"You are looking grave," she said.
"You might better say I am looking like a humbug and a fool. I have just been punishing that child—sending her to bed supperless. Now call me the ass that I am."
"Why, what has Corona been doing?"
"Does it matter?" he snarled, turning away. "She has been naughty; and the only way with naughty children is to be brutal."
"I expect you have made a mess of it," said Nurse Branscome.
"I am sure I have," said Brother Copas.
Corona undressed herself very deliberately; and, seating herself again on the edge of the bed, as deliberately undressed Timothy and clothed him for the night in his pyjamas.
"I am sorry, dear, that you should suffer.… But I can't tell what isn't true, not even for your sake; and I can't take back what I said. Nurse Turner is a beast, if we starve for saying it—which," added Corona reflectively, "I don't suppose we shall. I couldn't answer back properly on Uncle Copas, because when you say a thing to grown-ups they look wise and ask you to prove it, and if you can't you look silly. But Nurse Turner is a beast.… Oh, Timmy! let's lie down and try to get to sleep. But it is miserable to have all the world against us."
She remembered that she was omitting to say her prayers, and knelt down; but after a moment or two rose again.
"It's no use, God," she said. "I'm very sorry, and I wouldn't tell it to anyone but You—and perhaps Uncle Copas, if he was different: but I can't say 'forgive us our trespasses' when I can't abide the woman."