Then Mysie wanted to give up
the good girl to Fly, and only be one of the chorus, but Fly says she
had rather be one of the chorus ones herself than that. So we settled
that you should fix the parts, and we would abide by your choice.'
'I hope there was no quarrelling.'
'N--no; only a little falling upon Val by the boys, and Fly put a stop
to that. Oh, mamma, if it were only possible to turn Dolly into Fly! I
can't help saying it, we seemed to get on so much better just because
we hadn't poor Dolly to make a deadweight, and tempt the boys to be
tiresome: while Fly made everything go off well. I can't describe it,
she didn't in the least mean to keep order or interfere, but somehow
squabbles seem to die away before her, and nobody wants to be
troublesome.'
'Dear little thing! It is a very sweet disposition. But, Gill, I do
believe that we shall see poor Dolly take a turn now!'
'Well! having quarrelled with that Constance is in her favour!'
'Try and think kindly of her trouble. Gill, and then it will be easier
to be kind to her.'
Gillian sighed. Falsehood and determined opposition to her mother were
the greatest possible crimes in her eyes; and at her age it was not
easy to separate the sin from the sinner.
New Year's night was always held to be one of especial merriment, but
Lady Merrifield was so much tired out by her expedition that she hardly
felt equal to presiding over any sports, and proposed that instead the
young folk should dance.
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