"Oh--what a little goose you are! How you harp upon that trifle!--and how far do you think twenty pounds will go in the case of a girl who wants every single thing that a girl ought to have? I thought this dress,"--Brenda looked at her spotted white muslin--"was really quite `chic' until I saw Honora Beverley's. I must say I don't like Honora Beverley--of course you won't whisper it, darling--but she always manages to put me in the shade. On the day of your fete when I wore my pale blue silk, her real Parisian lace made me look commonplace. And now, to-day, her white muslin must have cost pounds more than mine. It is disgusting to be trammelled like this, and I am sure I am fifty times prettier." "Don't, Brenda!" said Penelope, suddenly. As she spoke, she laid her hand on her sister's arm. "What do you mean by `don't'? Why do you look at me in that queer way?" "Because I can't bear you to talk like that--what's the good of fighting and struggling for the impossible? You are not born in Honora's rank of life, and you can never aim at dressing like her. You look very--yes, very--" "You needn't say it!" said Brenda, her eyes flashing with passion. "I know what you think of me--I saw it in your face when I came up. You are ashamed of me! It's a nice thing for one sister to be ashamed of another, and I do my best--my very best--and you know what I wanted that money for--you know it quite well. I could cry, but it would spoil my eyes, and my eyes are my best point I mustn't shed a tear, though tears are choking me, and I could--oh--I could sob--at your treating me like this, when you know, too--" "What do I know, Brenda? Brenda, what have I done?" "You show it all in your voice, and in your eyes, and in your manner-- you're bitterly ashamed of me!" "I should be very simple in my dress, if I were in your place," said Penelope, "that is all." "What can be simpler in all the world than sprigged white muslin with blue ribbons and a blue straw hat with blue bows to match? If I could think for ever, I could not imagine anything simpler." "But all the blue ribbons--there are such a lot of them, Brenda. With a white hat, it would have been sweet. But, never mind--of course you're very pretty." "Thank you for nothing, my dear--I don't owe my face to you, and I wouldn't change it for yours, I can tell you." "But tell me what you mean, for indeed, indeed I would help you, in the right way, all I could." "I hate that solemn, sanctimonious manner in which you are getting to speak. You used to be such a nice, loving little thing, and for _you_ to reproach me for asking you to struggle to get me a miserable twenty pounds--why, you know I told you that I hoped to be engaged soon. If that comes off--and I see every likelihood of it, for he is very _empresse_--I shall have as many jewels and dresses and furbelows as your precious Honora, and perhaps more. And I'll be able to help you, so you'd better not cast me aside."