"For me!" she cried. "I never had anything half as beautiful in my life.
And your 'air, too!" She said "'air" in her excitement. "How good of you to
give it to me! I don't know how to thank you."
And the poor little woman made a rapid mental review of her wardrobe,
wondering if she had any gown good enough to wear with that splendid jewel.
Her purple silk--the one silk dress she possessed--was a little shiny
and shabby by daylight, but looked very well by candle-light still, she
thought. She was really delighted with the locket. In all her life she had
had so few presents; and this one gift was worth three times the sum of
them. But Clarissa spoke of it in the lightest, most careless way.
"I wanted to bring you some little souvenir," she said, "and I thought
you might like this. And now I must say good-bye, Bessie. I may call you
Bessie, mayn't I? And remember, you must call me Clarissa. I am sorry I
am obliged to hurry away like this; but I expect Mr. Granger back rather
early, and I want to be at home when he returns. Good-bye, dear!"
She kissed her brother's wife, who clung to her affectionately, touched by
her kindness; kissed the two little nephews also, one of whom caught hold
of her dress and said,--
"You gave me that money for toys the other day, didn't you, aunt Clarissa?"
"Yes, darling."
"But I didn't have it to spend, though. Pa said he'd lay it out for me;
and he brought me home a cart from the Boulevard; but it didn't cost two
napoleons.
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