OurbelovedRebeccahadnoneed，however，ofanysuchafriendlyhalotosetoffherbeauty。Hercomplexioncouldbearanysunshineasyet，andherdress，thoughifyouweretoseeitnow，anypresentladyofVanityFairwouldpronounceittobethemostfoolishandpreposterousattireeverworn，wasashandsomeinhereyesandthoseofthepublic，somefive-and-twentyyearssince，asthemostbrilliantcostumeofthemostfamousbeautyofthepresentseason。Ascoreofyearshencethattoo，thatmilliner’swonder，willhavepassedintothedomainoftheabsurd，alongwithallpreviousvanities。Butwearewanderingtoomuch。Mrs。Rawdon’sdresswaspronouncedtobecharmanteontheeventfuldayofherpresentation。EvengoodlittleLadyJanewasforcedtoacknowledgethiseffect，asshelookedatherkinswoman，andownedsorrowfullytoherselfthatshewasquiteinferiorintastetoMrs。Becky。
Shedidnotknowhowmuchcare，thought，andgeniusMrs。Rawdonhadbestoweduponthatgarment。RebeccahadasgoodtasteasanymillinerinEurope，andsuchacleverwayofdoingthingsasLadyJanelittleunderstood。
ThelatterquicklyspiedoutthemagnificenceofthebrocadeofBecky’strain，andthesplendourofthelaceonherdress。
Thebrocadewasanoldremnant，Beckysaid；andasforthelace，itwasagreatbargain。Shehadhaditthesehundredyears。
“MydearMrs。Crawley，itmusthavecostalittlefortune。”LadyJanesaid，lookingdownatherownlace，whichwasnotnearlysogood；andthenexaminingthequalityoftheancientbrocadewhichformedthematerialofMrs。Rawdon’sCourtdress，shefeltinclinedtosaythatshecouldnotaffordsuchfineclothing，butcheckedthatspeech，withaneffort，asoneuncharitabletoherkinswoman。