CHAPTER II. PAULINA.

d.HeandMr.Homemetasoldacquaintanceofthelittlegirlhetooknonoticeforatime. Hismealover,andnumerousquestionsfromhismotheranswered,heturnedfromthetabletothehearth.OppositewherehehadplacedhimselfwasseatedMr.Home,andathiselbow,thechild.WhenIsaychildIuseaninappropriateandundescriptiveterm—atermsuggestinganypictureratherthanthatofthedemurelittlepersoninamourningfrockandwhitechemisette,thatmightjusthavefittedagood-sizeddoll—perchednowonahighchairbesideastand,whereonwashertoywork-boxofwhitevarnishedwood,andholdinginherhandsashredofahandkerchief,whichshewasprofessingtohem,andatwhichsheboredperseveringlywithaneedle,thatinherfingersseemedalmostaskewer,prickingherselfeverandanon,markingthecambricwithatrackofminutereddotsoccasionallystartingwhentheperverseweapon—swervingfromhercontrol—inflictedadeeperstabthanusualbutstillsilent,diligent,absorbed,womanly. Grahamwasatthattimeahandsome,faithless-lookingyouthofsixteen.Isayfaithless-looking,notbecausehewasreallyofaveryperfidiousdisposition,butbecausetheepithetstrikesmeaspropertodescribethefair,Celtic(notSaxon)characterofhisgoodlookshiswavedlightauburnhair,hissupplesymmetry,hissmilefrequent,anddestituteneitheroffascinationnorofsubtlety(innobadsense).Aspoiled,whimsicalboyhewasinthosedays. “Mother,”hesaid,aftereyeingthelittlefigurebeforehiminsilenceforsometime,andwhenthetemporaryabsenceofMr.Homefromtheroomrelievedhimfromthehalf-laughingbashfulness,whichwasallheknewoftimidity—-“Mother,IseeayoungladyinthepresentsocietytowhomIhavenotbeenintroduced.” “Mr.Home’slittlegirl,Isupposeyoumean,”saidhismother. “Indeed,ma’am,”repliedherson,“Iconsideryourexpressionoftheleastceremonious:MissHomeIshouldcertainlyhavesaid,inventuringtospeakofthegentlewomantowhomIallude.” “Now,Graham,Iwillnothavethatchildteased.Don’tflatteryourselfthatIshallsufferyoutomakeheryourbutt.” “MissHome,”pursuedGraham,undeterredbyhismother’sremonstrance,“mightIhavethehonourtointroducemyself,sincenooneelseseemswillingtorenderyouandmethatservice?Yourslave,JohnGrahamBretton.” Shelookedathimheroseandbowedquitegravely.Shedeliberatelyputdownthimble,scissors,workdescendedwithprecautionfromherperch,andcurtsyingwithunspeakableseriousness,said,“Howdoyoudo?” “Ihavethehonourtobeinfairhealth,onlyinsomemeasurefatiguedwithahurriedjourne