First Impressions
`stool at Maggies feet, after placing t dark lady in t c to please, said Maggie, smiling, and t mig. `A gentleman to be sicised.
`Indeed, deal too good for me. And sometimes, cant really be, t I can never doubt it you to kno I feel in t way, Maggie.
`O engaged, said Maggie y.
`I be engaged: - o too to notice Maggies joke, `and I so go on for a long is. Sometimes I am quite frig Step o papa, and from somet fell from papa t are expecting t. And Stepers are very civil to me no first, I t like tention; and t ural. It does seem out of keeping t I s place like ttle, insignificant thing as I am.
`But people are not expected to be large in proportion to ts sisters giantesses?
`O no - and not is, not very, said Lucy, ent at table remark. `But least he is generally considered very handsome.
`to s opinion?
`O, I dont knoo raise expectation; you I tell you is, though.
Lucy rose from to a little distance, ty rait and .
`Stand up a moment, Maggie.
` is your pleasure noe to less drapery of silk and crape.
Lucy kept emplative attitude a moment or then said,
`I cant t c is in you, Maggie, t makes you look best in s do you kno nigrying to fancy you in a I old limp merino toinette looked all t to put anyte unnoticeable - I should be a mere rag.
`O quite, said Maggie, y. `You o be s out of t dust, and to find yourself under te, like Cinderella. Maynt I sit down now?
`Yes, noening brooc you must c little butterfly looks silly on you.
`But t mar t of my consistent sing again and unfastened temptible butterfly. `I ing last nig frock. Ive been saving my money to pay for some lessons: I s a better situation more accompliss.
Maggie gave a little sigh.
`No put on t sad look again, said Lucy, pinning t. `Youre forgetting t youve left t dreary sctle girls cloto mend.
`Yes, said Maggie. `It is o t e bear I sa t so stupid of turning back narro if t s a bad of being unhappy.
`But I s you under a discipline of pleasure t bad , said Lucy, sticking tterfly absently in Maggies affectionately.
`You dear tiny ts of loving admiration, `you enjoy ot any of your own. I wish I were like you.
`Ive never been tried in t ried, Maggie; and Im sure you feel for ote as much as I do.
`No, Lucy, said Maggie, s enjoy tented. I do feel for trouble - I dont to make any one un, I often e myself, because I get angry sometimes at t of older - more selfis seems very dreadful.
`Noone of remonstrance, `I dont believe a . It is all a gloomy fancy - just because you are depressed by a dull, wearisome life.
`ell, per is, said Maggie, resolutely clearing a smile, and t comes from t - ery rice-pudding spiced us ards and this charming Geoffrey Crayon.
Maggie took up tcable.
`Do I look fit to be seen tle brooco survey t in the chimney glass.
`O no, Mr Guest o go out of t. Pray make e and put another on.
Lucy of t Maggie did not take tunity of opening it fall on o t at tance seemed to be sleeping in a morning fres came tting and alig Maggies eyes began to fill ears. t of t even yesterday so rejoice in ored comfort and toms brot a distance ration urged upon ion too keen to let aste ransient present: ure, s, o be , for after ented renunciation, so desire and longing: sasteful occupation ense and varied life sunate. tily urn over the leaves of her book.
`t your deepest dismalness , said Lucy, beginning to speak as soon as sered t is music. And I mean you to e a riotous feast of it. I mean you to get up your playing again, er t Laceham.
`You tle girls tunes over and over to took to practice, said Maggie, `just for t I dont kno;Begone, dull carequot;!
`I knoate of joy you used to be in o love so, if I ain t you dont feel exactly as tom does about some things.
`I s t be more certain of, said Maggie, smiling.
`I ougo icular t as t, Oggs is so miserably provided lemen. tepo be able to sing a part.
Lucy looked up from tered t sentence, and sa there was a change in Maggies face.
`Does it you to ioned, Maggie? If it does, I speak of om see .
`I dont feel at all as tom does on t subject, said Maggie, rising and going to ted to see more of ttle girl and saon. om .
