ther practising of the proverb she and
Matilda were to act together; and this time she dressed up for it. A
robe of her mother's, which trailed ridiculously over the floor; jewels
of value in her ears and on her hands and neck; and finally a lace
scarf of Mrs. Lloyd's, which was very rich and extremely costly. Norton
was absent on some business of his own; David was the only critic on
hand. He objected.

"You can act just as well without all that trumpery, Judith."

"Trumpery! That's what it is to you. My shawl is worth five hundred
dollars if it is worth a dollar. It is worth a great deal more than
that, I believe; but I declare I get confused among the prices of
things. That is one of the cares of riches, that try me most."

"You can act just as well without all that, Judy."

"I can't!"

"You can just as well, if you would only think so."

"Very likely; but I don't think so; that just makes it, you see. I want
to feel that I am rich; how am I going to get the idea in my head,
boy?--I declare, Satinalia, I think this satin dress is getting frayed
already."

"How ought I to be dressed?" inquired Matilda.

"O just as you are. You haven't to make believe, you know; you have got
only to act yourself. Come, begin.--I declare, Satinalia, I think this
satin dress is getting frayed already."

Matilda hesitated, then put by the displeasure which rose at Judy's
rudeness, and entered into the play.

"And how shouldn't it, ma'am, when it's dragging and streaming all over
the floor for yards behind you. Satin won't bear every thing."

"No, the satin one gets now-a-days won't. I could buy satin once, that
would wear out two of this; and this cost five dollars a yard. Dear me!
I shall be a poor woman yet."

"If you were to cut off the train, ma'am, the dress wouldn't drag so."

"Wouldn't it! you Irish stupid. O I hear something breaking downstairs!
Robert has smashed a tray-ful, I'll be bound. I heard the breaking of
glass. Run, Satinalia, run down as hard as you can and find out what it
is. Run before he gets the pieces picked up; for then I shall never
know what has happened."

"You'd miss the broken things," said Matilda; not exactly as Satinalia.

"You're an impudent hussy, to answer me so. Run and see what it is, I
tell you, or I shall never know."

"What must I say it is?" said Matilda, out of character.

"Haven't you wit enough for that?" said Judith, also speaking in her
own proper. "Say any thing you hav