“Excuse me, your Ladyship,” said Miss Pounce, when Lady Amelia stopped for want of breath, “I am sure, speaking for Madame Mirabel, that she will be duly conscious of your Ladyship’s land patronage, which we shall do our best to deserve--Miss Popple, bring me the primrose set, if you please,” and as the assistant sped away, Pamela looked out of the window and remarked that it was a fine day. Now it was exactly according to the best tradition of shop etiquette that the customer’s attention should be respectfully distracted during an enforced wait, by some polite conversation; and, indeed, most of Miss Pounce’s ladies had a good deal to say and a good deal to listen to, when fortune favoured them with a quiet moment in Miss Pounce’s company, but Lady Amelia gazed upon the milliner with an arrogance that marked her repressive intention, and then turned her head away and told Sarah to give her seat to Jane or the child would look a fright for the rout to-night. “Dear, to be sure,” thought Miss Pounce, “to see that poor piece jump up, and her younger sister take her seat, all as if it were the most natural thing in the world, if _that_ don’t tell a tale! I wish ’twas the plain one I had the hatting of, I’d get some credit out of it. Why, if you put a sun bonnet on the beauty there, she’d look out of it, no more nor less than the same handsome doll--you’ve dropped your _mouchoir_, Miss.” Pamela handed the elder Miss Vibart back her useful linen handkerchief with a movement as deferential as if it had been the finest gossamer and valenciennes; and that young person took it with a pleasant smile, blew her nose in it lustily, and thrust it into her reticule, no whit ashamed of its sensible quality. “That’s the girl for my money,” thought the observant shopwoman. What a world in miniature was this showroom of hers! Pamela had already seen many a comedy, many a drama played out in it. Here was a case of Cinderella on the wrong sister. A shame it was to treat a nice young lady so, because she happened to have a little pug nose and a wide mouth.