What shame, what remorse, do you strike into my heart!
And my poor mother's tears ran down as fast as mine.
O madam, said the dear girl to me, clasping her arms about me, how your
tender heart is touched!--It is well you were not there!
Dr. Bartlett came in to tea. My guardian would not permit Antony, who
offered himself, to wait. Antony had been my own papa's servant, when my
mother was not so good.
Nothing but blessings, nothing but looks and words of admiration and
gratitude, passed all the tea-time. How their hearts rejoiced, I
warrant!--Is it not a charming thing, madam, to make people's hearts
glad?--To be sure it is! How many hearts has my guardian rejoiced! You
must bid him be cross to me, or I shall not know what to do with myself!
--But then, if he was, I should only get by myself, and cry, and be angry
with myself, and think he could not be to blame.
O my love, my Emily! said I, take care of your gratitude: that drew in
your true friend.
Well, but how can it be helped, madam? Can a right heart be ungrateful?
--Dr. Bartlett says, There is no such thing as true happiness in this
life: and is it not better to be unhappy from good men and women, than
from bad?--Dear madam, why you have often made me unhappy, because of
your goodness to me; and because I knew, that I neither could deserve nor
return it.
The dear prater went on--My guardian called me aside, when tea was over.
My Emily, said he, [I do love he should call me his Emily!--But all the
world is his Emily, I think,] Let me see what you will do with these two
notes; giving me two bank-notes of 25L. each.--Present pin-money and cash
may be wanted. We will suppose that your mother has been married a
quarter of a year. Her pin-money and the additional annuity may commence
from the 25th of December last. Let me, Emily, when they go away, see
the graceful manner in which you will dispose of the notes: and from Mr.
O'Hara's behaviour upon it, we shall observe whether he is a man with
whom your mother, if it be not her own fault, (now you have made it their
interest to be kind to each other,) may live well: but the motion be all
your own.
How good this was! I could have kissed the hand that gave me the notes,
if I thought it would not have looked too free.
I understand you, sir, said I.
And when they went away, pouring out their very hearts in grateful joy, I
addressed myself to Mr. O'Hara. Sir, said I, it is proper that the
payment of the
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