The shopman appeared to know them, and though he smiled, he said very respectfully,
"What article can I show you this morning, ladies?"
The fairy-like creature in the white beaver, who had been fumbling in her miniature glove, now timidly laid a farthing on the counter, and then turning her back for very shyness on the shopman, raised one small shoulder, and inclining her head towards it, gave an appealing glance at her sister out of the pale-blue eyes. That little lady, thus appealed to, firmly placed another farthing on the board, and said in the tiniest but most decided of voices,
"TWO FLAT IRONS, IF YOU PLEASE."
She rolled abruptly over on her seat and scrambled off backwards.
Hereupon the shopman produced a drawer from below the counter, and set it before them. What it contained I was not tall enough to see, but out of it he took several tiny flat irons of triangular shape, and apparently made of pewter, or some alloy of tin. These the grey beaver examined and tried upon a corner of her cape with inimitable gravity and importance. At last she selected two, and keeping one for herself, gave the other to her sister.
"Is it a nice one?" the little white-beavered lady inquired.
"Very nice."