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and night. There�s just a spice of mammon-
worship in this, though, and much more in Mrs
Potter. Not that they really expect to get anything out
of the woman, they know her meanness and selfish-
ness too well � but still she is a rich woman. Miss
C. honestly confesses she would like to be married
� doubtless, naturally, hopes yet to be so, though the
chances are dead against her, for she is poor, not
young � especially for America � not brilliant, nor
accomplished. I think she has concluded that if a
husband is to be had, it is only by dint of steady,
perpetual, martyrising persistence in amiability. She
carries this out so, that though it may be unjust, you
can�t help suspecting its entire genuineness. You would
be relieved if g she would only dissent from you.
I recollect catching one trait of nature � thoroughly
feminine in its way � clean contrary to her usual
r�le, at Niagara. Talking of Weighty Griffin, she
said �I wonder everybody calls her pretty � why she
hasn�t a good feature in her countenance,� and then
criticized it in detail. Now there was truth, really,
in what she said, yet Weighty is pretty for all that
� the expression of her features, her youth, hair, plump
plumpness and manner justifying the popular impres-
sion. I don�t wonder that poor Lucia, without any
prospect of being married, should revel in her woman�s
heart at the loose praises bestowed on perhaps a
shallower person. I didn�t feel inclined to laugh