibility of temper to
smooth matters down.

It often strikes me as remarkable how almost


everybody has to do with somebody else who is
incompatible, somebody more or less trying, vexing,
worrying; not, of course, always with only one. And I often
wonder whether this ought to be viewed at all as an
accidental circumstance; still less as a subject for regret
and complaint.

Trial must be trial, in whatever shape it comes; and I do


feel that one is always free to pray for its removal, if God so
wills. But this is our time of probation and battling. It is far
more essential for us to learn patience and forbearance
than to glide smoothly through life. And I cannot at all see
how, if there were nothing to try our tempers, we ever
could become patient or forbearing. Untried good-humour is
not patience: any more than the stillness of ocean on a
breezeless day is rigidity. And the very word "forbearance"
implies the existence of something which must be borne.

May it not be that our Father does deliberately so place


us one with another, side by side—those who are not suited,
not compatible—for this very reason, that we may have the
opportunity to conquer ourselves, to vanquish our hasty and
impatient tempers, as we never could if He allowed us to be
only among those who can become so intensely dear to us,
that yielding to them must become a pleasure, not a pain at
all?

I don't know whether this sentence would be quite clear


to anybody else reading my journal: but it is very clear to
myself what I mean. There are such different kinds and
degrees of love. So often we love or try to love another,
merely because of circumstances, because we ought,
because we are thrown together, because we are related.
So seldom we love soother with pure and heart-whole
devotion, entirely because of what he or she is.

If things be thus, "Millie" is certainly my foremost


opportunity for patience in life just now, and very likely I
am hers.

Looking upon the matter in such a light ought, I think,


to make a great difference to one. For, instead of feeling
annoyed and worried at everything she says and does, I
shall understand that my Father is setting me a lesson in
patience and quietness of spirit, which has to be learnt.

Then, too, I must think how my Master, Christ, had the


same trial to endure, only to such an overwhelming extent.
For what is the utmost incompatibility of character and
temper between us and those around us, compared with
the infinite incompatibility between His pure and holy Spirit,
and the dull grovelling thoughts of His disciples? Only—His
love for them was so great! But for that, He never could
have borne it all those years. And I am sure a more loving
spirit is what I need. If I cannot love Miss Millington for
what she is in herself, or for what she is to me, cannot I
love her at least with a kind and pitying love—and because
she is dear to my Lord and Master?
It is not easy, I know. In the learning of this lesson, I
have to spell out the words letter by letter, looking up for
Heavenly teaching.

For I have to be patient with her, yet not weakly


yielding. I have to do my duty, often in direct opposition to
her wishes, yet not be angry when she shows unjust
resentment. No light programme to carry out. But "help
sufficient" is promised.

June 1. Monday.—No answer has arrived from Mrs.


Romilly, and no notice has been taken of my letter. I fear
she has been hardly so well lately; and evidently there is no
idea of her return to England for many months.

Much talk goes on about our projected journey north, in


July. I am looking forward as keenly as anyone to the
beautiful surroundings of Beckdale. Mountains will be a new
delight to me. But I have my doubts whether we shall get
away before the beginning of Denham's holidays. He would
be obliged to board with somebody in Glynde if we left
earlier. The same difficulty will not exist another year, for
after the summer holidays, he goes to Eton. Time he should
too; for of all spoilt boys—! Yet there is something winning
about the lad too.

Also we have much discussion at meal-times about the


future career of Eustace. Poor Mr. Romilly cannot keep any
worry to himself: and every day we wander with him round
and round the same hazy circles. I never realised before the
wearisomeness of a man who is unable to come to any
decision, without somebody to lead him by the hand. A
woman of that kind is bad enough, but a man is worse. He
talks and talks on, in his thin monotonous tones, reviewing
all the perplexities of a subject, pulling up first one side and
then the other, meekly opposing every suggestion,
mournfully refusing to accept any solution of the puzzle.
And if by dint of some happy hit, you really think he is at
last brought to some more hopeful point—suddenly he slips
out of your fingers, and starts the whole question again
from the very commencement.

