“Mother is upstairs, ma’am, but I can take any orders,” she said; and then with a shriek cried out “Polly!”
“Polly!” echoed all the girls.
Here was a visitor indeed. They got up and made a circle round her, examining her and all she “had on.” “In a sealskin!” ’Liza and Kate cried in a breath, with an admiration which amounted to awe. One of them even put forth her hand to stroke it in her enthusiasm. For an instant Polly allowed this fervour of admiration to have its way. Then she said, languidly—
“Give me a chair, please, and send Mrs. Welting to me. I wish to speak to Mrs. Welting. I am sorry to interrupt your work, young ladies—it is Mrs. Welting I want to see.”
“But, Polly!” the girls cried all together. They were too much startled to know what to say. They stood gaping in a circle round her.
“I thought you had come to see us like a friend—like what you used to be.”
“And weren’t we all just glad to see you again, Polly—and quite the lady!” cried another. They would not take their dismissal at the first word.
“Young ladies,” said Polly, “I’ve not come in any bad spirit. I don’t deny as I’ve passed many a day here. My family (though always far above the dressmaking) was not well off, and I shall always be thankful to think as I did my best for them. But now that I’m married, in a different position,” said Polly, “though always ready to stand your friend, when you want a friend, or to recommend you among the Abbey ladies, you can’t think as I can go on with you like you were in my own sphere. Where there’s no equality there can’t be no friendship. Perhaps you wouldn’t mind opening a window? It’s rather early to put on my sealskin, but one never knows at this time of the year—and I’m ’eated with my walk. Send Mrs. Welting to me, please.”
There was a great commotion among the girls. The two passive ones stood with open mouth, struck dumb by this magnificence.
“Lor!” cried Kate, finding no other word that could express her emotion.