? ? ? ? 'No doubt, my dear Jane,' returned my mother, 'your understanding is very vigorous -'
? ? ? ? 'Oh dear, no! Pray don't say that, Clara,' interposed Miss Murdstone, angrily.
? ? ? ? 'But I am sure it is,' resumed my mother; 'and everybody knows it is. I profit so much by it myself, in many ways - at least I ought to - that no one can be more convinced of it than myself; and therefore I speak with great diffidence, my dear Jane, I assure you.'
? ? ? ? 'We'll say I don't understand the boy, Clara,' returned Miss Murdstone, arranging the little fetters on her wrists. 'We'll agree, if you please, that I don't understand him at all. He is much too deep for me. But perhaps my brother's penetration may enable him to have some insight into his character. And I believe my brother was speaking on the subject when we - not very decently - interrupted him.'
? ? ? ? 'I think, Clara,' said Mr. Murdstone, in a low grave voice, 'that there may be better and more dispassionate judges of such a question than you.'
? ? ? ? 'Edward,' replied my mother, timidly, 'you are a far better judge of all questions than I pretend to be. Both you and Jane are. I only said -'
? ? ? ? 'You only said something weak and inconsiderate,' he replied.
Pages:
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208