Chapter 8

           ItwasgenerallyagreedinNewYorkthattheCountessOlenskahad"lostherlooks."Shehadappearedtherefirst,inNewlandArcher’sboyhood,asabrilliantlyprettylittlegirlofnineorten,ofwhompeoplesaidthatshe"oughttobepainted."Herparentshadbeencontinentalwanderers,andafteraroamingbabyhoodshehadlostthemboth,andbeentakeninchargebyheraunt,MedoraManson,alsoawanderer,whowasherselfreturningtoNewYorkto"settledown."PoorMedora,repeatedlywidowed,wasalwayscominghometosettledown(eachtimeinalessexpensivehouse),andbringingwithheranewhusbandoranadoptedchild;butafterafewmonthssheinvariablypartedfromherhusbandorquarrelledwithherward,and,havinggotridofherhouseataloss,setoutagainonherwanderings.AshermotherhadbeenaRushworth,andherlastunhappymarriagehadlinkedhertooneofthecrazyChiverses,NewYorklookedindulgentlyonhereccentricities;butwhenshereturnedwithherlittleorphanedniece,whoseparentshadbeenpopularinspiteoftheirregrettabletastefortravel,peoplethoughtitapitythattheprettychildshouldbeinsuchhands.EveryonewasdisposedtobekindtolittleEllenMingott,thoughherduskyredcheeksandtightcurlsgaveheranairofgaietythatseemedunsuitableinachildwhoshouldstillhavebeeninblackforherparents.