thedressofhermodelhadbeenframeduponasymmetricallyattenuatedFrenchcorset，andtheunfortunateMinty\'sfullerandamplercurveshadunderhersimplecountrystaysknownnomorerestrainingcincturethanknewtheVenusofMilo。Thealterationwasahideousfailure，itwasneitherMinty\'sstatuesqueoutlinenorLouiseMacy\'sgracefulcontour。Mintywasnofool，andtherevelationofthissloweducationofthefigureandtrainingofoutline——whetherfairorfalseinart——struckherquickintelligencewithallitsfullandhopelesssignificance。Abitterlightsprangtohereyes；shetorethewretchedshamfromhershoulders，andthenwrappingashawlaroundher，threwherselfheavilyandsullenlyonthebed。ButinactionwasnotacharacteristicofMinty\'semotion；
shepresentlyroseagain，and，takinganoldwork-boxfromhertrunk，begantorummageinitsrecesses。Itwasanoldshell-
incrustedaffair，andtheapparentreceptacleofsuchcheapoddsandendsofjewelryasshepossessed；ahideouscameoring，thepropertyofthelateMrs。Sharpe，wasmissing。Sheagainrapidlyexploredthecontentsofthebox，andthenaninspirationseizedher，andshedartedintoherbrother\'sbedroom。
ThatprecociousandgallantLovelaceoften，despiteallsentiment，hadbaselysuccumbedtothegrossmaterialismofyouthfulslumber。
Onacotinthecorner，halfhiddenunderthewreckofhisowncarelessandhurrieddisrobing，withonearmhangingoutofthecoverlid，Richelieulaysupremelyunconscious。Ontheforefingerofhissmallbutdirtyhandthemissingcameowasstillglitteringguiltily。WithaswiftmovementofindignationMintyrushedwithupliftedpalmtowardsthetemptingexpanseofyouthfulcheekthatlayinvitinglyexposeduponthepillow。Thenshestoppedsuddenly。