There, with this dress as good as new, and your beauty, you will be as much admired, and perhaps hated, as your heart can desire." "I am afraid not," said Rosa naively.

"Oh, how I wish I had known a week ago." "I am very thankful you did not," said Staines dryly.
At ten o'clock Mrs.Staines was nearly dressed; at a quarter past ten she demanded ten minutes; at half-past ten she sought a reprieve; at a quarter to eleven, being assured that the street was full of carriages, which had put down at Mrs.Lucas's, she consented to emerge; and in a minute they were at the house.
They were shown first into a cloak-room, and then into a tea-room, and then mounted the stairs.

One servant took their names, and bawled them to another four yards off, he to another about as near, and so on; and they edged themselves into the room, not yet too crowded to move in.
They had not taken many steps, on the chance of finding their hostess, when a slight buzz arose, and seemed to follow them.
Rosa wondered what that was; but only for a moment; she observed a tall, stout, aquiline woman fix an eye of bitter, diabolical, malignant hatred on her; and as she advanced, ugly noses were cocked disdainfully, and scraggy shoulders elevated at the risk of sending the bones through the leather, and a titter or two shot after her.

A woman's instinct gave her the key at once; the sexes had complimented her at sight; each in their way; the men with respectful admiration; the women, with their inflammable jealousy and ready hatred in another of the quality they value most in themselves.

But the country girl was too many for them: she would neither see nor bear, but moved sedately on, and calmly crushed them with her Southern beauty.