and smaller ones of various shapes fixed to jointed arms that turned
every way. To use them for the first time was like having eyes in
the back of the head. She had never seen herself from all points of
view before. As she gazed, she strove not to be ashamed of her
dress; but even her face and figure, which usually afforded her
unqualified delight, seemed robust and middle-class in Miss Carew's
mirrors.

"After all," she said, seating herself on a chair that was even more
luxurious to rest in than to look at; "putting the lace out of the
question--and my old lace that belongs to mamma is quite as
valuable--her whole dress cannot have cost much more than mine. At
any rate, it is not worth much more, whatever she may have chosen to
pay for it."

But Alice was clever enough to envy Miss Carew her manners more than
her dress. She would not admit to herself that she was not
thoroughly a lady; but she felt that Lydia, in the eye of a
stranger, would answer that description better than she. Still, as
far as she had observed, Miss Carew was exceedingly cool in her
proceedings, and did not take any pains to please those with whom
she conversed. Alice had often made compacts of friendship with
young ladies, and had invited them to call her by her Christian
name; but on such occasions she had always called themn "dear" or
"darling," and, while the friendship lasted (which was often longer
than a month, for Alice was a steadfast girl), had never met them
without exchanging an embrace and a hearty kiss.

"And nothing," she said, springing from the chair as she thought of
this, and speaking very resolutely, "shall tempt me to believe that