It seems singular that Eustace Romilly should have


reached the age of twenty-two, and be still in uncertainty as
to his course in life.

He has not been home this half-year, except for three


nights at the time of my first arrival, and for one week at
Easter. Having finished his University career before
Christmas, he is now acting temporarily as tutor to the son
of an old friend. This gives umbrage to his father, and is
matter for never-ceasing complaint. It seems that Mr.
Romilly is bent upon seeing Eustace enter the Church, and
that Eustace is at present opposed to the step.

I do not know the ins and outs of the affair, nor am I


acquainted with Eustace's motives, but certainly I have a
very strong feeling against any man being pressed to take
so solemn a charge upon himself, unless distinctly called to
it.

All the girls except Thyrza unite in blaming their brother,


and Thyrza says nothing.

"So stupid of Eustace! Why can't he do what father


wishes?" Maggie said yesterday, and Thyrza's black eyes
flashed with silent indignation.

I am more and more convinced that Thyrza has a very


strong affection for her eldest brother, though she seldom
or never shows it in her manner when with him; and he is
uniformly the same to all his sisters.

CHAPTER XV.
THAT PUBLISHER!!

THE SAME.

June 16. Tuesday.

MAGGIE'S story has been returned, as any one might


have foretold. She has wondered much over the delay,
devising all sorts of extraordinary reasons for the same, and
she has written repeatedly to remonstrate with the
publisher. Poor man! No doubt he has cartloads of such
rubbish tilted upon his devoted head. I feel a certain sense
of satisfaction in having never contributed my quota to the
load,—though perhaps I could achieve a passable second-
rate story, if I chose.

Maggie's remonstrances having brought no result, she


persuaded her father to write. I believe Mr. Romilly
accomplished some six pages, to be fired by post at the
same luckless publisher, after a morning of dire effort and
mighty consultation. And the six pages, whether read or
unread, took effect. For within forty-eight hours a tied up
manuscript arrived; and—this being the "most unkindest cut
of all,"—no letter of explanation accompanied it; not even
one half-page.

The publisher's ears ought to have burned that


morning, with the things said of him at our breakfast-table.
Everybody, trying in affectionate family conclave to comfort
the crest-fallen Maggie, vied one with another in hot
indignation at his decision. Never was there living man so
lacking in taste, so utterly unappreciative. Such a sweet
pretty story,—and he not to want to bring it out! Well, then
he didn't deserve to have it! Maggie would soon find a more
sensible publisher. Of course it was well-known that all the
greatest authors always have the most difficulty at the
beginning, and all the best books are always refused by a
dozen publishers before one enlightened man consents to
bring them out! So being refused meant nothing at all: only
he might just have had the politeness to write and explain
exactly why he didn't want it, and what he disliked in the
tale. And of course he would have done so, if there were
anything really to dislike. But never mind, Maggie must just
try somebody else, and she would be sure to succeed, and
very likely would get twenty pounds after all, instead of only
fifteen.

I could not help remembering, as I listened in silent


amusement to all this, how Gladys had remarked, a day or
two before, "What kind pleasant people editors and
publishers seemed to be!" But it was not for me to remark
on the contrast. Maggie must, find her own level, through
the stern realities of failure.

June 17. Wednesday.—At last I have seen again my


travelling companion, Sir Keith Denham!
He and his mother, Lady Denham, have been absent
from The Park almost entirely since my arrival in Glynde. At
one time they were coming home, then suddenly changed
their plans and went abroad. Sir Keith has paid one or two
flying visits, I believe, lately, but he and I have not met.

I stood still to break off a small spray of may.


Now they will be at The Park for some weeks, and the
girls are quite excited,—Thyrza excepted, and Maggie
especially. But I fancy the chief source of their excitement is
the prospect of tennis there.

