First Impressions

        `stool at Maggies feet, after plag t dark lady in t c to please, said Maggie, smiling, and    t mig. `A gentleman    to be sicised.

        `Indeed,    deal too good for me. And sometimes,    t really be, t    I ever doubt it    you to kno I feel in t way, Maggie.

        `O engaged, said Maggie y.

        `I    be engaged: - o too to notice Maggies joke, `and I so go on for a long    is. Sometimes I am quite frig Step o papa, and from somet fell from papa t are expeg t. And Stepers are very civil to me no first, I t like tention; and t ural. It does seem out of keeping t I s place like ttle, insignifit thing as I am.

        `But people are not expected to be large in proportion to ts sisters giantesses?

        `O no - and not    is, not very, said Lucy, ent at table remark. `But    least he is generally sidered very handsome.

        `to s opinion?

        `O, I dont knoo raise expectation; you    I     tell you    is, though.

        Lucy rose from    to a little distay rait and .

        `Stand up a moment, Maggie.

        ` is your pleasure o less drapery of silk and crape.

        Lucy kept emplative attitude a moment or then said,

        `I t t c is in you, Maggie, t makes you look best in s    do you kno nigrying to fancy you in a    I    old limp merino    toie looked all t to put anyte unnoticeable - I should be a mere rag.

        `O quite, said Maggie, y. `You o be s out of t dust, and to find yourself ue, like derella. Maynt I sit down now?

        `Yes, noening    brooust c little butterfly looks silly on you.

        `But    t mar t of my sistent sing    again and unfasteemptible butterfly. `I ing last nig frock. Ive been saving my moo pay for some lessons: I s a better situation    more apliss.

        Maggie gave a little sigh.

        `No put on t sad look again, said Lucy, pinning t. `Youre fetting t youve left t dreary sctle girls end.

        `Yes, said Maggie. `It is o t e bear I sa t     so stupid    of turning baarro    if t s a bad    of being unhappy.

        `But I s you under a discipline of pleasure t    bad , said Lucy, stig tterfly absently in    Maggies affeately.

        `You dear tiny ts of loving admiration, `you enjoy ot any of your own. I wish I were like you.

        `Ive never been tried in t ried, Maggie; and Im sure you feel for ote as much as I do.

        `No, Lucy, said Maggie, s enjoy tented. I do feel for trouble - I dont to make any one un, I often e myself, because I get angry sometimes at t of     older - more selfis seems very dreadful.

        `Noone of remonstrance, `I dont believe a . It is all a gloomy fancy - just because you are depressed by a dull, wearisome life.

        `ell, per is, said Maggie, resolutely clearing a smile, and t es from t - ery rice-pudding spiced    us    ards and this charming Geoffrey Crayon.

        Maggie took up tcable.

        `Do I look fit to be seen tle brooco survey t in the ey glass.

        `O nuest o go out of t. Pray make e and put another on.

        Lucy    of t Maggie did not take tunity of opening    it fall on o t at tance seemed to be sleeping in a m    fres came tting and alig Maggies eyes began to fill ears. t of t eveerday so rejoi ored fort and toms brot a distaied upon ion too keen to let aste ra present: ure, s, o be , for after ented renunciation, so desire and longing: sasteful occupation ense and varied life suily urhe leaves of her book.

        `t your deepest dismalness , said Lucy, beginning to speak as soon as sered t is musid I mean you to e a riotous feast of it. I mean you to get up your playing agai Laceham.

        `You tle girls tunes over and over to took to practice, said Maggie, `just for t I dont kno;Begone, dull care"!

        `I knoate of joy you used to be in o love so, if I ain t you dont feel exactly as tom does about some things.

        `I s t be more certain of, said Maggie, smiling.

        `I ougo icular t as    t,    Oggs is so miserably provided lemen. tepo be able to sing a part.

        Lucy looked up from tered t sentence, and sa there was a ge in Maggies face.

        `Does it    you to ioned, Maggie? If it does, I    speak of om    see .

        `I dont feel at all as tom does on t subject, said Maggie, rising and going to ted to see more of ttle girl and saon. om    .