`O, Im so glad! said Lucy. `t mind imes, and y. I suppose it is y t makes imes bitter. It is certainly very piteous to see tle crooked body and pale face among great strong people.
`But, Lucy, said Maggie, trying to arrest ttling stream,...
`A must be Step on, not noticing Maggies faint effort to speak. `One of t admire in Step er friend of Phan any one.
It oo late for Maggie to speak no trance of a tall gentleman, o Lucy and took e, ender glance and tone of inquiry, e t her presence.
`Let me introduce you to my cousin, Miss tulliver, said Lucy, turning towards Maggie, wep.
For one instant Step conceal onis at t of tall dark-eyed nymp- black coronet of , Maggie felt time in ribute of a very deep blusoy. to it almost effaced ion about Pness in ed herself.
`I a striking likeness you dreerday, said Lucy, ty laugriumpage was usually on his side.
`te deceived me, Miss tulliver, said Steping ooping to play Maggie furtively. `S hair and blue eyes.
`Nay, it ed Lucy. `I only refrained from destroying your confidence in your o.
`I ions.
`No it on you to say under tances.
Sly defiant look at o irical portrait of o be satirical, and Maggie ally supplied tion - `and rated.
`An alarming amount of devil tep t. t over me again. t o answer:
`I suppose all p urn to be true. A man is occasionally grateful ; Its rat use tation - dont you tulliver?
`No, said Maggie, looking at glance; `if occasion, triking, because t at once to icular meaning, like old banners or everyday clothes hung up in a sacred place.
`t ougo be eloquent, said Step quite knohe occasion.
`No compliment can be eloquent, except as an expression of indifference, said Maggie, flustle.
Lucy Step going to like eac Maggie soo odd and clever to please t critical gentleman. `erposed, `you ended t you are too fond of being admired, and noures to admire you.
`Not at all, said Maggie, `I like too o feel t I am admired, but compliments never make me feel t.
`I again, Miss tulliver, said Stephen.
`t .
Poor Maggie! So society t sake notter of course, and s necessarily appear absurd to more experienced ladies, from t to to very trivial incidents. But stle absurdity in tance. It rue, sic objection to compliments and iently to P s see old tiful any more to be told t till, to be so irritated by a common practice in tranger like Mr Step, and to care about ingly of ainly unreasonable, and as soon as s so be as did not occur to ation o ter emotion as drop of cold er may fall upon us as a sudden smart.
Stepoo to seem una tion could embarrassing, and at once began to talk of impersonal matters, asking Lucy if s lengto take place, so t t be some s more grateful ted flo were growing under her fingers.
`Some day next mont your sisters are doing more for it to stall.
`A tures in tting-room rude on t addicted to tulliver, said Step Maggies plain hemming.
`No, said Maggie, `I can do not or more elegant t-making.
`And your plain seiful, Maggie, said Lucy, `t I to se see a mystery to me - you used to dislike t sort of work so much in old days.
`It is a mystery explained, dear, said Maggie, looking up quietly. `Plain se money by; so I o try and do it well.
Lucy, good and simple as s tle: s quite like t Step - Maggie need not ioned it. Pery t be asself. But if Maggie tes sed a means of giving greater piquancy to y in Step sure t t admission of plain sey ed by ty, t first.
`But I can knit, Lucy, Maggie on, `if t will be of any use for your bazaar.
`O yes, of infinite use. I s you to omorro your sister is t enviable person, continued Lucy, turning to Stepo alent of modelling. S of Dr Kenn entirely from memory.
`o put toget, to be striking in St Oggs.
`No is very . `I didnt tfully of Dr Kenn.
`I say anytful of Dr Kenn? I am not bound to respect a libellous bust of fello care muc tall candle-sticks on table, and I s like to spoil my temper by getting up to early prayers every morning. But o me to le in ented ure and boiled beef because aking into poor lad Grattan, o save tting into a morbid state of mind about it. akes t antly, I see.
`t is beautiful, said Maggie, erest, `I never knew any one whings.
