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By Root 1874 0

a turn. I always liked dearly to hear what he had to say about either pictures or books; because, without pretending to be a connoisseur, he always spoke his thought, and that was sure to be fresh: very often it was also just and pithy. It was pleasant also to tell him some things he did not know—he listened so kindly, so teachably; unformalized by scruples lest so to bend his bright handsome head, to gather a woman’s rather obscure and stammering explanation, should emperil the dignity of his manhood. And when he communicated information in return, it was with a lucid intelligence that left all his words clear graven on the memory: no explanation of his giving, no fact of his narrating, did I ever forget.

As we left the gallery, I asked him what he thought of the Cleopatra (after making him laugh by telling him how Professor Emanuel had sent me to the right-about, and taking him to see the sweet series of pictures recommended to my attention).

‘Pooh!’ said he. ‘My mother is a better-looking woman. I heard some French fops, yonder, designating her as “le type du voluptueux;” if so, I can only say, “le voluptueux” is little to my liking. Compare that mulatto with Ginevra!’

CHAPTER 20

The Concert

One morning, Mrs. Bretton, coming promptly into my room, desired me to open my drawers and show her my dresses; which I did, without a word.

‘That will do,’ said she, when she had turned them over. ‘You must have a new one.’

She went out. She returned presently with a dress-maker. She had me measured. ‘I mean,’ said she, ‘to follow my own taste, and to have my own way in this little matter.’

Two days after came home—a pink dress!

‘That is not for me,’ I said, hurriedly, feeling that I would almost as soon clothe myself in the costume of a Chinese lady of rank.

‘We shall see whether it is for you or not,’ rejoined my godmother, adding with her resistless decision. ‘Mark my words. You will wear it this very evening.’

I thought I should not: I thought no human force should avail to put me into it. A pink dress! I knew it not. It knew not me. I had not proved it.

My godmother went on to decree that I was to go with her and Graham to a concert that same night: which concert, she explained, was a grand affair to be held in the large salle, or hall of the principal musical society. The most advanced of the pupils of the Conservatoire were to perform: it was to be followed by a lottery ‘au benefice des pauvres;’eb and to crown all, the King, Queen, and Prince of Labassecour were to be present. Graham, in sending tickets, had enjoined attention to costume as a compliment due to royalty: he also recommended punctual readiness by seven o’clock.

About six, I was ushered up-stairs. Without any force at all, I found myself led and influenced by another’s will, unconsulted, unpersuaded, quietly over-ruled. In short the pink dress went on, softened by some drapery of black lace. I was pronounced to be en grande ténue, and requested to look in the glass. I did so with some fear and trembling; with more fear and trembling, I turned away. Seven o’clock struck; Dr. Bretton was come; my godmother and I went down. She was clad in brown velvet; as I walked in her shadow, how I envied her those folds of grave, dark majesty! Graham stood in the drawing-room doorway.

‘I do hope he will not think I have been decking myself out to draw attention,’ was my uneasy aspiration.

‘Here, Lucy, are some flowers,’ said he, giving me a bouquet. He took no further notice of my dress than was conveyed in a kind smile and satisfied nod, which calmed at once my sense of shame and fear of ridicule. For the rest, the dress was made with extreme simplicity, guiltless of flounce or furbelow; it was but the light fabric and bright tint which scared me, and since Graham found in it nothing absurd, my own eye consented soon to become reconciled.

I suppose people who go every night to places of public amusement, can hardly enter into the fresh gala feeling with which an opera or a concert is enjoyed by those for whom it is a rarity. I am not sure that I expected