now, Alice, do you like my dress? It was made in Dublin; it's the height
of the fashion I am told."

"It's very showy," said Alice.

"Do you think so? Well, you are plainly dressed; nothing but that brown
merino. And--my dear, I thought they were always dressed up to the nines
near London. This place is near London, isn't it?"

"Yes, a few miles off. Oh, of course your dress is very nice; but now I
must get ready for dinner."

"Oh! and ain't I peckish?" said Kitty, clapping her hands and winking
broadly at Fred.

Alice turned to leave the room.

"We may as well go together," said Kitty, following her and slipping her
hand through her arm. "Do you know," she said, "when I first came to the
house I could scarcely breathe. Why, it's nothing but a nutshell. I
never saw such a deeny dawn of a place in the whole course of my life.
How many of you live here?"

"Father and mother, and the two boys and I," answered Alice.

"And you are the only girl?"

"Yes."

"Now come to the window and let me have a good squint at you." As Kitty