Louise had read her nature correctly. It had been a little hard to
return so large a check, but the girl's policy was not to appear
before Aunt Jane as a poor relation, but rather as a young lady fitted
by social education and position to become a gracious mistress of
Elmhurst. This she believed would give her a powerful advantage over
all competitors.
Whether she was right or not in this surmise it is certain that she
rose several points in Aunt Jane's estimation during this interview,
and when she was dismissed it was so graciously that she told herself
the money her little plot had cost had been well expended.
Afterward Elizabeth was summoned to attend her aunt.
"I want to be amused. Can you read aloud?" said the invalid.
"Not very well, I'm afraid. But I'll be glad to try," answered Beth.
"What do you like?"
"Select your own book," said Aunt Jane, pointing to a heap of volumes
beside her.
The girl hesitated. Louise would doubtless have chosen a romance, or
some light tale sure to interest for the hour, and so amuse the old
lady. But Beth erroneously judged that the aged and infirm love sober
and scholarly books, and picked out a treatise that proved ineffably
dull and tedious.
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