cribed herself to Lord Mark as kindly
used by the young woman on the other side because of some faintly-felt
special propriety in it, so there really did match with this,
privately, on the young woman's part, a feeling not analysed but
divided, a latent impression that Mildred Theale was not, after all, a
person to change places, to change even chances with. Kate, verily,
would perhaps not quite have known what she meant by this reservation,
and she came near naming it only when she said to herself that, rich as
Milly was, one probably wouldn't--which was singular--ever hate her for
it. The handsome girl had, with herself, these felicities and
crudities: it wasn't obscure to her that, without some very particular
reason to help, it might have proved a test of one's philosophy not to
be irritated by a mistress of millions, or whatever they were, who, as
a girl, so easily might have been, like herself, only vague and fatally
female. She was by no means sure of liking Aunt Maud as much as she
deserved, and Aunt Maud's command of funds was obviously inferior to
Milly's. There was thus clearly, as pleading for the latter, some
influence that would later on become distinct; and meanwhile,
decidedly, it was enough that she was as charming as she was queer and
as queer as she was charming--all of which was a rare amusement; as
well, for that matter, as further sufficient that there were objects of
value she had already pressed on Kate's acceptance. A week of her
society in these conditions--conditions that Milly chose to sum up as
ministering immensely, for a blind, vague pilgrim, to aid and
comfort--announced itself from an early hour as likely to become a week
of presents, acknowledgments, mementos, pledges of gratitude and
admiration that were all on one side. Kate as promptly embraced the
propriety of making it clear that she must forswear shops till she
should receive some guarantee that the contents of each one she entered
as a humble companion should not be placed at her feet; yet that was in
truth not before she had found herself in possession, under whatever
protests, of several precious ornaments and other minor conveniences.

Great was the absurdity, too, that there should have come a day, by the
end of the week, when it appeared that all Milly would have asked in
definite "return," as might be said, was to be told a little about Lord
Mark and to be promised the privilege of a visit to Mrs. Condrip. Far
other amuseme