"I should like to see it on first," said Mary: she was in doubt
whether the color--bright, to suggest the brightest of sunset-
clouds--would suit Hesper's complexion. Then, again, she had
always associated the name _Hesper_ with a later, a solemnly
lovely period of twilight, having little in common with the color
so voluminous in the background.
Hesper had a good deal of appreciative faculty, and knew
therefore when she liked and when she did not like a thing; but
she had very little originative faculty--so little that, when
anything was wrong, she could do next to nothing to set it right.
There was small originality in taking a suggestion for her part
from her name, and less in the idea, following by concatenation,
of adopting for her costume sunset colors upon a flimsy material,
which might more than hint at clouds. She had herself, with the
assistance of Sepia and Folter, made choice of the particular
pink; but, although it continued altogether delightful in the
eyes of her maid, it had, upon nearer and pro-longed
acquaintance, become doubtful in hers; and she now waited, with
no little anxiety, the judgment of Mary, who sat silently
thinking.
"Have you nothing to say?" she asked, at length, impatiently.
"Please, ma'am," replied Mary, "I must think, if I am to be of
any use. I am doing my best, but you must let me be quiet."
Half annoyed, half pleased, Hesper was silent, and Mary went on
thinking.
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