Thyrza and I had a walk alone together this afternoon,


the twins going by invitation to the Hepburns. I always
enjoy a ramble with Thyrza: for if no one else is present,
she opens out, shakes off the shackles of reserve, and
allows me some glimpses of her true self. It is an
interesting "self" to me, crude and unformed indeed, but
thoughtful, earnest, full of vague longings and high aims. If
only Mrs. Romilly could see her thus!

Coming homeward after a long round, we passed


through a pretty lane, arched over by trees. I stood still to
break off a small spray of may from the hedge, and Thyrza
knelt down on the bank for the better securing of a few
violets. She loves flowers almost as much as I do.

Footsteps drew near, and I looked up. Somebody


following in our rear had just overtaken us; and for a
moment I was under a puzzled sense of familiarity with the
face and form, though I could not recall who it might be.
Apparently he had not yet become aware of our presence.
He was walking swiftly, and gazing steadfastly downward.

"Miss Con, just smell these! How sweet they are!" cried
Thyrza.

Then two large brown eyes were lifted in a curious slow


fashion to meet mine, as if their owner had been very far-
away in thought; and at once I knew. I should not have
expected him to recognise me. The instant pause and the
raised hat were a surprise.

"Thyrza!" I said, for her back was turned.


She glanced round, and sprang up, freezing into her
usual unapproachable stiffness.

"How do you do?" Sir Keith said, giving her his ungloved
hand, or rather taking the rigid member which she poked
half-way towards him. "I hope you are all well at home.
Pleasant day, is it not?"

He looked towards me again, and Thyrza ungraciously


mumbled something about—"Miss Con—at least, Miss
Conway!"—which was doubtless intended for an
introduction.

Sir Keith's hat was lifted afresh, with his air of marked
and simple courtesy,—simple, because so absolutely
natural. I have never seen a more thoroughly high-bred
manner.

"I must supply Thyrza's omission," he said, smiling. "My


name is Denham, and we are near neighbours. We have
met before: and the name of Miss Conway is by no means
unknown to me, as Mrs. Romilly's friend."

"And governess," I said. I could not help noticing the


flash of his eyes, curiously soft and gentle eyes for a man.
It meant approval, certainly, and something else beyond
approval which I could not fathom. One never loses in the
end by claiming no more than one's rightful position. It is
rather absurd of me to care what Sir Keith does or does not
think about the matter. But I should say that he is a man
whose good opinion one could hardly help valuing.

"I hope you caught your train that day?" he said, after a
few remarks had passed between us.

"Thanks to you, I did," was my answer.


"Are you going home now? My way is identical with
yours, so far as the end of the next lane," he said, and we
walked side by side, Thyrza marching solemnly, a yard off,
declining to take any share in the talk.

Sir Keith had been ill in Bournemouth, I found, from the


effects of a chill, caught on the day of our first encounter, "A
touch of rheumatic fever," he said carelessly. Since then he
and his mother had been abroad, and he "would have liked
to go on to Italy, for a peep at Mrs. Romilly, had that been
practicable."

He seemed interested to find that I had never been out


of England; and soon the subject of Beckdale came up,
whereupon he spoke with warmth of Yorkshire scenery.

"That part of the West Riding is quite unique in style,"


he said; "I have never seen anything resembling it
anywhere else."

"Not in Scotland?" I asked.

"I am not comparing degrees of beauty," he said. "That


is another question. Mountains two thousand feet high
cannot vie with mountains four thousand feet high: and
there are views in Scotland which I don't think can be
rivalled anywhere. No, not even in Switzerland. The two are
so unlike in kind, one can't compare them. But the
Yorkshire dales are peculiar to Yorkshire. English people
don't half know the loveliness of their own country. I could
envy you the first sight of such surroundings."

