The last member of Julia's sentence was quite lost on Edward, for he had abruptly returned to the table, and to the examination of the coveted purse. Julia stood for one half instant wavering, and then walked to a window, and kept her eye steadily fixed on the garden it overlooked. Mrs. Sackville ventured one glance at her children. ‘Ah,’ thought she, ‘Julia, you will prove faithful, but Ned I fear for you; ‘he who deliberates is lost,’’ Her mind was more intent on her children than on the little traffic she was making, and when she had set aside articles to a considerable amount, and was about to pay for them, the nun said, “I think, madam, you might make a better selection—allow me to exchange this basket for the awkward one you have there. I am a little vain of this, for I made it myself, and I should have begged your daughter to accept it when I saw her admiring it, but these articles are devoted to a specific object, and I have no control over them. I should, however, be particularly gratified if you would purchase this for Miss Julia, instead of that you have taken.”
“You are very good,” replied Mrs. Sackville, “but I have permitted my daughter to select for herself. Julia, do you hear what this lady says?”
“Yes, mama.”
“Will you look at the basket, my love?”
“No, I thank you, mama.”
This last reply was uttered in a faltering voice, and caught Edward's attention. He had just taken out his pocket-book to pay for the purse. He looked towards Julia, and then to his mother. Mrs. Sackville's eyes were fixed on Julia with an expression of love and approbation which flashed to Edward's heart; he dropped the purse, put up his pocket-book, and going up to his sister, whispered a proposal that they should return to the inn, without waiting for their mother to finish her business.
They then took a respectful, though rather a hurried leave of the kind sister, impatient to be out of sight of a temptation, which no one will deride as inconsiderable, when it is remembered that Edward was twelve, Julia ten years old.
“What upon earth ails the children?” asked Mr. Morris, who saw that something agitated them. Mrs. Sackville explained as far as she could without making a display of their charity. “They are good children, very good children,” said Mr. Morris, “and I think you have tried them a little too far, sister; but, dear souls, it shall all be made up to them. Where is that purse poor Ned was fingering? and that basket for Julia? I'll buy them both; they shall have them.”
“No, my dear brother, you must not indeed interpose your kindness—you will spoil all. The result has proved that I did not try them too far, though I confess I was at one time a little afraid I had done what I have often seen children do, pulled up the flower in trying to ascertain whether it had taken root. I have now more confidence that their hearts have that good soil into which the roots of virtue may strike deeply; and they now know the full cost of a charitable action which is performed by the voluntary and deliberate sacrifice of personal indulgence.”
“You are right, perfectly right my dear,” said Mr. Sackville.