I was a little abashed when she came forth
in her one habit, and the mud of the way upon her stockings. By
what inquiries I had made, it seemed a good few days must pass
before her mails could come to hand in Leyden, and it was plainly
needful she must have a shift of things. She was unwilling at
first that I should go to that expense; but I reminded her she was
now a rich man's sister and must appear suitably in the part, and
we had not got to the second merchant's before she was entirely
charmed into the spirit of the thing, and her eyes shining. It
pleased me to see her so innocent and thorough in this pleasure.
What was more extraordinary was the passion into which I fell on it
myself; being never satisfied that I had bought her enough or fine
enough, and never weary of beholding her in different attires.
Indeed, I began to understand some little of Miss Grant's immersion
in the interest of clothes; for the truth is, when you have the
ground of a beautiful person to adorn, the whole business becomes
beautiful. The Dutch chintzes I should say were extraordinary
cheap and fine; but I would be ashamed to set down what I paid for
stockings to her.
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