’But,’ cried Alison, aghast, ’I’ve no money to buy new clothes, Nancy!’ Nancy simply pinched her cheek and laughed, ever so sunnily and gaily. ’The world may call me poor,’ she said, ’but I’m not too poor to have the luxury of giving to those I love—once and away. And, child, if you say one word about it—make one objection—I’ll pack you off back to The Mains, and never love you more.’ So Alison submitted, and it was not with a bad grace. The discrepancies of her _toilette_—entirely conceived, cut and furnished forth at The Mains—troubled her greatly. Remember that she was only twenty, and had never had a fine gown in her life. ’A pelisse for the cold streets, dear, and hood to match,’ said Nancy, cheerfully, ’and a muslin—yes, I think, a muslin for the evening—the East India muslin is so much in vogue.’ This was as they walked down to the mantle maker’s, and that diligent personage, as she eyed the proportions of her new customer, was quite of opinion that a pelisse was the very thing to do them justice. ’The elegant and the fragile for you, Mistress Maclehose,’ she astutely remarked, ’the handsome for miss!’ And very handsome indeed that pelisse proved when it came home, being of cloth of a cosy crimson, silk-lined and fur-bordered, with a most coquettish hood, that would just show a curl or two, and was indeed mighty becoming to its wearer. To Alison it seemed a garment fit for a princess; she could not get over its wonders and beauties, and hardly knew herself when she put it on. And, in truth, it worked a wondrous transformation in her air. ’Well, I declare!’ Nancy exclaimed, eyeing her over when she tried it on, ’you are quite the fine lady, child, and I feel put away in the shade!’ The white muslin robe was also a triumph—cunningly embroidered, and showing more of Alison’s fine white throat and shoulders than had ever been seen before. Nancy’s taste finished it with a blue silken scarf, and a blue snood for the curls. ’There,’ she cried, ’you’d charm the eyes of Archie himself, if he had any, but he’s blind, dear; we must seek you some gallanter beau.’ Having thus enhanced the charms of her _protégée_ with fine clothes, Nancy was not content, but turned a careful eye on her accomplishments. ’You must have lessons on the harp, Ally,’ said she, ’and for the voice, love. Such talent as yours must not be neglected. And then you will be the more able to charm our poet when he comes—our poet, who shall be nameless!’