Miss Marsh says I'm clever." "I'm seven," said Barbara.
"I could read when I was seven--long, long words.

Can you read ?" At this moment there arrived the green-hatted Miss Marsh, a plump, optimistic person, to whom Miss Letts was gloomily patronising.

Miss Letts always distrusted stoutness in another; it looked like deliberate insult.

Mary Adams was conveyed away; Barbara was bereft of her glory.
But, rather, on that instant that Mary Adams vanished did she become glorified.

Barbara had been too absurdly agitated to transform on to the mirror of her brain Mary's appearance.