CHAPTER XI. NEEDLES AND TONGUES

theyspenttheirwagesproperly,Ishouldn'tmindsomuch,buttheythinktheymustbeasfineasanybody,anddresssowellthatitishardtotellmistressfrommaid.Whyourcookgotabonnetjustlikemine(thematerialswerecheaper,buttheeffectwasthesame),andhadtheimpertinencetowearitbeforemyface.Iforbidit,andsheleft,ofcourse,whichmadepapasocrosshewouldn'tgivemethecamel'shairshawlhepromisedthisyear.” “It'sperfectlyshameful!”saidMissPerkins,asTrixpausedoutofbreath.“Servantsoughttobemadetodresslikeservants,astheydoabroadthenweshouldhavenomoretrouble,”observedMissPerkins,whohadjustmadethegrandtour,andhadbroughthomeaFrenchmaid. “Perkydon'tpractiseasshepreaches,”whisperedBelletoPolly,asMissP.becameabsorbedinthechatofherotherneighbors.“Shepaysherchambergirlwitholdfineryandtheotherday,whenBetseywasoutparadinginhermissis'scast-offpurpleplushsuit,Mr.Curtisthoughtshewasmademoiselle,andbowedtoher.Heisasblindasabat,butrecognizedthedress,andpulledoffhishattoitinthemostelegantstyle.Perkyadoreshim,andwasmadenoughtobeatBetseywhenshetoldthestoryandgiggledoverit.BetseyisquiteasstylishandeversomuchprettierthanPerky,andsheknowsit,whichisanaggravation.” Pollycouldn'thelplaughing,butgrewsoberaminuteafter,asTrixsaid,pettishly,“Well,I'msickofhearingaboutbeggarsIbelievehalfofthemarehumbugs,andifweletthemalonethey'dgotoworkandtakecareofthemselves.There'saltogethertoomuchfussmadeaboutcharity.Idowishwecouldbeleftinpeace.” “Therecan'tbetoomuchcharity!”burstoutPolly,forgettinghershynessallatonce. “Oh,indeed!Well,Itakethelibertytodifferfromyou,”returnedTrix,puttingupherglass,andbestowinguponPollyhermost“toplofticalstare,”asthegirlscalledit. IregrettosaythatPollynevercouldtalkwithorbenearTrixwithoutfeelingirritatedandcombative.Shetriedtoconquerthisfeeling,butshecouldn't,andwhenTrixputonairs,Pollyfeltanintensedesiretoboxherears.Thateye-glasswasherespecialaversion,forTrixwasnomorenear-sightedthanherself,butpretendedtobebecauseitwasthefashion,andattimesusedtheinnocentglassasaweaponwithwhichtoputdownanyonewhopresumedtosetthemselvesup.ThesuperciliousglancewhichaccompaniedherironicallypolitespeechrousedPolly,whoansweredwithsuddencolorandthekindlingoftheeyesthatalwaysbetrayedaperturbedspirit,“Idon'tthinkmanyofuswouldenjoythatselfishsortofpeace,whilelittlechildrenstarve,andgirlsnoolderthanuskillthemselvesbecausetheirdreadfulpovertyleavesthemnochoicebutsinordeath.” Asuddenlulltookplace,for,thoughPolly,didnotraisehervoice,itwasfullofindignantemotion,andthemostfrivolousgirltherefeltalittlethrillofsympathyforthemostutterlyfashionablelifedoesnotkilltheheartoutofwomen,tillyearsofselfishpleasurehavepassedovertheirheads.TrixwasashamedofherselfbutshefeltthesameantagonismtowardPolly,thatPollydidtowardherand,beinglessgenerous,tooksatisfactioninplaguingher.PollydidnotknowthatthesecretofthiswasthefactthatTomoftenheldherupasamodelforhisfiancetofollow,whichcausedthatyoungladytodislikehermorethanever. “Halftheawfulstoriesinthepapersaremadeupforasensation,andit'sabsurdtobelievethem,unlessonelikestobeharrowedup.Idon'tandasforpeace,I'mnotlikelytogetmuch,whileIhaveTomtolookafter,”saidTrix,withanaggravatinglaugh. Polly'sneedlesnappedintwo,butshedidnotmindit,asshesaid,withalookthatsilencedevensharp-tonguedTrix,“Ican'thelpbelievingwhatmyowneyesandearshaveseenandheard.Youleadsuchsafeandhappylives,youcan'timaginethemiserythatisallroundyoubutifyoucouldgetaglimpseofit,itwouldmakeyourheartsache,asithasmine.” “Doyousufferfromheartache?Someonehintedasmuchtome,butyoulookedsowell,Icouldn'tbelieveit.” NowthatwascruelinTrix,morecruelthananyoneguessedbutgirls'tonguescandealwoundsassharpandsuddenastheslenderstilettoSpanishwomenwearintheirhair,andPollyturnedpale,asthosewordsstabbedher.Bellesawit,andrushedtotherescuewithmoregood-willthanwisdom. “Nobodyeveraccusedyouofhavinganyhearttoachewith.PollyandIarenotoldenoughyettogettoughandcool,andwearestillsillyenoughtopityunhappypeople,TomShawespecially,”addedBelle,underherbreath. Thatwasatwo-edgedthrust,forTrixwasdecidedlyanoldgirl,andTomwasgenerallyregardedasahaplessvictim.Trixturnedredbutbeforeshecouldloadandfireagain,EmmaDavenport,wholaboredunderthedelusionthatthissortofskirmishingwasill-natured,andthereforeill-bred,spokeupinherpleasantway,“Speakingofpityingthepoor,Ialwayswonderwhyitisthatweallliketoreadandcryovertheirtroublesinbooks,butwhenwehavetherealthingbeforeus,wethinkitisuninterestinganddisagreeable.” “It'sthegeniusthatgetsintothebooks,whichmakesuslikethepoverty,Ifancy.ButIdon'tquiteagreethattherealthingisn'tinteresting.Ithinkitwouldbe,ifweknewhowtolookatandfeelit,”saidPolly,veryquietly,asshepushedherchairoutofthearcticcircleofMissPerkins,intothetemperateoneoffriendlyEmma. “Buthowshallwelearnthat?Idon'tseewhatwegirlscando,morethanwedonow.Wehaven'tmuchmoneyforsuchthings,shouldn'tknowhowtouseitifwehadanditisn'tproperforustogopokingintodirtyplaces,tohuntupthene