ndeed, that the only change in me has been that I take
a rather wider view than I used to of the word suitable. You see, I am
an optimist, and I can't help it; and I believe that most people are
kind and nice. Oh, I don't say that it is not great fun being critical
and seeing their absurdities and their faults, but I fancy that if one
wants to increase the sum of comfort and happiness in the world, it is
better to spend one's time in trying to see their charms and their
virtues. Dear me, what dreadful commonplaces I am saying! However, that
is my very truthful history for the last year: I want to make people
jolly and comfortable and happy, but, if possible, without standing
about in extremely hot rooms with the band playing into one's ear at the
distance of three inches."

Jeannie laughed.

"I don't think that is at all a bad history," she said. "That is
just the sort of history which I hope will be written of me
by-and-by. Oh, Alice, I don't want any more troubles and crises--I
don't! I don't!--even if they are good for one. Sometimes I wonder
if there is some envious power that is always on the look-out, some
Nemesis with a dreadful wooden eye that waits till we are happy and
then puts out a great bony hand and knocks us over or squeezes us
till we scream. 'Oh, Nemesis,' I feel inclined to say, 'do look the
other way for a little bit.' Yes, I just want Nemesis to leave my
friends and me alone for a little."

"Ah! but Nemesis is looking the other way with great fixedness, it
seems to me," said Lady Nottingham. "She may be dabbing away at
other people, but you must be just, Jeannie; she hasn't been
dabbing at any of us lately."

"Oh, hush! Don't say it so loud," said Jeannie. "She may hear and
turn round."

Alice laughed.

"No such thing," she said. "But Nemesis will certainly send you a
headache and a feeling of being tired to-morrow morning if I sit up
talking to you any longer."

She half rose, but Jeannie pulled her back into the window-seat again.

"Oh, no; don't go yet," she said. "I am not the least tired, and it
is so dull going to bed. I hoard pleasant hours; I make them last as
long as possible, and surely we can lengthen out this one for a little
more. Besides, you have not told me one word about Daisy yet; and, as
I said, though I had half an hour's talk with her, I feel as if she
hadn't taken me into her room. All the private history she gave me was
that Willie Carton still wanted to marry her,