"Four guineas and a half, ma'am, with the bird, and two guineas without it."
"It is a perfect gem! Pray, ma'am, do you ever make up ladies' own materials?"
"No, ma'am, never," replied the decisive artiste.
"Do you never fasten in feathers?... I should not mind paying for it, as I see your style is quite first-rate."
"For our customers, ma'am, and whenever the feathers or the coiffure have been furnished in the first instance by ourselves."
"You are a customer, Elizabeth, are you not?"
"Mamma is," replied the young lady. "You know Mrs. Peters of Rodney Place, Mrs. Duval?"
"Oh yes!... I beg your pardon, Miss Peters. Is this lady a friend of yours?"
"Mrs. Peters is my sister-in-law, Mrs. Duval, and I hope that will induce you to treat me as if I had already been a customer. I should like to have some feathers, that I mean to wear at the ball on Tuesday, fastened into my toque, like these in this blue one here. Will you do this for me?"
"Yes, ma'am, certainly, if you will favour us with your name on our books."