        `O, Im so glad! said Lucy. `t mind imes, and    y. I suppose it is y t makes imes bitter. It is certainly very piteous to see tle crooked body and pale face among great strong people.

        `But, Lucy, said Maggie, trying to arrest ttling stream,...

        `A must be Step on, not notig Maggies faint effort to speak. `One of t admire in Step er friend of Phan any one.

        It oo late fgie to speak no trance of a tall gentleman, o Lud took e, ender gland tone of inquiry, e t her presence.

        `Let me introduce you to my cousin, Miss tulliver, said Lucy, turning    towards Maggie, wep.

        For one instant Step ceal onis at t of tall dark-eyed nymp- black et of , Maggie felt    time in ribute of a very deep blusoy. to    it almost effaced ion about Pness in ed herself.

        `I    a striking likeness you dreerday, said Lucy, ty laugriumpage was usually on his side.

        `te deceived me, Miss tulliver, said Steping ooping to play    Maggie furtively. `S hair and blue eyes.

        `Nay, it ed Lucy. `I only refrained from destroying your fiden your o.

        `I ions.

        `No it    on you to say uances.

        Sly defiant look at    o    irical portrait of o be satirical, and Maggie ally supplied tion - `and rated.

        `An alarming amount of devil tep t. t over    me again. t o answer:

        `I suppose all p urn to be true. A man is occasionally grateful ; Its rat    use tation - dont you tulliver?

        `No, said Maggie, looking at    glance; `if    occasion, triking, because t at oo icular meaning, like old banners or everyday clothes hung up in a sacred place.

        `t ougo be eloquent, said Step quite knohe occasion.

        `No pliment    be eloquent, except as an expression of indifference, said Maggie, flustle.

        Lucy    Step going to like eac Maggie soo odd and clever to please t critical gentleman. `erposed, `you e you are too fond of being admired, and o admire you.

        `Not at all, said Maggie, `I like too o feel t I am admired, but pliments never make me feel t.

        `I    again, Miss tulliver, said Stephen.

        `t .

        Pgie! So society t sake notter of course, and    s necessarily appear absurd to more experienced ladies, from t to to very trivial is. But stle absurdity in ta rue, sic obje to pliments aly to P s see old    tiful any more to be told t till, to be so irritated by a on practi tranger like Mr Step, and to care about ingly of ainly unreasonable, and as soon as s so be as did not occur to    ation o ter emotion    as    drop of cold er may fall upon us as a sudden smart.

        Stepoo    to seem una tion could    embarrassing, and at once began to talk of impersonal matters, asking Lucy if s lengto take place, so t t be some s mrateful ted flrowing under her fingers.

        `Some day    mont your sisters are doing more for it to    stall.

        `A tures in tting-room rude on t addicted to tulliver, said Step Maggies plain hemming.

        `No, said Maggie, `I    do not or more elegant t-making.

        `And your plain seiful, Maggie, said Lucy, `t I to se see a mystery to me - you used to dislike t sort of work so mu old days.

        `It is a mystery explained, dear, said Maggie, looking up quietly. `Plain se money by; so I o try and do it well.

        Lucy, good and simple as s tle: s quite like t Step - Maggie need not io. Pery t    be asself. But if Maggie tes sed a means of giving greater piquancy to y in Step sure t t admission of plain sey ed by ty, t first.

        `But I    knit, Lucy, Maggie    on, `if t will be of any use for your bazaar.

        `O yes, of infinite use. I s you to    omorro your sister is t enviable person, tinued Lucy, turning to Stepo alent of modelling. S of Dr Keirely from memory.

        `o put toget, to be striking in St Oggs.

        `No is very . `I didnt tfully of Dr Kenn.

        `I say anytful of Dr Kenn?    I am not bound to respect a libellous bust of    fello care muc tall dle-sticks    on table, and I s like to spoil my temper by getting up to early prayers every m. But o me to le ied ure and boiled beef because    aking into    poor lad Grattan, o save tting into a morbid state of mind about it. akes t antly, I see.

        `t is beautiful, said Maggie, erest, `I never knew any one whings.