He went on to describe briefly the lone heights and


passes, the long parallel valleys or "dales," the brawling
"tea-coloured" torrents, the extraordinary deep caves and
underground waterfalls, the heather colouring, the frank
kind simplicity and honesty of the "northeners." Thyrza
drew near, looking interested, and I was quite sorry when
we had to part.

"How is my particular pet, the Elf?" he asked, with a


smile, as we shook hands.

"Elfie is all right," Thyrza's brusque tone answered.

Sir Keith vanished, and I said, "He looks delicate."

"I don't think he ever is very strong," said Thyrza, at


once natural again. "He never makes any fuss about his
health; but Lady Denham fusses for him."

"Is Lady Denham like Sir Keith?"

"No. She is a little plain sort of person, and rather odd,


and she thinks nobody in the world is equal to him."

"He seems to be a general favourite," I said.

"Oh yes, of course he is. Everybody sings his praises.


And I hate general favourites," cried Thyrza, with sudden
heat. "I should like him fifty times as much, if—"

"If everybody else disliked him," I suggested, as she


came to a stop.

"Yes."

"Is that perversity, my dear?" I asked.

"I don't know. I hate running with the crowd."

"If the crowd is going in a wrong direction—yes. I would


never have you follow a path merely because others follow
it."
"If everybody thinks a thing, I am not bound to think
the same, I suppose," she said, hotly still.

"Certainly not. Never think a thing merely because


others think it. But always to disagree with the majority is
quite as illogical as never to disagree with the majority. And
to refuse a particular conclusion, only because many others
have reached that same conclusion, savours of weakness."

She blushed, but did not look annoyed. When alone


with Thyrza, I can say what I like to her.

"You must learn to take everything upon its own merits,


and to weigh it with an independent judgment," I said. "A
certain animal which always goes to the right if its tail be
pulled to the left is no more really independent than—"

She interrupted me with a laughing protest.

"But I can't make myself like Sir Keith," she added.


"Perhaps I ought because he is Eustace's great friend, and
Keith was so fond of him. If only one didn't get so tired of
hearing about his virtues. And Maggie puts me out of all
patience."

I suppose I looked the inquiry which I would not ask.

"Oh, I can't tell you exactly what I mean, it is nothing


particular, only she is so silly. I hate to see a girl make a
sort of idol of a man . . . and not an atom of reason . . . Of
course he is very kind and polite; . . . but he looks upon us
as a set of schoolgirls. It is so ridiculous of Maggie. I don't
mean that she does or says anything—particular—only she
is so absurd! I should like to give her a good shaking. I do
wish, girls had a little more common self-respect!" Thyrza
concluded fiercely, with burning cheeks.
I listened in silence to this rather enigmatical
explanation.

"Sir Keith spoke of Elfie as his 'pet,'" I said, after a


break.

"Yes, don't you see what I mean? He just looks on us as


hardly more than children. I suppose he will find out in time
that we are getting older: but he hasn't yet. And he is just
like our elder brother—in some things. Why, when Maggie
and I were five and six years old, he was a great boy of
fifteen, and he used to carry us about, one on each
shoulder. That was when father bought Glynde House, and
we came to live here, on purpose to be near the Denhams.
And Elfie was always like a sort of pet kitten to him from
the first. But it's only lately that Maggie has taken to setting
him up as her hero. Somebody put it into her head, I
suppose. I do wish she wouldn't be so ridiculously silly."

I thought it best not to pursue the subject. Thyrza is at


all times too ready to pass judgment on those older than
herself.
CHAPTER XVI.
WHETHER SOMEBODY LIKED SOMEBODY?

THE SAME.

June 22. Monday.

LADY DENHAM has been to call, and her call was


avowedly on me as well as on Maggie. This is very kind. She
is, as Thyrza has said, a plain little woman, yet a thorough
lady and kind in manner. I should think one would not know
her quickly. She dresses in a rather peculiar style, wears
limp black still and a modified widow's cap, though her
husband died seven or eight years ago, and has a certain
quaint way of saying things, which strikes one as
uncommon. I expect to like her, but she is not a favourite
among the Romilly sisters.

