"Then it wasn't true," said Margery.
"No, indeed, miss. If I'd spoken the truth, I should have said that I'd been doing wrong all my life, and cherishing a hard, proud, unloving spirit. I did not love God, nor even my own brother, and you can't love one without loving the other, you know, miss."
"I could never help loving Noel," said little Margery, "but what did you do that was so wicked, Mr. Betts?"
"Don't ask me, miss. I would not like to tell you the bad things I have done. Why, you've been one of the sufferers by my wrong-doings. You ask your mother, and she'll tell you how shamefully I wronged both her and you."
"No, no," said Mrs. Lavers, laying her hand gently on the old man's arm, "Margery will never hear of that from me, Mr. Betts. That's all over and done with. Don't speak of that again, please."
Margery looked curiously from one to the other.
"Then you had a burden all the time, Mr. Betts?" she said.
"Ay, that I had, missy, and a burden which grew heavier and heavier, when once I began to feel it."
"Why that was just like Christian," said little Margery, looking much interested; "and have you lost your burden now, Mr. Betts?"
"Yes, thank God, I have lost it, miss. I lost it as Christian lost his, at the foot of the cross. In other words, missy, I believe that God has forgiven me my sins for the sake of Jesus Christ, who died for me and such sinners as me."