--especially
in regard to men,--their gestures and color, were distasteful to her.
"They hide their dirt with a thin veneer of cheap finery," said Dolly to
her father. He had replied by telling her that she was nasty. "No; but,
unfortunately, I cannot but see nastiness." Dolly herself was clean to
fastidiousness. Take off her coarse frock, and there the well-dressed
lady began. "Look at the heels of Sophie's boots! Give her a push, and
she'd fall off her pins as though they were stilts. They're always
asking to have a shoemaker's bill paid, and yet they won't wear stout
boots." "I'll pay the man," she said to Amelia one day, "if you'll
promise to wear what I'll buy you for the next six months." But Amelia
had only turned up her nose. These were the relatives to whom it would
become her duty to devote her life!

The next morning she started off to call in Bolsover Terrace with an
intention, not to begin her duty, but to make a struggle at the adequate
performance of it. She took with her some article of clothing intended
for one of the younger children, but which the child herself was to
complete. But when she entered the parlor she was astounded at finding
that Mr. Carroll was there. It was nearly twelve o'clock, and at that
time Mr. Carroll never was there. He was either in bed, or at
Tattersall's, or--Dolly did not care where. She had long since made up
her mind that there must be a permanent quarrel between herself and her
uncle, and her desire was generally respected. Now, unfortunately, he
was present, and with him were his wife and two elder daughters. To be
devoted, thought Dolly to herself, to such a family as this,--and without
anybody else in the world to care for! She gave her aunt a kiss, and
touched the girls' hands, and made a very distant bow to Mr. Carroll.
Then she began about the parcel in her hands, and, having given her
instructions, was preparing to depart.

But her aunt stopped her. "I think you ought to know, Dorothea."

"Certainly," said Mr. Carroll. "It is quite right that your cousin
should know."

"If you think it proper, I'm sure I can't object," said Amelia.

"She won't approve, I'm sure," said Sophie.

"Her young man has come forward and spoken," said Mr. Carroll.

"And quite in a proper spirit," said Amelia.

"Of course," said Mrs. Carroll, "we are not to expect too much. Though
we are respectable in birth, and all that, we are poor. Mr. Carroll has
got nothing to give her."

"I