and to have them say how pretty, or how clever you are: and then
one gets carried away, and one says things one never meant to say, and
the things go and do something which one never meant to do. And I
should not like to be another of my Aunt Dorothea!

I do not think there is half the fear for Flora that there is for me.
She does not seem to get carried off her mind's feet, as it were: there
is something solid underneath her. And it is not at all certain that
Flora will be there. If she be asked to stay, Uncle says, she may
please herself, for he knows she can be trusted: but if Grandmamma or my
Aunt Dorothea do not ask her, then she goes on with Annas to her
friends, who, Annas says, will be quite delighted to see her.

I do so wish that Flora might stay with me!

This afternoon we went over to Monksburn to say farewell.

Flora and Annas had a good deal to settle about our journey, and all the
people and things we were leaving behind. They went into the garden,
but I asked leave to stay. I did so want a talk with Lady Monksburn on
two points. I thought, I hardly know why, that she would understand me.

I sat for a few minutes, watching her bright needles glance in and out
among the soft wools: and at last I brought out the less important of my
two questions. If she answered that kindly, patiently, and as if she
understood, the other was to come after. If not, I would keep it to
myself.

"Will you tell me, Madam--is it wrong to pray about anything? I mean,
is there anything one ought not to pray about?"

Lady Monksburn looked up, but only for a moment.

"Dear child!" she said, with a gentle smile, "is it wrong to tell your
Father of something you want?"

"But may one pray about things that do not belong to church and Sunday
and the Bible?" said I.

"Everything belongs to the Bible," said she. "It is the chart for the
voyage of life. You mean, dear heart, is it right to pray about earthly
things which have to do with the body? No doubt it is. `Give us this
day our daily bread.'"

"But does that mean real, common bread?" I asked. "I thought people
said it meant food for the soul."

"People say very foolish things sometimes, my dear. It may include food
for the soul, and very likely does. But I think it means food for the
body first. `Your Father knoweth that ye have need of all these
things.' That, surely, was said of meat and drink and clothing."

I thought a minute. "But I mean more