`And one admires t sort of action in Kenn all tep him.
`O I t cer! said Lucy, ty enthusiasm.
`No, t agree epic gravity.
`No can you point out in him?
`hes an Anglican.
`ell, t viehink, said Lucy, gravely.
`t settles tion in tract, said Step not from a parliamentary point of vieers and tor like myself, of ing St Oggs in parliament.
`Do you really t? said Lucy, ening made tative interests of Anglicanism.
`Decidedly - induce o give is set on it; and gifts like mine, you knos like mine involve great responsibilities. Dont you tulliver?
`Yes, said Maggie, smiling, but not looking up; `so muc be ed entirely on private occasions.
`Aration you ep I am talkative and impudent. No - oo my manner, I suppose.
`S look at me ry ots.
Did Lucy intend to be present at ting of t question. tion to co be partle t Oggs by voting for one of ter treatises. Of course Lucy is al to improve talking to t ease on subjects of in an account of Bucklands treatise, s looking at ire absence of self-consciousness, as if of old professors and sed by t at last to look a occasionally to s c Stepo Maggie tainly be good friends after all.
`I ulliver? said Stepream of ions running ratrations in it t you o see.
`O turning self-consciousness at t address, and taking up her work again.
`No, no, Lucy interposed. `I must forbid your plunging Maggie in books. I s o ing and cting and riding and driving: t is the holiday she needs.
`Apropos! said Step c for a roide for us to go tofton way, and we can walk back.
t o Maggie, for it on , Lucy lingered to give an order to t and took tunity of telling Step Maggie ion to seeing P it y s t note terday. But se anotomorroe him.
`Ill call and beat omorroepers to call on you, he morning.
`O yes, pray bring you? sone. `Isnt sure?
`too tall, said Steptle too fiery. S my type of woman, you know.
Gentlemen, you are a to impart t confidences to ladies concerning ter fair ones. t is tly repulsive to men o tinctively ceristic of Lucy, t sly believed epermined t Maggie s kno. But you, o t unfavourable opinion of Step o ting, by tion, t Maggie must give least t boating plan, and t a gentleman ageously situated er of Mrs tulliver at first sigainly not - suco t little creature in t a man to make a fool of y, one cones at ones finger ends t toucirely indifferent. It ly natural and safe to admire beauty and enjoy looking at it - at least under sucances as t. And teresting about ty and troubles: it ifying to see tepted, found of y seemed really of a superior kind: and provided one is not obliged to marry sucainly make a variety in social intercourse.
Maggie did not fulfil Step quarter of an oo full of t s lonely, cut off from Po love edly, as so be loved. But presently t of ttracted so learn o ro take an oar. It appeared t seacious; t to o take her lesson merrily.
`I s be satisfied until I can manage bot as sepped out of t. Maggie, to forget tune moment for slipped, but ep h a firm grasp.
`You yourself at all, I o look in y. It aken care of in t kind graceful manner by some one taller and stronger t just in the same way before.
Pullet seated ulliver in tepo come again in the evening.
`And pray bring you took a Maggie to songs.
Aunt Pullet, under tainty t Maggie ed to go out o Park tnessed by ty of St Oggs, to t demanded a strong and prompt remedy; and tation as to suitable to ties of Mrs Pullets Lucy as ulliver entered into really t as aunt Pullet.
`But ss very ill-convenient, said Mrs Pullet, `else s beautiful black brocade o mine any alteration. And , sorrowfully, as sed Maggies large round arm. `S my sleeves on.
`O, never mind t, aunt, pray send us t mean Maggie to rimming. iful.
`Maggies arms are a pretty sulliver. `to be; only mine was never brown: I wish shed had our family skin.
`Nonsense, aunty! said Lucy, patting tullivers s understand ter iful.
`May be, my dear, said Mrs tulliver, submissively. `You knoter t t able folks.
`No, said uncle Pullet, ense interest in tion, as t;Nutbro; too - I te - but I cant justly remember.
`O dear, dear! said Maggie, laug impatient, `I t is alo be talked about so much.