She has not come over in the best of humours.

She has, or fancies she has, some difference to settle with papa.

They seldom meet without a quarrel, and I fear this occasion is to be no exception; so do aid me to get things over pleasantly, if it be possible.' 'She snubbed me the only time I met her.

I tried to help her off with her bonnet, and, unfortunately, I displaced, if I did not actually remove, her wig, and she muttered something "about a rope-dancer not being a dexterous lady's-maid."' 'O Nina, surely you do not mean--' 'Not that I was exactly a rope-dancer, Kate, but I had on a Greek jacket that morning of blue velvet and gold, and a white skirt, and perhaps these had some memories of the circus for the old lady.' 'You are only jesting now, Nina.' 'Don't you know me well enough to know that I never jest when I think, or even suspect, I am injured ?' 'Injured!' 'It's not the word I wanted, but it will do; I used it in its French sense.' 'You bear no malice, I'm sure ?' said the other caressingly.
'No!' replied she, with a shrug that seemed to deprecate even having a thought about her.
'She will stay for dinner, and we must, as far as possible, receive her in the way she has been used to here, a very homely dinner, served as she has always seen it--no fruit or flowers on the table, no claret-cup, no finger-glasses.' 'I hope no tablecloth; couldn't we have a tray on a corner table, and every one help himself as he strolled about the room ?' 'Dear Nina, be reasonable just for this once.' 'I'll come down just as I am, or, better still, I'll take down my hair and cram it into a net; I'd oblige her with dirty hands, if I only knew how to do it.' 'I see you only say these things in jest; you really do mean to help me through this difficulty.' 'But why a difficulty?
what reason can you offer for all this absurd submission to the whims of a very tiresome old woman?
Is she very rich, and do you expect an heritage ?' 'No, no; nothing of the kind.' 'Does she load you with valuable presents?
Is she ever ready to commemorate birthdays and family festivals ?' 'No.' 'Has she any especial quality or gift beyond riding double and a bad temper?
Oh, I was forgetting; she is the aunt of her nephew, isn't she ?--the dashing lancer that was to spend his summer over here ?' 'You were indeed forgetting when you said this,' said Kate proudly, and her face grew scarlet as she spoke.
'Tell me that you like him or that he likes you; tell me that there is something, anything, between you, child, and I'll be discreet and mannerly, too; and more, I'll behave to the old lady with every regard to one who holds such dear interests in her keeping.

But don't bandage my eyes, and tell me at the same time to look out and see.' 'I have no confidences to make you,' said Kate coldly.