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“‘Smith–John Smith,’ he answered laughing, and we were left alone.

“I was very much disposed to be injured and gloomy, but Fatima would not allow it. She was a very successful comforter. In the first place, she was thoroughly sympathetic; and in the second, she had a great dislike to any disturbance of the general peace and harmony, and at last, her own easy, cheerful view of things became infectious where no very serious troubles were concerned.

“‘People must have their little weaknesses,’ she said, ‘and I am sure they haven’t many failings.’

“‘This weakness is so unworthy of them,’ I complained.

“‘All good people’s weaknesses are unworthy of them, my dear. And the better they are, the more unworthy the weakness appears. Now, Mary, do be reasonable! You know at the bottom how true they are, and how fond of you. Pray allow them a few fidgety fancies, poor old dears. No doubt we shall be just as fidgety when we are as old. I’m sure I shall have as many fancies as hairs in my wig, and as to you, considering how little things weigh on your mind now–‘

“Fatima’s reasoning was not conclusive, but I think I came at last to believe that Miss Brooke’s distrust was creditable to herself, and complimentary to me–so it certainly must have been convincing.

“‘And now,’ she concluded, ‘come upstairs and forget it. For I have got two new ideas on which I want your opinion. The first is a new stitch, in which I purpose to work some muslin dresses for us both. I thought of it in bed this morning. The second is a new plan for braiding your hair, which came into my head whilst father was reading aloud that speech to us last night. I had just fastened up the last plait when he laid down the paper.’

“‘You absurd Fatima!’ I cried. ‘How could you! And it was so interesting!’

“‘Don’t look shocked,’ said Fatima. ‘I shall never be a politician. Of all studies, that of politics seems to me the most disturbing and uncomfortable. If some angel, or inspired person would tell me which side was in the right, and whom to believe in, I could be a capital partisan. As it is, I don’t worry myself with it; and last night when you were looking flushed and excited at the end of the speech, I was calmly happy–‘

“‘But, Fatima,’ I broke in, ‘you don’t mean to say–‘

“‘If it had lasted five minutes longer,’ said Fatima, ‘I should have comfortably decided whether ferns or ivy would combine better with the loops.’

“‘But, Fatima! were you really not listening when–‘

“‘On the whole I decide for ivy,’ said Fatima, and danced out of the room, I following and attempting one more remonstrance in the hall.

“‘But, Fatima!–‘

“‘With perhaps a suspicion of white chrysanthemums,’ she added over the banisters.

“Both the new ideas promised to be successful, and the following evening my hair was dressed in what Fatima now called the political plaits. From the first evening of my introduction into society she had established herself as my lady’s maid. She took a generous delight in dressing me up, and was as clever as she was kind about it. This evening she seemed to have surpassed herself, as I judged by the admiring exclamations of our younger sister Phillis–a good little maid, who stood behind my chair with combs and pins in her hand as Fatima’s aide-de-camp. Finally, the dexterous fingers interwove some sprays of ivy with the hair, and added white rosebuds for lack of chrysanthemums.

“‘Perfect!’ Fatima exclaimed, stepping backwards with gestures of admiration that were provokingly visible in the glass before which I sat. ‘And to think that it should be wasted on an uninteresting tea-party! You will not wear your new muslin, of course?’

“‘Indeed, I shall,’ I answered. ‘You know I always make myself smart for the Cottage.’ Which was true, and my reason for it was this. I had once gone there to a quiet tea-party in a dress that was rather too smart for the occasion, and which looked doubly gay by contrast with the sombre costume of the elderly friends whom I met. I was feeling vexed with myself for an error in taste, when Miss Mary came up to me, and laying her hands affectionately on me, and smoothing my ribbons, thanked me for having come in such a pretty costume.