Sir Keith dined here to-night, and I have watched him


with a good deal of interest. He is thoroughly at home in
the house, and almost on brother-and-sister terms with the
girls, which makes it difficult to guess the real nature of his
feelings towards them. Almost; not quite; since he speaks
carefully of Nellie as "Miss Romilly;" and though he
addresses the younger girls by name, they all call him "Sir
Keith."

I cannot resist an impression that somebody here is a


good deal to him: but I could not say which. Perhaps the
absent Nellie.
Maggie was in a pretty flutter of shy pleasure and
blushes and drooped sweet eyes, all the evening, but it was
so like a child's innocent enjoyment of a toy! I don't really
think she is touched. And Sir Keith seemed no more
occupied with her than with the others. He talked indeed
chiefly to Mr. Romilly, and to me, as the greatest stranger
present.

I see that he likes to draw out Thyrza, and respects her


blunt truthfulness. Sometimes she responds; sometimes
she grumpily retreats into her shell. Elfie he seems very
fond of,—as a child, or a kitten. But can that last? Small as
she is, she will soon be seventeen, and he is only twenty-
eight. It must be difficult for him to realise how fast they
are all growing up. And his manner towards them all, even
towards Popsie and Pet, while brotherly, is also so
chivalrously polite and gentlemanlike, that really one could
wish nothing changed,—only—one wonders what things
may develop into. For, whatever Thyrza may say, there can
be no question that he is a singularly attractive man.

June 29. Monday.—A short letter has come at last from


Mrs. Romilly, the coldest briefest epistle I have ever had
from her. Does this mean that she is seriously vexed or
distressed with what I have said—or have not said? Well, I
can only go straight on, meeting each difficulty as it arises.
I will write again soon. But I cannot pretend to believe that
Maggie does really care for me. I know she does not.

Calling to-day at Glynde Cottage, I could not help


thinking again about "incompatibility of temper," and the
rubs which must come to one in daily life. I do not often see
Ramsay Hepburn. He is a tall lanky youth, slightly lame,
and just invalidish enough to give an excuse for perpetual
fuss about his own health. I suppose he has his better side,
and his pleasanter moods; but this afternoon he was by no
means agreeable.

Not that he meant to be disagreeable to me. He is given


to showing a rather elaborate politeness to people outside
his own home-circle, so elaborate, in fact, that he seems to
have none remaining for home-use. I overheard him snub
Gladys two or three times, when he thought it would be
unnoticed; and he has an objectionable habit of breaking
into what Mrs. Hepburn or any one else is saying,
contradicting, questioning statements, and getting up
absurd little discussions on every possible unimportant
point.

If somebody else remarks that the wind is east, Ramsay


declares it to be west. If somebody else expects a fine day,
Ramsay is certain it will rain. If Mrs. Hepburn refers to an
event as having happened on the 10th of February, Ramsay
contends that it occurred on the 9th. If Gladys observes
that Mr. Smith told a fact to Mr. Brown, Ramsay will have it
that the information came from Mr. Robinson to Mr. Jones.

That sort of individual must be very trying to live with.


Mrs. Hepburn is most gentle and forbearing, but I could not
help pitying her and Gladys, not to speak of "Uncle Tom."
And then I remembered that they all needed opportunities
for patience. No doubt Ramsay is one of the family
"opportunities."

July 2. Thursday.—I could not have thought that I


should be so weak, so easily unhinged. I, who always pride
myself on my powers of self-restraint.

I suppose it was the thing coming so suddenly, with no


sort of expectation on my part.

Yesterday morning an invitation arrived from Lady


Denham, for all of us to spend the afternoon at The Park:
not only the girls and myself, but also Miss Millington and
the little ones. Nobody else was to be there except
ourselves. Denham was asked, but he had a half-holiday
cricket engagement. Mr. Romilly was asked too, and he
sighed, complained of his inability for exertion, wished kind
friends would leave him in peace—er,—settled after all to
go, and finally stayed at home.

