I should not have been afraid of young or old men, nor of old women; but they were just my age, just my class, just my equals, or ought to have been, if I had had any other fate than Uncle Leonard and Varick-street.

How they would criticize me! How soon they would find out I had never been anywhere before! I wished for Richard then with all my heart.

Kilian had already deserted me, and was talking to Miss Leighton, who had come half-way down the steps to meet him, and who only gave me a glance and a very pretty smile and nod, when Mrs.Hollenbeck presented me to them.

Miss Benson and Miss Palmer each gave me a hand, and looked me over horribly; and the tones of their voices, when they spoke to me, were so constrained and cold, and so different from the tones in which they addressed each other.

I hated them.
After a few moments of wretchedness, Sophie proposed to take me to my room.