human
We shall see you to-morrow at the cottage, I hope,
gpt
I don't know, indeed, there will be so much to arrange; perhaps the girls may manage it; but Mr Harrington's time and mine will be completely occupied.
human
I shall come and see you as soon as possible, you may be quite sure, said Mr Harrington;
gpt
Then we will expect the girls alone, replied Mrs Herbert.
human
Amy is longing to do the honours of the cottage; and, if they come about one o'clock, they can have their luncheon with us.
gpt
Good night, and expressed no pleasure about the matter. When Amy found herself alone with her mamma, her first wish was to talk over all that had passed, but Mrs Herbert was looking very pale and exhausted, and her child had lately learned to watch every change in her countenance, and to understand in a moment when it was necessary for her to be silent; she therefore said but little during their drive home; and it was not till Mrs Herbert was seated in the arm-chair in her own room, that Amy ventured to express her feelings.
human
I may talk to you now, mamma, she said,
gpt
Yes, my dear, said Mrs Herbert,
human
The doing and saying will be easy enough, replied Amy;
gpt
You have certainly contrived to get a curious medley in your head, Amy; but you will never be able to talk over all these things to-night, it is getting so late.
human
No, mamma, said Amy,
gpt
I feel as if there would be something to say if I were to go on till to-morrow; but I should care for nothing else if I could only make out which of my cousins I like best.
human
But, said Mrs Herbert,
gpt
Well, sighed Amy,
human
I suppose I must leave it. I think, though, I like Margaret, because she is affectionate; and Dora, because she seems to speak just what she means; but I liked Margaret much better when we were alone, than when she was talking to you, mamma; her voice and all seemed quite different.
gpt
And what did you think of Rose?
human
Oh! I only saw her for a moment; she looked as if she must be a darling little thing, she is so very pretty; but, mamma, I cannot understand about Miss Morton. Is she a lady?
gpt
Yes, my dear, certainly; she is the daughter of a clergyman.
human
But, then, where was she all the evening? She did not come in at tea-time.
gpt
I believe she generally spends the evenings alone, replied Mrs Herbert,
human
It seems so strange, said Amy;
gpt
You must not judge of people merely from what you hear, but from what you see of them too, said Mrs Herbert;
human
I feel as if I never should be able to decide about any one now, sighed Amy,
gpt
I am so very puzzled; and I am not quite sure whether I have been happy to-night.
human
My dear child, said Mrs Herbert,
gpt
I must send you to bed, for I am sure if you sit up thinking and talking any more you will be unfit for everything to-morrow. I only wish you to tell me what you could have done to make your aunt angry with you.
human
You will come back to me when you are ready to read,
gpt
It seems so nice and quiet, she said,
human
I hope you will always find it a blessing to read your Bible, my dear; and I know myself that it is peculiarly so when we have been much excited; there is something so calm and soothing in it.
gpt
Mamma, may I tell you one thing which came into my head to-night? You know I have read in the Bible, and have heard people talk about the world, and that there are temptations in it, and that we ought to avoid it; and I never could quite understand this, because it seemed that I had no world, for you always do what is right, and there is no evil in the trees and flowers; and one day you said that the world was different to everybody, and that it meant the things which tempted us to do wrong; and to-night, when I was saying my prayers, I recollected that I had felt angry with my cousins, and that you had said, 'that perhaps being with them would make me envious;' and then it came into my head, that perhaps Emmerton will be my world--do you think it will?
human
Most probably it may be,
gpt
But then, mamma, will it be right to go there?
human
It is not right to shut ourselves up from our relations, and so lose opportunities of learning good from them, or setting them a good example, replied her mother.
gpt
If your cousins are better than yourself, they will, I hope, be of great use to you; and if they are not, you may try and benefit them. Your being envious and angry is your fault, not theirs; and if you were never to see them again, you would still have the same bad feelings in your mind. Renouncing the world does not mean shutting ourselves up and never seeing any one, but it does mean trying to avoid unnecessary occasions of temptation, as well as to overcome sin; and you will avoid the world, not by keeping away from your cousins, but by striving against evil feelings and actions when you are with them, and not allowing yourself to envy them because they are richer, and live in a larger house.
human
I should like to talk a great deal more, mamma, said Amy,
gpt
We must have some more conversation to-morrow,