"No, not favorable. She thinks of her
jewels--she is vain of them."
"The temptation is great," I said.
"The fact of so loading herself with costly jewels, is in itself
indicative of vanity--"
A third party joining us at this moment, we dropped the subject of
Miss Harvey. But, enough had been said to make me observe her
closely during the evening.
The opening line of Moore's charming lyric,
"Rich and rare were the gems she wore,"
kept chiming in my thoughts, whenever I glanced towards her, and saw
the glitter of her diamonds. Yet, past the gems my vision now went,
and I searched the fair girl's countenance for the sparkle of other
and richer jewels. Did I find them? We shall see.
"Helen," I heard a lady say to Miss Harvey, "is not that Mary
Gardiner?"
"I believe so," was her indifferent answer.
"Have you spoken to her this evening?"
"No, aunt."
"Why?"
"Mary Gardiner and I were never very congenial. We have not been
thrown together for some time; and now, I do not care to renew the
acquaintance."
I obtained a single glance of the young lady's face. It was proud
and haughty in expression, and her eyes had in them a cold glitter
that awoke in me a feeling of repulsion.
"I wish you were congenial," the lady said, speaking partly to
herself.
"We are not, aunt," was Miss Harvey's reply; and she assumed the air
of one who felt herself far superior to another with whom she had
been brought into comparison.
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