sents, and enjoyed the thought
of Annette's smile at hearing of her little Violet stepping into her
carriage for a party at a countess's.

Arthur said London was empty, but Violet thought her visitors
innumerable, and, as the autumn advanced towards winter, had many
invitations. She enjoyed going out; her shyness had nearly worn off;
and she was everywhere received so as to make Arthur, proud and pleased.
Indeed she had doubts whether she was not growing too gay, and if it was
right to pay so much attention to her appearance. She asked Arthur, and
was laughed at for her pains.

However, Violet was not without her troubles from the first. She was
very much afraid of Sarah, and never spoke to her without shrinking back
into Miss Violet, and being conscious that it was mere presumption in
her to try to order one so much wiser than herself. The cook, a relation
of Miss Standaloft, was much more smooth and deferential, full of
resources, which seemed to come from Mrs. Martindale herself; and though
the weekly bills always exceeded her reckonings, so many things were
wanting, as Mrs. Cook observed, just getting into a house. The first
time of having any guests at dinner, Violet was in much anxiety, but
all went off to general satisfaction until the bills came in on Monday
morning. The cost was beyond her calculations, exceeded her week's
portion, and devoured the savings of the days when they had not dined at
home. Invitations had been sent out for another party, and Violet tried
to bring it within bounds; but the cook was civilly superior--'It was
always so in the first families, such as she was accustomed to, but if
Mrs. Martindale liked to have things in a different style--'

She knew Arthur would consent to no external change, and all she could
do was to look at the price of all she ordered, reject sundry expensive
delicacies, and trust to living on the relics of the feast for the rest
of the week; but, behold! they scarcely served for one luncheon, and on
Monday the bills had mounted up in an inexplicable manner. There were no
savings left, and she made up the deficiency from her own resources. A
third party was impending, and she strove more resolutely for frugality.
'Well, ma'am, if you choose, it must be so; but it was not what I was
used to in the families such as I have lived in.'

But Violet was firm, whereupon the cook harassed her with contrarieties;
and late hours and London air had so far told upon her that