'
'It is a responsibility, I suppose, in the way in which every word one
speaks and every letter one writes is so. And now--here is Gillian
finishing her piece. How far is it a secret, my dear.'
'It need not be so here, Aunt Lilias. Only my people are rather old-
fashioned, you know, and are inclined to think it rather shocking of
me, so it ought not to go beyond the family, and especially don't 'let
her,' indicating her grandmother, 'hear about it. She knows I do such
things--it would not be honest not to tell her--but it goes against the
grain, and she has never heard one word of it all.'
It appeared that Bessie daily read the psalms and lessons to
grandmamma, followed up by a sermon. Then, with her wonderful eyes,
Mrs. Merrifield read the newspaper from end to end, which lasted her
till luncheon, then came a drive in the brougham, followed by a rest in
her own room, dinner, and then Bessie read her to sleep with a book of
travels or biography, of the old book-club class of her youth. Her
principles were against novels, and the tale she viewed as only fit for
children.
Lady Merrifield could not help thinking what a dull life it must be for
Bessie, a woman full of natural gifts and of great powers of enjoyment,
accustomed to a country home and a large family, and she said something
of the kind. 'I did not like it at first,' said Bessie, 'but I have
plenty of occupations now, besides all these companions that I've made
for myself, or that came to me, for I think they come of themselves.
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