young woman's part, a feeling not analysed but
divided, a latent impression that Mildred Theale was
not, after all, a person to change places, to change
even chances with. Kate, verily, would perhaps not
quite have known what she meant by this reserva
tion, and she came near naming it only when she said
to herself that, rich as Milly was, one probably
wouldn't which was singular ever hate her for it.
The handsome girl had, with herself, these felicities
and crudities: it wasn't obscure to her that, without
some very particular reason to help, it might have
proved a test of one's philosophy not to be irritated
by a mistress of millions, or whatever they were,
who, as a girl, so easily might have been, like herself,
only vague and fatally female. She was by no
means sure of liking Aunt Maud as much as she de
served, and Aunt Maud's command of funds was
obviously inferior to Milly s. There was thus
clearly, as pleading for the latter, some influence that
would later on become distinct; and meanwhile, de
cidedly, it was enough that she was as charming as
she was queer and as queer as she was charming
all of which was a rare amusement; as well, for that
matter, as further sufficient that there were objects
of value she had already pressed on Kate's accept
ance. A week of her society in these conditions
conditions that Milly chose to sum up as ministering
immensely, for a blind, vague pilgrim, to aid and
comfort announced itself from an early hour as
likely to become a week of presents, acknowledg

[[195]]

p194 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p195w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p196

v?