The bits of conversation came to the girls as they sat over their work,
and Bessie would join in, and tell interesting things, till she saw
that grandmamma was ready for her nap, and then one or other gave a
little music, during which Dolly's bed-time generally came.
'You can't think how grateful I am to you for helping to brighten up
that poor child in a wholesome way!' said Lady Merrifield to Bessie,
under cover of Gillian's performance.
'One can't help being very sorry for her,' said Elizabeth, who knew
what was hanging over Dolly.
'Yes, it is a terrible punishment, especially as she has a certain
affection for her step-uncle, or whatever he should be called, for her
mother's sake. It really was a perplexed situation.'
'But why did she not consult you?'
'Do you know, I think I have found out. She held aloof from us all,
and treated us--especially me--as if we were her natural enemies, and I
never could guess what was the reason till the other day; she
voluntarily gave me up all her books to be looked over and put into the
common stock, which you saw in the schoolroom.'
'You look over all the children's books?'
'Yes. While we were wandering, they did not get enough to make it a
very arduous task, and now I find that they want weeding. If children
read nothing but a multitude of stories rather beneath their capacity,
they are likely never to exert themselves to anything beyond novel
reading.'
'That is quite true, I believe.
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