Page:Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery.pdf/265

 than Starr points and yet she looks like the Starrs and not like the Murrays. What odd sums in addition we all are—the answer is never what you’d expect. Caroline, what a pity Jarback isn’t home. He’d like Emily—I have a feeling he’d like Emily. Jarback’s the only Priest that’ll ever go to heaven, Emily. Let’s have a look at your ankles, puss.”

Emily rather unwillingly put out her foot. Aunt Nancy nodded her satisfaction.

“Mary Shipley’s ankle. Only one in a generation has it. I had it. The Murray ankles are thick. Even your mother’s ankles were thick. Look at that instep, Caroline. Emily, you’re not a beauty but if you learn to use your eyes and hands and feet properly you’ll pass for one. The men are easily fooled and if the women say you’re not ’twill be held for jealousy.”

Emily decided that this was a good opportunity to find out something that had puzzled her.

“Old Mr. Kelly said I had come-hither eyes, Aunt Nancy. Have I? And are come-hither eyes?”

“Jock Kelly’s an old ass. You haven’t come-hither eyes—it wouldn’t be a Murray tradish.” Aunt Nancy laughed. “The Murrays have keep-your-distance eyes—and so have you—though your lashes contradict them a bit. But sometimes eyes like that—combined with certain other points—are quite as effective as come-hither eyes. Men go by contraries oftener than not—if you tell them to keep off they’ll come on. My own Nathaniel now—the only way to get him to do anything was to coax him to do the opposite. Remember, Caroline? Have another cooky, Emily?”

“I haven’t had one yet,” said Emily, rather resentfully.

Those cookies looked very tempting and she had been wishing they might be passed. She didn’t know why Aunt Nancy and Caroline both laughed. Caroline’s laugh was unpleasant—a dry, rusty sort of laugh—“no juice in it,” Emily decided. She thought she would