Poor Eunice expected
that a sharp rebuke, followed by a day or two's disdain and general
unpleasantness, would descend upon her quaking shoulders; but, to her
surprise, nothing was said until the next morning, when she was
bidden, at much inconvenience to the household, to invite Miss Prince
and her niece to come that afternoon to drink tea quite informally.
There was a pathetic look in the messenger's faded face,--she felt
unusually at odds with fortune as she glided along the street,
sheltered by the narrow shadows of the high fences. Nan herself came
to the door, and when she threw back the closed blinds and discovered
the visitor, she drew her in with most cordial welcome, and the two
friends entered the darkened south parlor, where it was cool, and
sweet with the fragrance of some honeysuckle which Nan had brought in
early that morning from the garden.
"Dear me," said the little woman deprecatingly. "I don't know why I
came in at all. I can't stop to make a call. Mother was very desirous
that you and your aunt should come over to tea this evening. It seems
a good deal to ask in such hot weather, but she has so little to amuse
her, and I really don't see that the weather makes much difference,
she used to feel the heat very much years ago." And Miss Eunice gave a
sigh, and fanned herself slowly, letting the fan which had been put
into her hand turn itself quite over on her lap before it came up
again. There was an air of antique elegance about this which amused
Nan, who stood by the table wiping with her handkerchief some water
that had dropped from the vase.
Pages:
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254