        `And one admires t sort of a in Kenn all tep him.

        `O I t cer! said Lucy, ty enthusiasm.

        `No, t agree epic gravity.

        `No    you point out in him?

        `hes an Angli.

        `ell, t viehink, said Lucy, gravely.

        `t settles tion in tract, said Step not from a parliamentary point of vieers and tor like myself, of    ing St Oggs in parliament.

        `Do you really t? said Lucy, ening    made    tative is of Angliism.

        `Decidedly -    induce o give    is set on it; and gifts like mine, you knos like mine involve great responsibilities. Dont you tulliver?

        `Yes, said Maggie, smiling, but not looking up; `so muc be ed entirely on private occasions.

        `Aration you ep I am talkative and impudent. No - oo my manner, I suppose.

        `S look at me ry ots.

        Did Lutend to be present at ting of t    question. tion to co be partle t Oggs by voting for one of ter treatises. Of course Lucy    is al to improve talking to t ease on subjects of    in an at of Buds treatise,    s looking at ire absence of self-sciousness, as if    of old professors and sed by t at last    to look a occasionally to s c Stepo Maggie    tainly be good friends after all.

        `I ulliver? said Stepream of ions running ratrations in it t you o see.

        ` self-sciousness at t address, and taking up her wain.

        `No, no, Luterposed. `I must forbid your plunging Maggie in books. I s    o ing and g and riding and driving: t is the holiday she needs.

        `Apropos! said Step c for a roide    for us to go tofton way, and we    walk back.

        t o Maggie, for it    on , Lucy lio give an order to t and took tunity of telling Step Maggie ion to seeing P it y s t erday. But se anotomorroe him.

        `Ill call a omorroepers    to call on you,    he m.

        `O yes, pray bring    you? sone. `Isnt sure?

        `too tall, said Steptle too fiery. S my type of woman, you know.

        Gentlemen, you are a to impart t fideo ladies ing ter fair o is    tly repulsive to men o tinctively ceristic of Lucy, t sly believed epermi Maggie s kno. But you, o t unfavourable opinion of Step o ting, by tion, t Maggie must give    least t boating plan, and t a gentleman    ageously situated er of Mrs tulliver at first sigainly not - suco t little creature in t a man to make a fool of    y, one    es at ones finger ends t toucirely indifferent. It ly natural and safe to admire beauty and enjoy looking at it - at least under suces as t. Aing about ty and troubles: it ifying to see tepted,    found of    y seemed really of a superior kind: and provided one is not obliged to marry suly make a variety in social intercourse.

        Maggie did not fulfil Step    quarter of an oo full of t s lonely, cut off from Po love edly, as so be loved. But presently t of ttracted    so learn o ro take an oar. It appeared t seacious; t to o take her lesson merrily.

        `I s be satisfied until I    ma as sepped out of t. Maggie,    tet tune moment for    slipped, but ep    h a firm grasp.

        `You     yourself at all, I o look in y. It aken care of in t kind graceful manner by some oaller and stro just in the same way before.

        Pullet seated ulliver in tepo e again in the evening.

        `And pray bring    you took a Maggie to    songs.

        Aunt Pullet, uainty t Maggie ed to go out o Park    tnessed by ty of St Oggs,    to t demanded a strong and prompt remedy; and tation as to    suitable to ties of Mrs Pullets    Lucy as ulliver entered into    really    t as aunt Pullet.

        `But ss very ill-ve, said Mrs Pullet, `else s    beautiful black brocade o mine    any alteration. And , sorrowfully, as sed Maggies large round arm. `S my sleeves on.

        `O, never mind t, aunt, pray send us t mean Maggie to rimming. iful.

        `Maggies arms are a pretty sulliver. `to be; only mine was never brown: I wish shed had our family skin.

        `Nonsense, aunty! said Lucy, patting    tullivers s uand ter iful.

        `May be, my dear, said Mrs tulliver, submissively. `You k t able folks.

        `No, said uncle Pullet, eerest in tion, as    t;Nutbro; too - I te - but I t justly remember.

        `O dear, dear! said Maggie, laug impatient, `I t    is alo be talked about so much.
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