Nicole Li

Chapter 33B

In her furred traveling-dress, Estella seemed more delicately beautiful than she had ever seemed yet, even in my eyes. Her manner was more winning than she had cared to let it be to me before, and I thought I saw Miss Havisham's influence in the change. We stood in the Inn Yard while she pointed out her luggage to me, and when it was all collected I remembered - having forgotten everything but herself in the meanwhile - that I knew nothing of her destination. I could not help but look away from her as I noticed a short dame approach us. She had her suitcase at her side as well and I could hear the movements of the shuffling action occurring inside her traveling case. She was not beautiful but her presence embossed a striking impression. She was not tall and had a glossy black mane of long hair. In my opinion, she looked about our age. Her dress manner was rather peculiar, she wore ruffles on her neck and I could tell she did not like the idea of wearing shoes, even in such a public area! She emitted an odd appeal to her, and I immediately pictured her as a harlequin, dressed in black and white. She was profoundly eccentric. She paced towards Estella and I, her steps fast and brisk, then I noticed her familiar long fluttering eyelashes.

Subconsciously entranced, I said ‘hello’. She stared at me, smiled, and nodded. ‘Hello’, I repeated again. She did not acknowledge me a second time, but rather looked at Estella and beamed a smile, recognizing her pearly whites that looked quite uniformly. I looked at Estella, then the girl. Then everything became clear. They possessed the same brilliant deep blue eyes, the same dancing and lengthy lashes, and the identical glowing ivory teeth.

“Pleased to meet you, I’m Mettle Longworth”, she uttered in a serene voice, a smile broadening on her small precious face.