'He and I used to be always
there.'
'He--?'
'Why, will you make me say it?' cried Sophy. 'Edmund! I mean
Edmund! We always called it his pond. He made the little quay for
his boats--he used to catch the minnows there. I could go and stand
by it, and think he was coming out to play; and now you have had it
dried up, and his dear little minnows are all dead,' and she burst
into a passion of tears, that made Maurice cry till Albinia hastily
carried him off and returned.
'My dear, I am sorry it seemed so unkind. I do not think we could
have let the pond stay, for it was making the house unhealthy; but if
we had talked over it together, it need not have appeared so very
cruel and spiteful.'
'I don't believe you are spiteful,' said Sophy, 'though I sometimes
think so.'
The filial compliment was highly gratifying.
'And now, Sophy,' she said, 'that I have told you why we were obliged
to have the pond drained, will you tell me what you wanted with baby
at Mrs. Osborn's?'
'I will tell,' said Sophy, 'but you wont like it.'
'I like anything better than concealment.'
'Mrs. Osborn said she never saw him. She said you kept him close,
and that nobody was good enough to touch him; so I promised I would
bring him over, and I kept my word. I know it was wrong--and--I did
not think you would ever forgive me.'
'But how could you do it?'
'Mrs. Osborn and all used to be so kind to us when there was nobody
else.
Pages:
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188