Moths by Ouida — page 61: what you’re looking at

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

MOTHS. 3 57 ‘““Does it matter?’ said Vere dreamily. She was wondering egal Correze would have thought or did think of Miss Fuschia each, Ae ; ** Does it matter to have enemies!” echoed Lady Stoat. ‘‘Oh, my sweet Vere! does it matter whether there is a pin sticking into one all day? A pinisa very little thing, no doubt, but it makes all the difference between comfort and discomfort.” _ ‘She is not a lady,” said Vere, again, with a passing frown on her pretty brows. ‘*Oh, my dear! if you wait for that!” Lady Stoat’s smile exe pressed that if she did wait for that she would be more exacting than society. ‘*‘ As for not knowing her—nonsense! you must noe object to anybody who is in the same house-party with your- self, ‘“‘She is extremely pretty,” added Lady Stoat. ‘‘* Those American girls so very often are; but they are all like the pou- ees de modiste. The very best of them are only very perfect ikenesses of the young ladies that try the confections on for us at Pingat’s or Worth’s, and the dress has always a sort of look of being the first toilette they ever had. I don’t know why, for I hear they dress extremely well over there, and should be used to it, but it Aas that look, and they never get rid of it. No, my dear, no; you are right. Thosenew people are not gentlewomen, any more than men’s mcdern manners are like the Broad Stone of Honor. But do not say so. They will repeat it, and it will not sound kind, and unless you say what is kind, never say any- thing.” ‘‘T would rather have any one I did not respect for an» enemy than for a friend,” said Vere, with a child’s obstinacy. Lady Stoat smiled. ‘‘ Phrases, my love!—phrases! you have so much to learn, my child, as yet.” ‘‘T will not learn of Miss Leach.” ‘¢ Well, I donot admire her very much myself. Butthen I be- long to an old school, you know. JI am an old woman, and have prejudices,” said Lady Stoat, sweetly. ‘‘ Miss Leach has the world at her foot, and it amuses her to kick it about likea tennis- . ball, andshow her ankles. I dare say you will do tavsame, love, in another six months, only you will not show youz aakles. AJ the difference will be there.” And then Lady Stoat, who though she called herself an old woman would have been extremeiy angry if anybody else had called her so, thought she had done enough for once for poor lit- tle pussy’s daughter. and turned to her own little mild flirtation with a bald and beribboned ambassador. : Vere was left alone, to look and muse. | : Men glanced at her and said what a loveiyichild she was; but they kept aloof from her. They were afraid of an ingenue, and there was Fuschia Leach, whose laughter was ringing up to the ehandeliers and out to the conservatories—Fuschia Leach, who had never been an ingenue, but a coquette at three years old, and @ woman of the world at six. Jura alone came up and seated himself by Vere. cS Eomicboo rato)