And I was so frightened that I couldn't even cur--cur--cry."
Here Minnie sobbed afresh, and Mrs. Willoughby petted her again.
"And you shouldn't tease me so; and it's very unkind in you; and you
know I'm not well; and I can't bear to think about it all; and I know
you're going to scold me; and you're _always_ scolding me; and you
_never_ do what I want you to. And then people are _always_ coming and
saving my life, and I can't bear it any more."
"No-o-o-o-o-o, n-n-no-o-o-o, darling!" said Mrs. Willoughby,
soothingly, in the tone of a nurse appeasing a fretful child. "You
sha'n't bear it any more."
"I don't _want_ them to save me any more."
"Well, they sha'n't _do_ it, then," said Mrs. Willoughby,
affectionately, in a somewhat maudlin tone.
"And the next time I lose my life, I don't want to be saved. I want
them to let me alone, and I'll come home myself."
"And so you shall, darling; you shall do just as you please. So, now,
cheer up; don't cry;" and Mrs. Willoughby tried to wipe Minnie's eyes.
"But you're treating me just like a baby, and I don't want to be
talked to so," said Minnie, fretfully.
Mrs. Willoughby retreated with a look of despair.
"Well, then, dear, I'll do just whatever you want me to do."
"Well, then, I want you to tell me what I am to do."
"About what?"
"Why, about this great, big, horrid man."
"I thought you didn't want me to talk about this any more."
"But I _do_ want you to talk about it. You're the only person that
I've got to talk to about it; nobody else knows how peculiarly I'm
situated; and I didn't think that you'd give me up because I had fresh
troubles.
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