I could not mutter to her face, but I said rather under my sobs that "it seemed such a thing" to be blamed for not being pretty.
"My dear Selina, I never said anything about your being pretty.

I said I should be sorry if you did not grow up nice-looking, which is quite another thing.

It will depend on yourself whether you are nice-looking or not." I began to feel comforted, but I bridled my chin in an aggrieved manner, which I know I had caught from Mrs.Marsden, the charwoman, when she took tea in the nursery and told long tales to nurse; and I said I "was sure it wasn't for want of speaking to" nurse that my hair did not wave like Maud Mary's, but that when I asked her to crimp it, she only said, "Handsome is that handsome does, and that ought to be enough for you, Miss Selina, without _my_ slaving to damp-plait your hair every night." I repeated nurse's speech pretty volubly, and with her sharp accent and accompanying toss.

My godmother heard me out, and then she said-- "Nurse quoted a very good proverb, which is even truer than it is allowed to be.

Those who do well grow to look well.