omething was.
It was apparent enough, that Eudosia was the subject of general
observation, and of general conversation, though, so long as she held
me in her hand, it exceeded all my acuteness of hearing to learn what
was said. The poor girl fancied her pocket-handkerchief was the common
theme; and in this she was not far from right, though it was in a way
she little suspected. At length Clara Caverly drew near, and borrowed
me of her friend, under a pretext of showing me to her mother, who was
in the room, though, in fact, it was merely to get me out of sight; for
Clara was much too well-bred to render any part of another's dress the
subject of her discussions in general society. As if impatient to get
me out of sight, I was thrown on a sofa, among a little pile of
consoeurs, (if there is such a word,) for a gathering had been made,
while our pretty hostesses were dancing, in order to compare our
beauty. There we lay quite an hour, a congress of pocket-handkerchiefs,
making our comments on the company, and gossiping in our own fashion.
It was only the next day that I discovered the reason we were thus
neglected; for, to own the truth, something had occurred which suddenly
brought "three-figure," and even "two-figure" people of our class into
temporary disrepute. I shall explain that reason at the proper moment.

{consoeurs = fellow sisters}

The conversation among the handkerchiefs on the sofa, ran principally
on the subject of our comparative market value. I soon discovered that
there was a good deal of envy against me, on account of my "three
figures," although, I confess, I thought I cut a "poor figure," lying
as I did, neglected in a corner, on the very first evening of my
appearance in the fashionable world. But some of the opinions uttered
on this occasion--always in the mesmeritic manner, be it
remembered--will be seen in the following dialogue.

"Well!" exclaimed $25, "this is the first ball I have been at that I
was not thought good enough to have a place in the quadrille. You see
all the canaille are in the hands of their owners, while we, the elite
of pocket-handkerchiefs, are left here in a corner, like so many
cloaks."

{canaille = riff-raff}

"There must be a reason for this, certainly," answered $45, "though YOU
have been flourished about these two winters, in a way that ought to
satisfy one of YOUR pretensions."

An animated reply was about to set us all in commotion, when $80, who,
next to myse