"I did not care for it so much," said she, "but it was a valuable book, and it was very kind of your papa to give it to me, so I was sorry to have it spoilt."
"Won't it rub out?" said Lionel.
"No, of course not."
"I thought pencil always did."
"And then, Lionel, why could you not have thought what disgrace you were leading Gerald into?"
"You don't think, Marian, I was going to be shabby enough to leave Gerald alone in the scrape? No, if I do, I'll give you leave to tell of me or do whatever you please; but you see now he is not in disgrace for drawing that pretty little beast, but for giving poor unfortunate a bit of his mind, so what use would there be in my putting my neck into the noose before my time? No, if Gerald is the fellow I take him for, and stands out about begging her pardon, the whole business of the book will blow over, and we shall hear no more of it."
Marian shook her head. "O, Lionel, if you would only think whether a thing is right before you do it!"
"How can you wish me to be so stupid, Marian?"
"I am sure, Lionel, the funniest, merriest people that I know, think most about what is right."
"Well, that may do in Devonshire perhaps," said Lionel, stretching himself, "but it won't here except with you. Indeed there is nobody else that I know of that does make such a fuss about right and wrong, except Walter, and he hasn't got an atom of fun to bless himself with."