ed, I suppose, when
every wish is gratified, and if you would look at it fairly, without all
this decoration you have added to it, you would see that hers have
always been. Evert brings up their poverty--it has all come out, of
course, since the mother's death. But, poor or not poor, _Garda_ at
least always had what she wanted; there were always honey-cakes and
oranges for her, and those old servants would wait upon her when they
would not speak to her mother. She has never lifted her hand to do
anything in her life but swing in her hammock, smell her roses, and play
with that crane. Evert keeps harping--what simple things they were to
give her so much pleasure. But _somebody_ had to work to keep up even
the 'simple things;' and that somebody was her mother. Simple--of course
they were simple, she has been brought up in the country, and she is
only sixteen; she has had no opportunity to see anything else. But it
seems to me that the laziness which is shown by that hammock, and the
epicureanism which comes out in the honey-cakes and oranges, yes, and
the roses too, and the frivolity which makes her find amusement by the
hour in playing with that dreadful crane--all these are a very pretty
development of temperament in a girl of that age."

Over this dark picture Margaret was unable to resist a laugh.

"Laugh on," said Aunt Katrina, ominously. "You will live to come to my
opinion."

But Margaret continued to think Garda's free acceptance the sign of a
generous nature; the girl judged her benefactress by herself; if she had
been the one to bestow the kindness, she would not have liked effusive
thanks; Margaret therefore would not like them either.

But if Garda did not turn the conversation towards Margaret's material
gifts, she did turn it, and warmly, upon the delight it was to her that
her friend was to be at East Angels; upon that point she was effusive
enough. "_Now_ I can live," she said.

"There's something so tiresome in being with Aunt Betty Carew day after
day," she added, meditatively. "Don't you think so?"

"She has been extremely kind to you," Margaret answered.

"Yes, she's very kind, there's nobody kinder. That doesn't make her any
the less wandering in her conversation, does it? or any the less
flushed. Do you remember how pretty my dear little mother was? She had
such a nice straight little nose it was a pleasure to look at her. You
have a lovely nose too, Margaret; I wonder if I should have liked y