"But you could have helped laughing, Cecilia." "I didn't laugh at
Louisa; and I surely may laugh, for it does nobody any harm." "I am
sure, however," replied Leonora, "I should not have laughed if I
had----" "No, to be sure you wouldn't, because Louisa is your favourite.
I can buy her another mandarin the next time that old pedlar comes to
the door, if that's all. I _can_ do no more. _Can_ I?" said she,
turning round to her companions. "No, to be sure," said they, "that's all
fair."

Cecilia looked triumphantly at Leonora. Leonora let go her hand; she ran
on, and the crowd followed. When she got to the end of the garden, she
turned round to see if Leonora had followed her too; but was vexed to
see her still sitting on the steps with Louisa. "I'm sure I can do no
more than buy her another! _Can_ I?" said she, again appealing to her
companions.

"No, to be sure," said they, eager to begin their plays. How many did
they begin and leave off before Cecilia could be satisfied with any.
Her thoughts were discomposed, and her mind was running upon something
else; no wonder then that she did not play with her usual address. She
grew still more impatient; she threw down the nine-pins: "Come, let us
play at something else--at threading the needle," said she, holding out
her hand. They all yielded to the hand which wore the bracelet. But
Cecilia, dissatisfied with herself, was discontented with everybody
else; her tone grew more and more peremptory,--one was too rude, another
too stiff; one was too slow, another too quick; in short, everything
went wrong, and everybody was tired of her humours.

The triumph of _success_ is absolute, but short. Cecilia's companions at
length recollected that, though she had embroidered a tulip and painted