n the lovely
trees of the London streets, that were sending floods of fragrance into
the cool evening air; for it was now getting toward sunset.

We could hardly go but fair and softly all the way, as there were a great
many people abroad in that cool hour. Seeing so many people made me
notice their looks the more; and I must say, my taste, cultivated in the
sombre greyness, or rather brownness, of the nineteenth century, was
rather apt to condemn the gaiety and brightness of the raiment; and I
even ventured to say as much to Clara. She seemed rather surprised, and
even slightly indignant, and said: "Well, well, what's the matter? They
are not about any dirty work; they are only amusing themselves in the
fine evening; there is nothing to foul their clothes. Come, doesn't it
all look very pretty? It isn't gaudy, you know."

Indeed that was true; for many of the people were clad in colours that
were sober enough, though beautiful, and the harmony of the colours was
perfect and most delightful.

I said, "Yes, that is so; but how can everybody afford such costly
garments? Look! there goes a middle-aged man in a sober grey dress; but
I can see from here that it is made of very fine woollen stuff, and is
covered with silk embroidery."

Said Clara: "He could wear shabby clothes if he pleased,--that is, if he
didn't think he would hurt people's feelings by doing so."

"But please tell me," said I, "how can they afford it?"

As soon as I had spoken I perceived that I had got back to my old
blunder; for I saw Dick's shoulders shaking with laughter; but he
wouldn't say a word, but handed me over to the tender mercies of Clara,
who said--

"Why, I don't know what you mean. Of course we can afford it, or else we
shouldn't do it. It would be easy enough for us to say, we will only
spend our labour on making our clothes comfortable: but we don't choose
to stop there. Why do you find fault with us? Does it seem to you as if
we starved ourselves of food in order to make ourselves fine clothes? Or
do you think there is anything wrong in liking to see the coverings of
our bodies beautiful like our bodies are?--just as a deer's or an otter's
skin has been made beautiful from the first? Come, what is wrong with
you?"

I bowed before the storm, and mumbled out some excuse or other. I must
say, I might have known that people who were so fond of architecture
generally, would not be backward in ornamenting themselves; all