"Why, Mary, all the world knows that you are prettier than any of them!"
"I am all the world's very humble servant. But, Trichy, I should not object if I were as ugly as the veiled prophet and they all as beautiful as Zuleika. The glory of that galaxy will be held to depend not on its beauty, but on its birth. You know how they would look at me; how they would scorn me; and there, in church, at the altar, with all that is solemn round us, I could not return their scorn as I might do elsewhere. In a room I'm not a bit afraid of them all." And Mary was again allowing herself to be absorbed by that feeling of indomitable pride, of antagonism to the pride of others, which she herself in her cooler moments was the first to blame.
"You often say, Mary, that that sort of arrogance should be despised and passed over without notice."
"So it should, Trichy. I tell you that as a clergyman tells you to hate riches. But though the clergyman tells you so, he is not the less anxious to be rich himself."
"I particularly wish you to be one of Augusta's bridesmaids."
"And I particularly wish to decline the honour; which honour has not been, and will not be, offered to me. No, Trichy. I will not be Augusta's bridesmaid, but—but—but—"
"But what, dearest?"
"But, Trichy, when some one else is married, when the new wing has been built to a house that you know of—"
"Now, Mary, hold your tongue, or you know you'll make me angry."
"I do so like to see you angry. And when that time comes, when that wedding does take place, then I will be a bridesmaid, Trichy. Yes! even though I am not invited. Yes! though all the de Courcys in Barsetshire should tread upon me and obliterate me. Though I should be as dust among the stars, though I should creep up in calico among their satins and lace, I will nevertheless be there; close, close to the bride; to hold something for her, to touch her dress, to feel that I am near to her, to—to—to—" and she threw her arms round her companion, and kissed her over and over again. "No, Trichy; I won't be Augusta's bridesmaid; I'll bide my time for bridesmaiding."