The girl herself was
disposed to talk very little about this singular fancy; it may have
been thought that she had grown ashamed of it as seen by a brighter
light, but the truth was it kept a place too near her heart to allow
her to gossip with people who had no real sympathy, and who would ask
questions from curiosity alone. Miss Eunice Fraley had taken more than
one opportunity, however, to confess her interest, though she did this
with the manner of one who dares to be a conspirator against public
opinion, and possibly the permanent welfare of society, and had
avowed, beside, her own horror of a doctor's simplest duties. But poor
Miss Fraley looked at her young friend as a caged bird at a window
might watch a lark's flight, and was strangely glad whenever there was
a chance to spend an hour in Nan's company.
The first evening at Mrs. Fraley's had been a great success, and Miss
Prince had been vastly pleased because both the hostess and the guest
had received each other's commendation. Mrs. Fraley was, perhaps, the
one person whom Miss Prince recognized as a superior officer, and she
observed Nan's unconscious and suitable good behavior with great
pride. The hostess had formerly been an undisputed ruler of the
highest social circles of Dunport society, and now in her old age,
when she could no longer be present at any public occasions, she was
still the queen of a little court that assembled in her own house. It
was true that the list of her subjects grew shorter year by year, but
the survivors remained loyal, and hardly expected, or even desired,
that any of the newcomers to the town should recognize their ruler.
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