oddling child; and
later as a little girl scampering off to school, all legs and pinafore
and streaming golden hair. And now she was sixteen years old. Her hair,
tied back at the nape of her neck, would very soon be "up." Her big
blue eyes were as they had always been; but she had long passed out of
pinafores into aprons, had taken on a sedateness befitting her years and
her duties, and was anxious to be regarded rather as an aunt than as
a sister by her brother Clarence, aged twelve. The Emperors had always
predicted that she would be pretty. And very pretty she was.

As she came slowly out, with eyes downcast to her broom, sweeping the
dust so seriously over the doorstep and then across the pavement, and
anon when she reappeared with pail and scrubbing-brush, and abased
herself before the doorstep, and wrought so vehemently there, what
filled her little soul was not the dignity of manual labour. The duties
that Zuleika had envied her were dear to her exactly as they would have
been, yesterday morning, to Zuleika. The Emperors had often noticed that
during vacations their little favourite's treatment of the doorstep was
languid and perfunctory. They knew well her secret, and always (for who
can be long in England without becoming sentimental?) they cherished the
hope of a romantic union between her and "a certain young gentleman," as
they archly called the Duke. His continued indifference to her they took
almost as an affront to themselves. Where in all England was a prettier,
sweeter girl than their Katie? The sudden irruption of Zuleika into
Oxford was especially grievous to them because they could no longer
hope against hope that Katie would be led by the Duke to the altar, and
thence into the highest social circles, and live happily ever after.
Luckily it was for Katie, however, that they had no power to fill her
head with their foolish notions. It was well for her to have never
doubted she loved in vain. She had soon grown used to her lot. Not until
yesterday had there been any bitterness. Jealousy surged in Katie at the
very moment when she beheld Zuleika on the threshold. A glance at the
Duke's face when she showed the visitor up was enough to acquaint
her with the state of his heart. And she did not, for confirming her
intuition, need the two or three opportunities she took of listening at
the keyhole. What in the course of those informal audiences did surprise
her--so much indeed that she could hardly believe h