With this mixture of feminine vanity and republican sentiments, she
bustled about, putting the room a bit in order.

Now her first job was to put away several dresses.

The first of these was a short Spanish skirt of pink satin, with deep
black lace flounces.

"I wonder how I should look in this?" she murmured.

She held up the dress beside her to test the colour against her
complexion.

"Beautiful!"

Beautiful; yes, this was her frank opinion, and, really, we are by no
means sure but that her own estimate was very near the mark.

On went the dress.

She strutted up and down, and then, when she had feasted her eyes
enough upon her own loveliness, she plaited her hair, and, twisting it
up into a rich knot behind, she stuck a high comb into it, and fastened
the thick lace veil about her.

Mathias watched it all.

He gloated over that pretty little picture, and, shameless rascal!
chuckled to think how little she suspected his presence.