"I do hope so. You know I really feel looks matter frightfully. I feel so entirely right about Hugh, and I would like to look as dazzling as I feel, but it simply isn't possible." "Are you really as much in love as all that?" Drusilla asked curiously. "Yes, I am," answered Jessica, her face intent and serious, "I'm madly in love and so is Hugh, and we think we can pull off a really lovely marriage." Drusilla sighed. "You're a funny whole-hearted little creature," she said. "It's queer that I'm two years older than you, and I've never been the least bit in love." "Do just get me out of this," said Jessica, but as she began to pull the long sleeves over her hands a sudden shaft of sunlight struck across the room, and lit up her yellow hair and her gold gown. "Oh look, Drusilla, how beautifully lucky; what a proper omen." She twisted herself so that the sun caught her shining train. "I think it is rather lucky," Drusilla assented, "here, let me take it off before you tear it on anything." "Drusilla, let's go and look at the presents again," said Jessica, as she carefully hung the discarded frock over a chair, and put on her dressing-gown. "You really are crazy, I think; you've seen them a thousand times." "Yes I know, but never in the early morning, and they'll look quite different. Besides, two came last night and I want to put them with the others in the billiard-room." "Come on then if you must, but for goodness sake be quiet. Mother will be unhinged if she thinks you're awake so early. You're supposed to be having breakfast in bed at ten, aren't you?" Very quietly Jessica and Drusilla crept downstairs, turning to smile at each other when a step creaked, with an expression of childish guilt for the clandestine little expedition. As they reached the bottom of the stairs the banisters cracked loudly. Jessica seized Drusilla's hand, giggled and ran across the hall into the billiard-room, where the presents in a glittering mass covered the large table and smaller tables placed round the walls. "Do you know, I believe I'm rather excited," said Jessica, giggling again, "I never meant to be and I don't expect I will be after breakfast, but at present I feel just silly." "You're light-headed I think. But it will wear off later on. And it's better than being gloomy. Do you remember how awful Marjorie was? I shall never forget how you and I spent the whole morning propping her up, and talking endlessly about all sorts of imbecile things, because as soon as we stopped she cried." Drusilla and Jessica laughed out loud at the thought of their eldest sister's wedding four years ago when the bride had gone to the altar as if to a sacrifice, with tears and forebodings.