e little
girls had often met them out of doors walking with their governess, and
had long ago made up their minds about them.

They thought them prim and dull-looking, and found something annoying in
their neatly-dressed little figures, and the perfect propriety with
which they stepped along, holding their small round heads rather high.
They imagined, too, that they had seen them cast glances of surprise and
disdain on Sophia Jane's clothes, which were often shabby, and never
becoming. They agreed, therefore, in considering them disagreeable
children, and were by no means anxious for their acquaintance.

Remembering all this, Susan felt there was no chance at all that she
should enjoy herself, and she did not get much comfort from Sophia Jane,
when she went to say good-bye.

"I'm glad I'm not going," she said. "I know I should hate 'em. You
know we always have."

"Perhaps they'll be nicer in-doors," said Susan, though she did not
think it probable.

"I believe they're all horrid, every one of 'em," said Sophia Jane
decidedly, "in-doors and out, and I'm glad I'm not going."

"It wouldn't be quite so bad if you were," said Susan with a sigh,
"because we could talk about it afterwards. But I must go; there's
Margaretta calling me."

"I hope, Susan," said Margaretta, as they walked along the parade
together, "that you will remember to behave very nicely, and answer
properly when Mrs Winslow speaks to you. Don't blush and look shy.
The little Winslows never look silly, and I have never seen them blush."

"Are you fond of Mrs Winslow?" asked Susan. "She's very kind,"
answered Margaretta, "and very clever. She knows a great deal about
education."

Susan asked no more questions, and in a quarter of an hour they arrived
at the house which was large and tall, with green balconies, and a great
many windows. Part of it faced the sea, and part of it went round the
corner into a street, and it all looked, inside and out, so bright and
clean and new that it was quite dazzling. Susan thought she had never
seen a house where everything shone so much, and there was so much
light. Not a shadow, not a dark corner anywhere, and all the furniture
was polished so highly that she saw herself and Margaretta reflected a
dozen times as they moved along. When they reached the drawing-room it
was still more confusing, for there were so many mirrors, and windows,
and statuettes under glass cases, that the brilliancy almost brou