Her eyes were old and weary, her attitude
always that of one who had learnt the ways of this world, had found them
sawdust, but had nevertheless consented still to play the game. Just as
the house was filled with little gilt chairs and china cockatoos, so was
Nancy arrayed in ribbons and bows and lace. Mrs. Munty had, one must
suppose, surveyed during certain periods in her life certain real
emotions rather as the gaping villagers survey the tiger behind his bars
in the travelling circus.
The time had then come when she put these emotions away from her as
childish things, and determined never to be faced with any of them
again. It was not likely, then, that she would introduce Nancy to any of
them. She introduced Nancy to clothes and deportment, and left it at
that. She wanted her child to "look nice." She was able, now that Nancy
was five years old, to say that she "looked very nice indeed."
II
From the very beginning nurses were chosen who would take care of Nancy
Boss's appearance. There was plenty of money to spend, and Nancy was a
child who, with her flaxen hair and blue eyes, would repay trouble.
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