"I must fasten the hair up for a moment to see the back. Ah, the beautiful hair! what a coiffure it will make some day! See how it goes itself into a coronet like a queen's! It is easy to fit a dress when one has the perfect model. You have the back like an arrow, Mademoiselle. Most young ladies get into the bad habits at school, and bend their shoulders like old women, but you are not so. There are many princesses who would give thousands of pounds to have a figure like yours." "They must be very silly princesses, then," said Mildred brusquely. How was it that she could not get over her dislike to Cecile--that the touch of her thin fingers, the sight of her face in the glass brought with them a shiver of repulsion? Cecile had nothing to gain by spending time on the renewal of a school-girl's frock, and could therefore only be actuated by kindness. If it had been anyone else who had done her such a service Mildred would have been overflowing with thanks, but for some mysterious reason her heart seemed closed against Lady Sarah's maid. All the same she was annoyed at herself for such ingratitude, and made a gallant effort to carry on a friendly conversation. "Have you been maid to many other ladies, Cecile, before coming to Lady Sarah? You have been with her only a short time, I think." Cecile sighed lugubriously. "Three months, Mademoiselle. Oh, such long, slow months! Never before have I known the time so long. Before then I was with two beautiful young ladies in London. They went out every night--to two or three balls very often,--and always they were the most admired among the guests. Miss Adeline married an officer and went to India. She was like you, Mademoiselle--the same hair, the same eyes--you might be her sister. She would that I should go to India too. `Oh, Cecile!' she say, `what shall I do without you? No one shall ever suit me as you have done.' But I dare not risk the journey, the heat, the fatigue. Then Miss Edith shared the same maid with her mama, and I came to my lady here. Ah, what a difference! The house of Madame, it is like a grave--no life, no sun. With my young ladies it was all excitement from morning till night--luncheon parties, afternoon parties, evening parties, one thing after another, and no time to feel _triste_, but now all is changed. We drive in a closed carriage for amusement, and go to bed at ten o'clock, just when my ladies were dressing for their balls, and the evening should begin." "Well, but, Cecile, I should think you would like it better," said Mildred guilelessly, "because if they did not come home until two or three in the morning it must have been terribly tiring sitting up for so long, and very bad for your health. Now you can go to bed at eleven and have nothing to disturb you until the next morning."