'
'I thought as much,' said Albinia. 'Prometheus and his kin do most
abound when Ulick's head is worst, and papa is in greatest danger of
being late.'
Mr. Kendal turned round, looked at the time-piece, and marched off.
'But mamma!' continued Sophy, driving straight at her point, 'what do
you think of consistency?'
'Oh, mamma!' cried Lucy, coming into the room in a flutter of white;
'there you are in your beautiful blue! Have you really put it on for
the Drurys?'
Sophy bit her lip, neither pleased at the interruption, nor at the
taste.
'Have you a graduated scale of dresses for all your friends, Lucy?
asked Ulick.
'Everybody has, I suppose,' said Lucy.
'Ah! then I shall know how to judge how I stand in your favour. I
never knew so well what the garb of friendship meant.'
'You must know which way her scale goes,' said Albinia, laughing at
Sophy's evident affront at the frivolous turn the conversation had
taken.
'That needs no asking,' quoth Ulick, 'Unadorned, adorned the most for
the nearest the hearth.'
'That's all conceit,' said Lucy. 'Maybe familiarity breeds
contempt.'
'No, no, when young ladies despise, they use a precision that says,
"'Tis myself I care for, and not you."'
'What an observer!' cried Lucy. 'Now then, interpret my dress to-night!'
'How can you, Lucy!' muttered the scandalized Sophy.
'Well, Sophy, as you will have him to torment with philosophy this
whole evening, I think you might give him a little respite,' said
Lucy, good-humouredly.
Pages:
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441