? ? ? ? As I knew she would only speak in her own good time, I sat down near her, and spoke to the birds, and played with the cat, and was as easy as I could be. But I was very far from being really easy; and I should still have been so, even if Mr. Dick, leaning over the great kite behind my aunt, had not taken every secret opportunity of shaking his head darkly at me, and pointing at her.
? ? ? ? 'Trot,' said my aunt at last, when she had finished her tea, and carefully smoothed down her dress, and wiped her lips - 'you needn't go, Barkis! - Trot, have you got to be firm and self-reliant?'
? ? ? ? 'I hope so, aunt.'
? ? ? ? 'What do you think?' inquired Miss Betsey.
? ? ? ? 'I think so, aunt.'
? ? ? ? 'Then why, my love,' said my aunt, looking earnestly at me, 'why do you think I prefer to sit upon this property of mine tonight?'
? ? ? ? I shook my head, unable to guess.
? ? ? ? 'Because,' said my aunt, 'it's all I have. Because I'm ruined, my dear!'
? ? ? ? If the house, and every one of us, had tumbled out into the river together, I could hardly have received a greater shock.
? ? ? ? 'Dick knows it,' said my aunt, laying her hand calmly on my shoulder.
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