And she threw Priscilla's letter into the kitchen-fire. This was her mistake. She would have been wiser had she shown it to Edward, as she did the other. But she was ashamed to.
Another week brought her another letter.
"Private and Particular.
"PAINTED POST, June 13.
"MY DEAR CHILD,—I am shocked with the levity of your note, without date, which lies before me.
"Dear Psyche, fools make a mock of sin. How can you exult in your own shame? How can you live as the wife of a man of whom you know nothing, whose whole life is suspicious and a scandal, who is himself so ashamed of it that he does not admit his own wife to a knowledge of its secret ways? I cannot see how a child of Christian parents should be so blinded and misled.
"Rouse yourself in your strength, dear child. Ask your husband honestly and bravely what it is that he does in his nightly orgies. Do not think that we observed nothing in our visit. Do not think that we were lulled or put to sleep in our watch over our sister. Never, dear Psyche. We love you as much as ever. And we are determined to tear every shred of mystery from your life, once so artless and pure.
"Truly, your sister-mother,
"PRISCILLA."
"Sister-mother indeed!" said Psyche; and she wrote this letter:—
"DEAR PRIS,—If you will mind your business, I will mind mine. P."