Shewasasunawareofthesignificanceofhergreatpossessionaswerethosearoundher。Neverthelessitwasanunerringthing。Asamerechild，unformedanduneducatedbylife，shehadnotbeenoneofthesmallcreaturestobedeceivedorflattered。

　　\"She’sanawfullysmartlittlething，thatBetty，\"herNewYorkauntsandcousinsoftenremarked。\"Sheseemstoseewhatpeoplemean，itdoesn’tmatterwhattheysay。Shelikespeopleyouwouldnotexpecthertolike，andthenagainshesometimesdoesn’tcaretheleastforpeoplewhoarethoughtawfullyattractive。\"

　　Ashasbeenalreadyintimated，thechildwascrudeenoughandnotparticularlywellbred，buthersmallbrainhadalwaysbeenatwork，andeachdayofherliferecordedforhervaluableimpressions。Thepageofheryoungmindhadceasedtobeablankmuchearlierthanisusual。

　　ThecomparingoftheseimpressionswithsuchasshereceivedwhenherlifeintheFrenchschoolwasnewaffordedheractivementalexerciseShebeganwithnatural，secretindignationandrebellion。

　　TherewasnootherAmericanpupilintheestablishmentbesidesherself。ButforthefactthatthenameofVanderpoelrepresentedwealthsoenormousastoamounttoasortofrankinitself，Bettinawouldnothavebeenreceived。TheproprietressoftheinstitutionhadgravelydisquietingdoubtsoftheproprietyofAmerica。Herpupilswerenotaccustomedtofreedomofopinionsandcustoms。AnAmericanchildmighteitherconsciouslyorunconsciouslyintroducethem。Asthismustbeguardedagainst，Betty’sfirstfewmonthsattheschoolwerenotagreeabletoher。Shewassupervisedandexpurgated，asitwere。SpecialSistersweretoldofftoconverseandwalkwithher，andshesoonperceivedthatconversationswerenotonlyFrenchlessonsindisguise，butwerelecturesonethics，morals，andgoodmanners，imperfectlyconcealedbythemaskanddominoofamiableentertainment。ShetranslatedintoEnglishafterthefollowingmannerthefactsherswiftyoungperceptionsgathered。Therewerethingsitwassoineleganttosaythatonlythemostimpossiblepersonssaidthem；therewerethingsitwassoinexcusabletodothatwhendonetheirinexcusabilityassumedtheproportionsofacrime。Thereweremovements，expressions，pointsofview，whichonemustavoidasonewouldavoidtheplague。Andtheywereallthings，acts，expressions，attitudesofmindwhichBettinahadbeenfamiliarwithfromherinfancy，andwhichshewaswellawarewereconsideredalmostentirelyharmlessandunobjectionableinNewYork，inherbelovedNewYork，whichwasthecentreoftheworld，whichwasbigger，richer，gayer，moreadmirablethananyothercityknownupontheearth。

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