human
I have been begging mamma to have all the stupid people together next week, said Dora, when Amy began inquiring what had been decided on since she was last there,
gpt
I will tell you who is coming on Saturday, said Margaret;
human
Me! exclaimed Amy, in astonishment.
gpt
Why, I don't know any one.
human
Oh! but you do. What do you say to your friend, Mr Cunningham. Poor Amy looked very uncomfortable.
gpt
Yes, continued Margaret, laughing;
human
And how long does he stay?
gpt
As long as Lord Rochford does; it will be a week at least.
human
You had better go back to the cottage, Amy, said Dora;
gpt
One thing I like him for, said Amy,
human
Yes, replied Dora;
gpt
I don't see what business Mr Cunningham has to think anything of the kind, said Margaret.
human
I don't mean to be ill-natured, Amy; but really the idea of your being of use to Miss Cunningham is rather too absurd.
gpt
I think so, too, replied Amy;
human
Oh no! he was not; he was quite sincere; and he told Lucy that if the London plan came to anything, he hoped an arrangement would be made for you to be of the party.
gpt
And so Miss Cunningham is your enemy for life, said Dora;
human
It is half your fault, Dora, observed Margaret;
gpt
I am sure there would be less difficulty, if you were to say you liked it; but you are always speaking against it, and lately, too, you have taken to upholding Emily Morton.
human
I don't see, replied Dora,
gpt
Amy looked vexed, and Dora's conscience immediately told her she was wrong.
human
I don't mean to say, she continued,
gpt
Lucy Cunningham is very much obliged to you for your opinion of her, said Margaret, sharply;
human
As you please; but she is not worth quarrelling about. I shall be quite glad when she is gone to London, and then we shall hear no more about her. I hate having nothing but Lucy Cunningham dinned into my ears from morning till night.
gpt
It is better than Emily Morton, at any rate, said Margaret, with a half contemptuous glance at Amy.
human
Oh Margaret! exclaimed Amy, while the colour rushed to her face;
gpt
I mean that she is not half so much of a lady as Lucy Cunningham; of course she must be something like one, or mamma would not let her be with us.
human
But indeed, Margaret, replied Amy, trying to speak calmly,
gpt
I do think you must be wrong. I am sure if a stranger saw them together, they would say directly there was no comparison between them.
human
But what has that to do with it? said Margaret,
gpt
It cannot alter the case. Lucy Cunningham is the daughter of a nobleman.
human
Yes, but that is not everything.
gpt
And Emily Morton is a governess,
human
Yes, again repeated Amy;
gpt
Then your feelings must be wrong, and all the world would say the same.
human
I am sure Miss Morton is more of a lady, because she is so gentle and kind, said Amy;
gpt
Well! but those are virtues; you talk so foolishly, Amy. Susan Reynolds or Morris may be all that, but they would not be at all the more ladies.
human
No, said Dora, coming to Amy's assistance;
gpt
Of course, that is just what I was saying!
human
No; but Margaret, persisted Amy,
gpt
So they would,
human
Mamma told me one day that we ought not to think as the world thinks, because the world means generally a great many vain, silly persons.
gpt
Then you would set up to be wiser and better than everybody else, I suppose,
human
Amy is right, I am sure; it would be only silly people who would think so much more of Lucy Cunningham's birth than of other things. Not all the rank in the world will make persons ladies and gentlemen without manners.
gpt
But I mean something besides manners, said Amy;
human
That is one of your strange notions, Amy. I believe you think, that what you call being good is to make a person everything--rich, and happy, and ladylike, and beautiful.
gpt
No, not beautiful, replied Amy;
human
she added,
gpt
I remember once going with mamma to see a poor woman who was very ill; and she was almost ugly, till she began to talk, and thank mamma for being kind to her, and then her face quite changed; and mamma told me it was her being so grateful and contented that made her look so nice.
human
I do think, Amy, you will go out of your senses some day, said Margaret.
gpt
You talk so differently from every one else.
human
Do I? That is very strange; for all the persons I care for tell me the same things.
gpt
Does Emily Morton?
human
Yes, whenever I am quite alone with her, and ask her about anything--grave things, I mean.
gpt
Well, Amy, said Dora,
human
I must say that you are the merriest grave girl I ever met with. I don't think any one who heard you laugh would fancy you really so demure as you are.
gpt
No one ever said I was grave, except you, answered Amy.
human
I am sure I don't know what I am myself; but I must not stay here now, for I want so much to see Miss Morton, and then I must go back to mamma.
gpt
Always Emily Morton,
human
Always Lucy Cunningham,
gpt
No more of that, pray, Dora. You know very well that the reason you laugh is because you are jealous of her being fonder of me than of you.
human
Jealous! Me jealous of her! with her sandy hair and freckled----
gpt
Well, exclaimed Margaret, who always felt a secret satisfaction at Miss Cunningham's plain face, though she would not acknowledge it to herself;
human
I thought you professed not to care about beauty--to be sure, Lucy is not lovely.
gpt
I do not wish to say anything more about her, said Dora;