ld, mere children amuse
themselves in Barbadoes with sticking pins into the legs of little
children, dropping scalding sealing-wax upon their arms, and cutting lines
and stars in their necks with knives and scissors."

"Yes," added one of the Eustons, "and the most delicate ladies are waited
upon by naked slaves, whose bare backs are probably bleeding from the
recent effects of a sound whipping, inflicted, probably, because Missy's
dolly had fallen, and broken her nose, out of Missy's own hands."

"Shocking creatures!"--"Dreadful wretches!"--"Wicked creatures!"--"How
terrible!"--"How abominable!" were exclamations naturally uttered on every
side, and those who, on Matilda's innocent triumph, had in the first
instance pressed around her, now withdrew from her side, shrinking as from
something monstrous and loathsome in nature; and such was the bustle and
confusion between those who were eager to inquire, and those who were more
eager to inform, that the few who endeavoured to divert attention from the
subject, or insist upon the pictures presented being overcharged, could not
be heard.

Matilda, overwhelmed with burning blushes, was utterly unable to articulate
a syllable, much less to stem the torrent which, in accusing her country in
general terms, was aimed at her in particular: her conscience accused her
of many crimes, which, though far removed from atrocity like this, were yet
utterly unjustifiable, and, as she now believed, might have led to the
utmost limits of tyranny, cruelty, and oppression; and all she felt or
feared in her own conduct, seemed to rise to her memory, and stamp
conscious guilt on her expressive features; and while thus labouring under
the torments of a wounded spirit, the Eustons, rejoicing in her confusion,
pointed it out as a certain proof of her conscience upbraiding her, and a
fresh volley of crimes and accusations were poured forth. It was in vain
that Edmund attempted to be heard, and that Charles challenged every one to
fight in her behalf, and that Ellen, with distressed vociferation and tears
gushing into her eyes, kept again and again exclaiming--"It is _not_
true--I am sure it is not; there are many good people in the West Indies,
and nobody can be so wicked in the wide world. You tell these tales on
purpose to make us ill--fie! fie!"

The agonized countenance of Ellen, by presenting a striking contrast to its
usual expression of mild benevolence, told Mr. Harewood it was time for