"But--what--_has_--happened--to you?" he says, slowly, looking at me exhaustively from top to toe--from the highest summit of my floured head to the point of my buckled shoes. "What have you got yourself up like this for?" "To please Mr. Parker," reply I, breaking into a laugh of excitement. "But I have killed two birds with one stone; I have pleased _myself_, too! Did you ever see any thing so nice as I look?" (unable any longer to wait for the admiration which is so justly my due). "Not often!" he answers, with emphasis. We had parted rather formally--rather _en délicatesse_--this morning, but we both seem to have forgotten this. "I must not dance _much_!" say I, anxiously turning again to the glass, and closely examining my complexion--"must I?--or my rouge will _run_!" After a moment-- "You must be sure to tell me if I grow to look at all _smeary_, and I will run up-stairs at once, and put some more on." He is looking at me, with an infinite amusement, and also commendation, in his eyes. "Why, Nancy," he says, smiling--"I had no idea that you were so vain!" "No," reply I, bubbling over again into a shamefaced yet delighted laughter--"no more had I! But then I had no idea that I was so pretty, either." My elation remains undiminished when I go down-stairs. Yes, even when I compare myself with Mrs. Huntley, for, _for once_, I have beaten her! I really think that there can be no two opinions about it! indeed, I have the greatest difficulty in refraining from asking everybody whether there can. She is not in powder. Her hair, in its present color, is hardly dark enough to suit the high comb, and black lace mantilla which she has draped about her head, and the red rose in her hair is hardly redder than the catarrh has made her eyelids. A cold always comes on more heavily at night; and no one can deny that her whole appearance is stuffy and choky, and that she speaks through her nose. As for me, I am not sure that I do not beat even _Barbara_. At least, the idea has struck me; and, when she herself suggests, and with hearty satisfaction, and elation not inferior to my own, insists upon it, I do not think it necessary to contradict her. None of the three young men have as yet made their appearance; and the guests are beginning quickly to arrive. All the neighbors--all the friends who are staying with the neighbors to shoot their partridges--some soldiers, some odds and ends, _bushels_ of girls--there always are bushels of girls somehow; here they come, smiling, settling their ties, giving their skirts furtive kicks behind, as their different sex and costume bid them.