Anna Maria joined her sister; her hair was forced into immense curls, by her French attendant, Félicé, and her ringlets were frizzed into bows. Félicé followed her mistress in green silk. Such a novelty was rare and alarming in Shropshire; they had heard of the allied sovereigns being at that moment in London, but nothing approaching to a foreigner had yet appeared at Shrewsbury. Félicé was a creature to be stared at, and Anna Maria would become most formidably fashionable when once the knowledge of her arrival should transpire. Anna Maria said, "she had brought her maid to friz Christobelle's very English head of hair into something like effect. She bade her look in the glass, and smile at her hair, combed straight in front, and just turned up at the back. It was something that would horrify De Nolis in the autumn. She must positively have it dressed properly." "See now, Félicé; Miss Wetheral's hair must be dressed this way." "_Comme-ça, madame_," repeated the smiling pretty Félicé. "Yes, _comme-ça_: friz this dreadful crop into curls, _boucles_, Félicé--_grand boucles_, like mine. _Donnez mademoiselle un_ very nice _tournure_, and let her be _très bien mise_. You may laugh, Bell, but I assure you a Parisian perfectly understands what you mean, if you only use the words '_coiffure_,' '_parure_,' or '_tournure_;' they fill up the rest of the sentence intuitively." Christobelle submitted to the torture of the comb and curling-irons with great satisfaction. Whatever was fashionable in Paris, must be admired and envied in England, and her mother would be pleased to see her decorated by the hand of approved good-taste. The hair was not the "_ultima thule_" of Félicé's care. A "_bustle_" was appended to Christobelle's waist, and the folds of her muslin frock were drawn over it with the nicest care; her dress was dragged down to give a lengthened appearance to the waist, and the band tightened till she could hardly breathe. Mrs. Tom Pynsent and her "_artiste_" were charmed with the result of their exertions. Félicé spoke a long sentence, which Christobelle translated to her sister, whose knowledge of the language was not at all improved by four months' residence in Paris. It was a well-turned compliment upon the change in the young lady's appearance. Anna Maria regretted that their education had been so little attended to by Lady Wetheral. "Papa has taught you so many accomplishments, Bell! You draw, and you speak French, and quote delightfully, Charles Spottiswoode says. You have had many advantages over us. The Count de Nolis said I was rapidly improving in French, and he advised me to return to Paris soon, to learn the accent; but I cannot speak it half so fluently as you do. I wonder what mamma will say to your head? I think it perfect."