The Man in Possession — page 211: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

206 THE MAN IN POSSESSION. height and carriage, Kate. What’s the good of splen- did gowns when youre as little as Tam? You only look like a Parisian doll. You even can't be impres- sive.” ‘‘Isn’t it better to be—fascinating?” said Kate. Mrs. Lafaye looked thoughtfully into the fire as if giving the subject due consideration. ‘©No,” she said, ‘‘I conclude I’d rather impress folks than amuse them ; and fascination’s only another word for that.” ‘You might be anything,” said Kate. ‘‘Trya new departure.” Mrs. Lafaye shook her head and began to unclasp the bracelets on her pretty barearms. ‘‘It would be a ghastly failure,” she said. ‘‘I think I'd better re- main as Iam. Nature doesn’t often cast our souls into a larger mould than our frames.” ‘‘Oh, I can't agree with you there. Great souls and gifted minds have often been encased in a very unpromising external sheath. Have you ever given your attention to poets? Of all people they seem to me to be the least prepossessing in appearance. I could mention a score who are particularly ill- favoured,—men and women alike. I suppose nature thinks that to have a beautiful mind is ample conso- lation for an ugly face or a disproportioned frame.” ‘‘ Beauty's an odd thing. I can’t say I appreciate its use,” says Mrs. Lafaye. ‘‘And it’s very short- lived. Besides, the worst of it is, if you look pale or tired, or your gown doesn’t happen to suit you, people at once set about that you're ‘going off.’ It’s a dreadful bore to keep up the reputation ; and you're COMI LOOO <Sr ‘