“No; I barely noticed her at all.”
“Then, perhaps, you did not notice that there was really a striking resemblance between her and Miss Mercedes.”
“I certainly did not.”
“You saw enough of her to remark that she was beautiful.”
“Yes; but it was a fleeting glance in the half-light of the drawing-room when I happened to meet her in the doorway. I merely caught a glimpse of her face. It was her poise and figure that attracted my attention, as well as the delicate profile of her face.”
“Then you would not notice the resemblance, for it was not observable in her profile.”
“But you think there was a resemblance?”
“A decided one, sir, when you got the correct view, and that was straight in front. But I noticed it on one occasion particularly, and I gave her a severe scolding at the time, too.”
“When and how was that?”
“I found her dressed in one of Miss Mercedes’ party dresses once. Miss Mercedes had gone to a reception in the city, and the other members of the family were also away from home. By a strange chance very few of the servants were in the house, and I was, myself, supposed to be attending my mistress in New York. But it happened that I was taken with a headache at the last moment, and, instead of going to the city, was sent to my room to rest. At nine o’clock in the evening I awoke from a long sleep, and, feeling much better, went down the stairs to the library to find something to read. I had to pass through the drawing-room on my way to the library, and you may imagine my surprise when I entered to see—as I supposed—my mistress standing before one of the long mirrors in the room.