I was much excited about my clothes.  I could not think that anything was good enough to go to R——­; and I am afraid I spent a good deal of my uncle’s money.  Ann Coddle and the cook thought that my dresses were magnificent, and old Peter groaned over the coming of the packages.  I had indeed a wardrobe fit for a young princess, and in very good taste besides, because I was born with that.  An inheritance, no doubt.  And my uncle never complained at all about the bills.  I seemed to have become, in some way, a person of considerable importance in the house.  Ann Coddle no more fretted at me, but waited on me with alacrity.  The cook ceased to bully me, and on the contrary, flattered me outrageously.  I remembered the long years of bullying, and put no faith in her assurances.  I did not know exactly why this change had happened, but supposed it might be the result of having become a young lady, and being invited to pay visits.

CHAPTER III.

Kilian.

You are well made—­have common sense,
And do not want for impudence.
Faust.

Tanto buen die val niente.

Un sot trouve toujours un plus sot qui l’admire_.

The packages finally ceased coming and the stiff old bell from being pulled; but only half an hour before the carriage drove to the door that was to take me to the boat.  Ann Coddle was flying up and down the stairs, and calling messages over to Peter in a shrill voice.  She was not designed by nature for a lady’s maid, and was a very disagreeable person to have about one’s room.  She made me even more nervous than I should otherwise have been.  I had never packed a trunk before, or had one packed, and might have thought it a very simple piece of business if Ann had not made such a mountain of it; packing every tray half a dozen times over, and going down-stairs three times about every article that was to come up from the laundry.

Happily she was not to go with me any farther than the boat.  Richard was away again on business—­had been gone, indeed, since the day after we had driven in the Park:  so I was to be put on board the boat, and left in charge of Kilian, his younger brother, who had called at my uncle’s office, and made the arrangement with him.  I had never seen Kilian, and the meeting filled me with apprehension; my uncle, however, sent up one of his clerks in the carriage to take me to the boat, and put me in charge of this young gentleman.  This considerate action on the part of my uncle seemed to fill up the measure of my surprises.

When we reached the boat, the clerk, a respectful youth, conducted me to the upper deck, and then left me with Ann, while he went down about the baggage.