صفحة 220 من 2288

On her head, among her black hair-her own, with no false

additions-was a little wreath of pansies, and a bouquet of the

same in the black ribbon of her sash among white lace. Her

coiffure was not striking. All that was noticeable was the little

wilful tendrils of her curly hair that would always break free

about her neck and temples. Round her well-cut, strong neck was a

thread of pearls.

Kitty had been seeing Anna every day; she adored her, and had

pictured her invariably in lilac. But now seeing her in black,

she felt that she had not fully seen her charm. She saw her now

as someone quite new and surprising to her. Now she understood

that Anna could not have been in lilac, and that her charm was

just that she always stood out against her attire, that her dress

could never be noticeable on her. And her black dress, with its

sumptuous lace, was not noticeable on her; it was only the frame,

and all that was seen was she-simple, natural, elegant, and at

the same time gay and eager.