"Oh, Nan, do ask her to be quiet! She never stops when she once begins. How can we listen to such rubbish, when we are so wretched? You may talk for hours, Phil, but I never, never will be a nurse!" And Dulce hid her face on Nan's shoulder in such undisguised distress that her sisters had much ado to comfort her. CHAPTER VIII. "WE SHOULD HAVE TO CARRY PARCELS." It was hard work to tranquillize Dulce. "I never, never will be a nurse!" she sobbed out at intervals. "You little goose, who ever thought of such a thing? Why will you misunderstand me so?" sighed Phillis, almost in despair at her sister's impracticability. "I am only trying to prove to you and Nan that we are not fit for governesses." "No, indeed; I fear you are right there," replied poor Nan, who had never realized her deficiences before. They were all bright, taking girls, with plenty to say for themselves, lady-like, and well-bred. Who would have thought that, when weighed in the balance, they would have been found so wanting? "I always knew I was a very stupid person; but you are different,--you are so clever, Phil." "Nonsense, Nanny! It is a sort of cleverness for which there is no market. I am fond of reading. I remember things, and do a great deal of thinking; but I am destitute of accomplishments: my knowledge of languages is purely superficial. We are equal to other girls,--just young ladies, and nothing more; but when it comes to earning our bread-and-butter----" Here Phillis paused, and threw out her hands with a little gesture of despair. "But you work so beautifully; and so does Nan," interrupted Dulce, who was a little comforted, now she knew Phillis had no prospective nurse-maid theory in view. "I am good at it myself," she continued, modestly, feeling that, in this case, self-praise was allowable. "We might be companions,--some nice old lady who wants her caps made, and requires some one to read to her," faltered Dulce, with her child-like pleading look. Nan gave her a little hug; but she left the answer to Phillis, who went at once into a brown study, and only woke up after a long interval. "I am looking at it all round," she said, when Nan at last pressed for her opinion; "it is not a bad idea. I think it very possible that either you or I, Nan,--or both, perhaps,--might find something in that line to suit us. There are old ladies everywhere; and some of them are rich and lonely and want companions." "You have forgotten me?" exclaimed Dulce, with natural jealousy, and a dislike to be overlooked, inherent in most young people. "And it is I who have always made mammy's caps and you know how Lady Fitzroy praised the last one."