How much more selfish she must have grown than Alda in this last half
year!
Alda's talk was indeed full of interest, and gave a much better
notion of her way of life than her letters did. She seemed to have
been fully adopted as a daughter of the house, and to enjoy all the
same privileges as Marilda; indeed, she had a good deal more credit
with all varieties of teachers, since she learnt rapidly and eagerly;
and Marilda, while encouraging her successes, without a shade of
jealousy, made no attempt to conquer her own clumsiness and
tardiness. Even 'Aunt Mary,' as Alda called Mrs. Thomas Underwood,
often had recourse to Alda for sympathy in her endeavours to be
tasteful, and continually held her up as an example to Marilda.
'And poor dear good woman,' said Alda, 'she has such a respect for
Underwood breeding and our education, that I believe I could persuade
her into anything by telling her it was what she calls "comifo."
Even when she was going to get the boudoir done with apple-green
picked out with mauve, enough to set one's teeth on edge, and Marilda
would do nothing but laugh, she let me persuade her into a lovely
pale sea-green.
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