tilda. "Giving a present isn't drinking wine, is it?"

"No," said Matilda, who by this time could hardly speak at all. "But
Mr. David, it is helping somebody else to drink."

"Do you think what you do would help or hinder?"

"What _you_ do might."

"We shall go on just the same, whatever way you take. What difference
can it make, whether your money is in it or not?"

"I don't know," said Matilda struggling;--"none, perhaps, whether my
money is in it. But my _name_ would be in it."

"Do you think that would make any difference?--stop, Norton, I want to
understand what she will say. What would your name do, in it or out of
it?"

"Ridiculous! to spend time talking to her!" said Judy. "That is just
what she wants."

But David waited for his answer; and Matilda's eyes were all
glittering, while her little head took its inexpressible air of
self-assertion.

"I don't know--I can't, tell," she said, answering David as if she had
not heard Judy;--"it might do nothing, but I have promised to use it on
the right side."

"Promised whom?" said David. "Maybe it is a promise that need not
stand. Promised whom?"

"Yes, whom did you promise, Pink?" said Norton.

Matilda hesitated and then spoke.

"I promised the Lord Jesus Christ," she said slowly.

She was looking at nobody in particular, yet her eye caught the
expression of annoyance on Norton's face; she did not see the cloud of
disgust and surprise that came over David's. He turned away. Judith's
eyes snapped.

"Isn't that neat now?" she said. "We have got a saint among us, sure
enough. Well--saints know how to take care of their money; we all know
that. What are we poor sinners going to do for grandmamma's present?
that's the question. I propose that we get her a prayerbook, very
large, and black, with gilt clasps and her name on the cover; then
everybody will know that Mrs. Lloyd is a good woman and goes to church."

"Be still, Judy!" said her brother sternly.

"Propose something yourself then," said Judith. "We can't do anything
at Candello's, that's clear. I don't believe there's an innocent thing
here beside tea cups. I've seen people drink brandy and water in
tumblers; and bowls hold whiskey punch. Dear me! what a pity it is that
good things are so bad!"

"Hush, Judy!" said Norton; "_you_ won't hurt anybody by being too good."

"It's a way I despise," said Judith coolly. "When I hurt anybody, I
like to know it. I never shut my eyes and fire."

"It's