So far as Hesper's
self was concerned, Sepia did not care a straw whether she was
well or ill dressed; but, if the link between them of dress was
severed, what other so strong would be left? And to find herself
in any way a less object in Hesper's eyes, would be to find
herself on the inclined plane of loss, and probable ruin.
Another, though a smaller, point was, that hitherto she had
generally been able so to dress Hesper as to make of her more or
less a foil to herself. My reader may remember that there was
between Hesper and Sepia, if not a resemblance, yet a relation of
appearance, like, vaguely, that between the twilight and the
night; seen in certain positions and circumstances, the one would
recall the other; and it was therefore a matter of no small
consequence to Sepia that the relation of her dress to Hesper's
should be such as to give herself any advantage to be derived in
it from the relation of their looks. This was far more difficult,
of course, when she had no longer a voice in the matter of
Hesper's dress, and when the loving skill of the new maid
presented her rival to her individual best. Mary would have been
glad to help her as well, but Sepia drew back as from a hostile
nature, and they made no approximation. This was more loss to
Sepia than she knew, for Mary would have assisted her in doing
the best when she had no money, a condition which often made it
the more trying that she had now so little influence over her
cousin's adornment.
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