For what dolls were to her
could never have been guessed by us, who had forced Emily to disdain
them; whereas they were children to the maternal heart of this
lonely child.
She was quite a new revelation to us. All the Fordyces were
handsome; and her chestnut curls and splendid eyes, her pretty
colour and unconscious grace, were very charming. Emily was so near
our own age that we had never known the winsomeness of a little
maid-child amongst us, and she was a perpetual wonder and delight to
us.
Indeed, from having always lived with her elders, she was an odd
little old-fashioned person, advanced in some ways, and comically
simple in others. Her doll-heart was kept in abeyance all Sunday,
and it was only on Monday that her anxiety for Celestina manifested
itself with considerable vehemence; but her grandfather gravely
informed her that the young lady was gone to an excellent doctor,
who would soon effect a cure. The which was quite true, for he had
sent her to a toy-shop by one of the maids who had gone to restore
the ravage on the wardrobes, and who brought her back with a new
head and arms, her identity apparently not being thus interfered
with. The hoards of scraps were put under requisition to re-clothe
the survivors; and I won my first step in Miss Anne's good graces by
undertaking a knitted suit for Rosella.
The good little girl had evidently been schooled to repress her
dread and repugnance at my unlucky appearance, and was painfully
polite, only shutting her eyes when she came to shake hands with me;
but after Rosella condescended to adopt me, we became excellent
friends.
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