Tennis was for a while the order of the day; then came
tea on the lawn, with a profusion of strawberries and
cream. Then tennis again, or rambling about the lovely
garden, whichever one preferred,—and I had a very
pleasant stroll with Lady Denham, who thawed and became
quite friendly. I was surprised, having heard much of her
coldness.

Since coming to Glynde I have not played tennis for I


am afraid of seeming too juvenile. They used to say in Bath
that I always looked young over tennis.

A sharp shower, arriving unexpectedly, drove us all


indoors, and photograph albums were put in requisition. Sir
Keith brought a big volume to Elfie and me, full of foreign
views, which he undertook to display. Two or three others of
the party drew near to look also, including Miss Millington.

About half-way through the book, we came upon a


photograph of an old street in Rouen. "It is more than two
years since we were there last," Sir Keith remarked. "I
always connect this scene with a poor young fellow who was
in the same hotel with us,—do you remember him,
mother?"

Lady Denham looked round rather vaguely from a talk


with Thyrza, which seemed difficult to keep up.

"A poor fellow in a hotel!" she repeated. "No, my dear, I


don't recollect. Where was it? At Rouen? Yes, I do
remember that young officer who seemed so ill and
miserable, and had no friends. If you mean him?"

"Hadn't he anybody with him?" inquired Elfie.

"No, Elf," Sir Keith answered. "Not only that, but he


seemed to have few relatives anywhere."

"And was he very ill?" asked the Elf, her black eyes full
of pity.

"Yes, quite ill for some days; and I think still more
unhappy."

"What was he unhappy about? Done something wrong?"


demanded Nona.

"Not that I am aware of. He did not tell me his trouble;


only one could see from his face that he felt very sad.
Nobody could help being sorry for him," Sir Keith went on in
his kind way, and he added musingly, "What was his name?
Linskell—Lemming—no,—Len—"

"Captain Arthur Lenox. My dear, your memory is not so


good as mine," Lady Denham said, with pardonable
satisfaction.

Sir Keith laughed and assented. "I am not good at


names," he said. "Yes, that was it,—Arthur Lenox. A fine
soldierly young fellow,—only rather too cynical in his way of
speaking. But that might mend in time. I wish we had not
lost sight of him since. He seemed—"

A sudden pause took place. I knew why. Till the


utterance of that name, I had not dreamt of whom they
were speaking. Then in a moment the past came back, and
I was once more in the little old Bath sitting-room, alone
with Arthur Lenox. And an added pain had come to me, in a
new realisation of the suffering that I had caused to him. I
did not stir, did not lift my eyes from the photograph, but I
knew that every drop of blood had left my face, driven
inward, as it were, and for the instant I knew myself to be
incapable of steady speech.

That dreadful silence! It did not last, I am persuaded,


over three seconds, if so long. Yet they might have been
three hours to me.

Then Sir Keith turned over a page of the album, and


began talking again in a quiet even voice, drawing away the
attention of the girls. And I was able to look up. I saw Elfie's
eyes wide-open and startled, while Miss Millington's were on
me in a fixed stare, which perhaps proved more bracing
than anything else. I knew that I must act at once, so I
turned back the last page, as if to look once more at the
street of Rouen, and remarked with a smile—

"Those quaint old French towns must be very


interesting. I should like to see them." In a doubtful tone, I
added, "Lenox, did you say? I have known one or two of
that name, but I am not aware of their having been to
Rouen."

And I said the words with entire composure.


"Rouen lies very much in the beaten track," said Sir
Keith. "Tourists seldom fail to go there, sooner or later. I
can show you other views of French towns, very similar. But
I see that the rain is over. Would anybody like to come and
take a look at the fernery?"

