So she pushed the
newly-brightened cup aside with an almost careless hand, as a sort of
compromise with revenge, and Miss Prince at once caught sight of it.
"Dear me," she said, not without confusion, "Priscilla must have
thought you would be pleased," and then faltered, "I wish with all my
heart you had always had it for your own, my dear." And this was a
great deal for Miss Prince to say, as any of her acquaintances could
have told her nearest relative, who sat, almost a stranger, at the
breakfast-table.
The elder woman felt a little light-headed and unfamiliar to herself
as she went up the stairway to get ready for church. It seemed as if
she had entered upon a new stage of existence, since for so many years
she had resented the existence of her brother's child, and had kept up
an imaginary war, in which she ardently fought for her own rights. She
had brought forward reason after reason why she must maintain her
position as representative of a respected family who had been shamed
and disgraced and insulted by her brother's wife. Now all aggressors
of her peace, real and imaginary, were routed by the appearance of
this young girl upon the field of battle, which she traversed with
most innocent and fearless footsteps, looking smilingly into her
aunt's face, and behaving almost as if neither of them had been
concerned in the family unhappiness. Beside, Nan had already added a
new interest to Miss Prince's life, and as this defeated warrior took
a best dress from the closet without any of the usual reflection upon
so important a step, she felt a great consciousness of having been
added to and enriched, as the person might who had suddenly fallen
heir to an unexpected property.
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