"Something pretentious but unbecoming. It had a lot of bead-trimming. Now, speaking of how nice every one and everything was, I except that girl's manner. _She_ was positively rude. I did not know how to take it. I have met her before, with all the others, and passed her on the road, bowing my best; but we have never more than exchanged a word or two, so I can have done nothing to offend her." Fidele was laughing. "Who is she?" asked Chloris. "That is Chloe," replied Fidele. "Chloe?" "You mustn't mind her rudeness, dearie. She is really a good sort of creature. But she is no doubt sorely tried." "What tries her? Why do you laugh?" "Demetrius! He was a shade partial to her before you came--not enough to cause comment in any place but this. And, even here, not enough to lay himself open to blame. It is a pity, though, that she can't keep her feelings hidden, and must vent her spite on you. Silly thing! I have no patience with that kind of girl." Chloris's fingers became absent among the hair they were braiding. She looked into the lamp-flame with a vacant expression. Fidele plied the brush in her tangled locks, and went on chatting. Suddenly Chloris, who for some time had not spoken, laughed. "What is it, dear?" asked Fidele, looking up at her friend, where she stood still staring in the lamp-flame. "Have I said anything funny?" "No, it was nothing you said. I was thinking--my mind travelled from one thing to another--you know how it jumps about--and I had to laugh, before I knew, at a stupid old circumstance--" "What circumstance?" "Oh, nothing, dear--a thing we learned in school, in French, a fable--never mind!" "A fable! My dear Chloris, how interesting! What fable?" "I can't quote it. I have forgotten my French. It was about a hare--a hare who ran away in terror of a bull, and in his flight came to a swamp where the frogs were just as much afraid of him. Wouldn't it be interesting to know the rest? What the hare did, whether he put on his fiercest outside, and tried to make the frogs quake in their little wet boots?" "What nonsense, you dear idiot! Ask Demetrius! He will give his best consideration to the frog question, and be impressed with its profoundness, while Chloe wears bead trimming and grows sage-color. Good-night, dear. I am dreadfully sleepy." "I mean you shall take me to call on Chloe some day soon. Now that I see her face with a different idea of her, it is a nice face! Poor child! I could never settle down contentedly under the notion that some one disliked me; could you? Even a dog! I have had such a happy, peaceful time here, in this dear little place, I want every one to feel kindly towards me when I leave." "You speak as if I were going to let you go, Chloris."