"I should," I said at once. "Yes, really—" and as his eyes


met mine in a swift questioning glance, I laughed quite
naturally. "I believe I am rather tired to-day, and I have just
been feeling a little—not quite well, perhaps. And the fresh
air will revive me."

"My dear, you fag too hard with all these young folks,"
Lady Denham said, in such a kind manner. "You ought to
take a little rest sometimes."

And Elfie crept close up to me, slipping her hand into


mine with mute sympathy.

I had some difficulty in getting off a quiet half-hour


indoors with Lady Denham. But I wanted to be on the
move, to be able to forget myself and the past, and I
pleaded anew for fresh air.

Lady Denham yielded at once, with the genuine


courtesy which so distinguishes herself and her son, and
she accompanied us into the grounds. She was quite
motherly to me in manner, and Sir Keith looked grave and
troubled, evidently fearing that he had given pain.

Before we left The Park, I succeeded in doing away with


a good deal of the impression caused by my sudden change
of colour. Miss Millington's inquisitive eyes kept me up to
the mark. I had to submit to being treated as a semi-
invalid, a thing I particularly dislike; but by resisting, I
should have given countenance to that which I most wished
to drive out of people's minds. So when I was told that I
looked pale and fatigued, that I must rest in an easy-chair,
and must be driven home instead of walking, I gave way
without a struggle. The plea of fatigue was a genuine
enough plea for me to use. I do not know when I have felt
such languor as during some hours, after that little event.
Still, in a general way, I would have laughed at any
suggestion of care-taking, so long as I had two feet to stand
upon.

The girls were all kind. Maggie became quite gentle and
sympathising in manner, the moment she thought me
unwell. That has been a real comfort. Can it be that she
dislikes me less than I have imagined?

Even Miss Millington said, "You really do too much, Miss


Conway!" And Nona insisted on carrying my shawl, while
Elfie would hardly leave me for a moment. When saying
good-night, she threw her arms round my waist, and held
me as in a vice. I understand fully the dear child's unspoken
sympathy. Of all the girls, I do not think one has crept so
far into my heart as this loving tiny Elf.

I must not think more about what Sir Keith said. It


unnerves me. For myself I can endure, but I cannot bear to
picture Arthur Lenox' grief.

And I have to be very calm and cheerful after this, or


others will certainly guess something of the truth.

July 8. Wednesday.—Another short letter from Mrs.


Romilly, kinder than the last. I think she must have felt,
after sending that off, that it would trouble me. This is more
in the old style, only she harps still incessantly on the one
string of "her precious Maggie." I suppose nothing in the
world would convince her that Maggie is not, all these
months, in a broken-hearted condition about her absence.

Yet it is Elfie, not Maggie, whose eyes fill up with tears


at any sudden reference to the absent ones. It is Elfie, not
Maggie, who craves for every scrap and item of news about
them. It is Elfie, not Maggie, who has distinctly lost flesh
and strength with worry and anxiety of mind for the dear
mother's condition.

If we had not the prospect of so soon going north, I


should certainly press for medical advice for Elfie. I do not
feel satisfied about the child. Her little hands are
transparently thin, and her eyes look bigger than ever in
the tiny brown face, while this constantly recurring
neuralgia shows weakness. "Oh, it is only Elfie," Maggie
says, if I speak to her, and Elfie fights on bravely. I do not
like the state of things, however.

July 9. Thursday.—Mr. Slade Denham has been to dinner


here this evening, an unusual event, for he detests society.

It strikes me that I have written little or nothing in my


journal hitherto about the Church we attend. There is
always so much to say about these girls.

St. John's is only five minutes distant, a graceful little


Gothic Chapel-of-Ease to the Parish Church, built by Sir
Keith himself to meet the growing needs of Glynde. The
Rector of Glynde, Mr. Wilmington, is an elderly man, with
two curates; one of the two, the Rev. Slade Denham, having
sole charge of St. John's. We go there regularly, the Parish
Church being too far off.

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