128 BEAUTY.

 

For the first time, an impression of beauty
in Agnes affected the mind of Miss Marvel.
She had been listening to something said
by Mr. Percival, and was just in the act of
replying, when Mary’s eyes rested upon
her; and then the inward beauty of her
pure spirit so filled every feature of her
face that she looked the very impersonation
of loveliness. A sigh heaved the bosom of
Mary Marvel, and, from that moment, her
proud self-satisfaction vanished.

An hour passed, and yet Percival did
not seek her in the crowd, though, during
that time, he had danced not only with
Agnes Gray, but with one or two others.

It was toward the close of the evening,
and Mary, dispirited and weary, was sitting
near one of the doors that opened from the
drawing-room, when she heard her name
mentioned in an undertone by a person
standing in the hall. She listened involun-
tarily. The remark was—

““T hardly know whether to pronounce
Miss Marvel beautiful or not.”