and
excitement. Firstly, a becoming new toilette for dinner to-night, in
which you can do justice to your charms."

Vere never dines with us now, as the evenings are her worst time, and
she spends them entirely in her own little sitting-room. I am always
with her to read aloud, or play games, or talk, just as she prefers; but
this night there were actually some people coming to dinner for the
first time since the pre-historic ages before the fire. The people
around had been very kind and attentive, and mother thought it our duty
to ask a few of them; so four couples were coming, and Will Dudley to
pair with me. It was quite an excitement after our quiet days; and Vere
called her maid, and sent her to bring down one or two evening dresses
which had been rescued uninjured from a hanging cupboard and left
untouched until now, in the box in which they had been packed.

"Miss Una is so much thinner, I believe she could get into them now,
Terese; and I have a fancy to dress her up to-night and see what we can
make of her," she said, smiling; and Terese beamed with delight, not so
much at the thought of dressing me, as in joy at hearing her beloved
mistress take an interest in anything again. She adores Vere, as all
servants do. It's because she makes pretty speeches to them and praises
them when they do things well, instead of treating them like machines,
as most people do. In my superior moments I used to think that she was
hypocritical, while I myself was honest and outspoken; but I am
beginning to see that praise is sometimes more powerful than blame. I
am really becoming awfully grown-up and judicious. I hardly know myself
sometimes.

Well, Terese brought in three dresses, and I tried them on in
succession, and Vere decided which was most becoming, and directed
little alterations, and said what flowers I was to wear, and how my hair
was to be done, just exactly as if I were a new doll which made an
amusing plaything. I had to be dressed in her room, too, and she lay
watching me with her big wan eyes, issuing directions to Terese, and
saying pretty things to me. It was one of her very, very nicest days,
and I did love her.

When the last touch was given I surveyed myself in the long mirror and
"blushed at my own reflection," like the girl in books who is going to
her first ball. I really did look my very, very nicest, and so grown
up, and sort of fragile and interesting, instead of the big, hulking
school