"There," I thought, "lies the mystery; considering that they were not
given you by Mrs. Cholmondeley, and that your own means are limited to
a few shillings, of which I know you to be excessively careful."
"Ecoutez!" she went on, drawing near and speaking in her most
confidential and coaxing tone; for my "sulkiness" was inconvenient to
her: she liked me to be in a talking and listening mood, even if I
only talked to chide and listened to rail. "Ecoutez, chere grogneuse!
I will tell you all how and about it; and you will then see, not only
how right the whole thing is, but how cleverly managed. In the first
place, I _must_ go out. Papa himself said that he wished me to
see something of the world; he particularly remarked to Mrs.
Cholmondeley, that, though I was a sweet creature enough, I had rather
a bread-and-butter-eating, school-girl air; of which it was his
special desire that I should get rid, by an introduction to society
here, before I make my regular debut in England. Well, then, if I go
out, I _must_ dress. Mrs. Cholmondeley is turned shabby, and will
give nothing more; it would be too hard upon uncle to make him pay for
_all_ the things I need: _that_ you can't deny--_that_ agrees
with your own preachments. Well, but SOMEBODY who heard me
(quite by chance, I assure you) complaining to Mrs. Cholmondeley of my
distressed circumstances, and what straits I was put to for an
ornament or two--_somebody_, far from grudging one a present, was
quite delighted at the idea of being permitted to offer some trifle.
You should have seen what a _blanc-bec_ he looked when he first
spoke of it: how he hesitated and blushed, and positively trembled
from fear of a repulse."
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