"
"It means that a good deal more than people think. Did not our
Lord say that many that are first shall be last, and the last
first?"
"What has that to do with this nineteenth century?"
"Perhaps that the honorable shopkeeper and the mean nobleman will
one day change places."
"Oh," thought Hesper, "that is why the lower classes take so to
religion!" But what she said was: "Oh, yes, I dare say! But
everything then will be so different that it won't signify. When
we are all angels, nobody will care who is first, and who is
last. I'm sure, for one, it won't be anything to me."
Hesper was a tolerable attendant at church--I will not say
whether high or low church, because I should be supposed to care.
"In the kingdom of heaven," answered Mary, "things will always
look what they are. My father used to say people will grow their
own dresses there, as surely as a leopard his spots. He had to do
with dresses, you know. There, not only will an honorable man
look honorable, but a mean or less honorable man must look what
he is."
"There will be nobody mean there."
"Then a good many won't be there who are called honorable here."
"I have no doubt there will be a good deal of allowance made for
some people," said Hesper. "Society makes such demands!"
CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE INVITATION.
When Letty received Mrs. Redmain's card, inviting her with her
husband to an evening party, it raised in her a bewildered
flutter--of pleasure, of fear, of pride, of shyness, of dismay:
how dared she show her face in such a grand assembly? She would
not know a bit how to behave herself! But it was impossible, for
she had no dress fit to go anywhere! What would Tom say if she
looked a dowdy? He would be ashamed of her, and she dared not
think what might come of it!
But close upon the postman came Mary, and a long talk followed.
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