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Rh train, and last night, she said, she had not slept at all well, because she had forgotten her sulphonal. Her eyes looked pathetic, and if she had not been overperfumed and overdecorated with bracelets and other trinkets, Teresa would have thought her rather attractive. Ernestine, who sat on a stool by her aunt's side, was evidently fascinated. She studied every detail of the mauve dress and the curling hair with intent, yearning eyes, and Edith's tea-rose skin was exactly what, as Ernestine had told Teresa, she had often prayed to have herself.

Teresa felt that her presence embarrassed Edith, who had evidently counted on finding Nina alone. Nina too was distrait and bothered, and put wrong amounts of cream and sugar into the tea, and finally poured the cream into the tea-pot, by mistake for hot water. They all laughed at that, but rather lamely, for the situation was too obvious. Teresa felt a sudden keen sympathy for Nina, as she looked at her worried face, and a resentment against the blonde woman whose nervous movements made a constant little noise of rustling silk and tinkling ornaments. Why should she come to bother Nina, who assuredly had worries enough of her own? Would Nina be able to tell her to go? Could one turn out anything as helpless as that, with its sentimental blue eyes and tremulous mouth?