that I did not tell her."

The only word I could say was, "Nurse!"

"I am sure, ma'am," said the nurse, "I should have been very sorry to say
any thing against her--and if you had not found her out, I should not have
told about her. She is but young, ma'am, and may improve--but, indeed,
ma'am, never in my life did I see a young girl tell a lie with such a face
of innocence." I was bursting with shame and vexation. "May I speak,
ma'am? Oh! pray hear me--it was not I: it was _she_ who lost the book. Do
let me speak, ma'am; pray let me tell you--" "No, you shall have no
inducement to tell more falsehoods. I fear I shall be obliged to send you
home again; I can not have any one with my children who tells untruths."
And she pointed to the nurse to open the door for me. As she was doing so,
nurse said, "She told me, ma'am, how you had caught her reading one
morning, when--" Here she shut me out and herself in.

If I had had money enough to take me to Birmingham, I believe I should not
have staid in the house an hour longer; but how often have I been thankful
that I had not; for, if I had gone away then, nothing could ever have
cleared me in the eyes of my mistress, and I should have been disgraced
forever.

Though I had been five months in my place, I had written but two letters;
one to my aunt, the other to the matron. I was never allowed a light to
take up-stairs, so that I had no opportunity of writing there. It was late
when the servants came to bed that night; and, after having cried a great
deal, I was just dropping to sleep when they came into the room. I did not
sleep long. When I awoke, there was darkness in the room again, and the
servants were snoring. Then all at once the thought came into my head that
I would get up and write a letter to my aunt. I slipped on a few things.
It was too dark for me to be able to see any thing in the room, and I did
not know where the candle had been put. Very much disappointed, I was
preparing to get into bed again, when I remembered the lamp standing on
the centre-table in the inner drawing-room; that room of which I had the
charge. I opened the door softly, and found my way into the drawing-room.
I flamed up a match, which gave light long enough for me to find the lamp;
then I flamed up another, and lighted it. The lamp gave but a dull light;
all in the house was so quiet, and every thing looked so dusky, that I was
frightened, and went on trembling more than before. There was