“That is very nice of you,” said Flossy.  “I told my husband—­Gregory—­the other day that I was sure you were something literary—­I mean Mr. Littleton, of course—­and when he found out that he was I said we must certainly cultivate you as an antidote to the banking business.  Gregory’s a banker.  It must be delightful to plan houses.  This room is so pretty and tasteful.”

“It isn’t wholly furnished yet.  We are buying things by degrees, as we find pieces which we like.”

“We bought all our things in two days at one fell swoop,” said Flossy with a gay laugh.  “Gregory gave the dealers carte blanche.  That’s his way,” she added with a touch of pride.  “I dare say the house would have been prettier if we could have taken more time.  However, it is all paid for now.  Some of it was bought on the instalment plan, but Gregory bought or sold something in stocks the next week which covered the furniture and paid for a present for me of this besides,” she said, indicating her seal-skin cape.  “Wasn’t he a dear?”

Selma did not know precisely what the instalment plan was, but she understood that Mr. Williams had been distinctly clever in his wife’s estimation.  She perceived that Mrs. Williams had the same light, half jocular manner displayed by Wilbur’s friends, and that she spoke with bubbling, jaunty assurance, which was suggestive of frivolity.  Still Wilbur had intimated that this might be the New York manner, and clearly her neighbor had come in a friendly spirit and was duly appreciative of the distinction of being literary.  Besides, her ready disposition to talk about herself and her affairs seemed to Selma the sign of a willingness to be truly friendly.  The seal-skin cape she wore was very handsome, and she was more conspicuously attired from head to foot than any woman with whom Selma had ever conversed.  She was pretty, too—­a type of beauty less spiritual than her own—­with piquant, eager features, laughing, restless gray eyes, and light hair which escaped from her coquettish bonnet in airy ringlets.  If they had met three years earlier Selma would certainly have regarded her as an incarnation of volatility and servility to foreign fashions.  Now, though she classed her promptly as a frivolous person, she regarded her with a keen curiosity not unmixed with self-distress, and the reflection came to her that a little of the New York manner might perhaps be desirable when in New York.

“Yes, it’s beautiful,” she replied, referring to the cape.

“Gregory is always making me presents like that.  He gave me this bracelet yesterday.  He saw it in the shop-window and went in and bought it.  Speaking of husbands, you won’t mind my saying that I think Mr. Littleton is very distinguished looking?  I often see him pass the window in the morning.”

“Of course I think so,” said Selma.  “I suppose it would seem flat if I were to say that I admired Mr. Williams’s appearance also.”