Moreover, in her reading, she came to passages which she was glad to skip, for she knew their teaching would awaken conscience, and she did not want to listen to the reproaches of conscience. Beryl was not so absorbed in her reading that she did not catch the first sound of Miss Burton's approach. She trembled and grew pale as her governess opened the door. She suddenly became fully conscious how bad her conduct was.
"Well, Beryl," said Miss Burton, coming towards her, and speaking with her usual gentleness, "do you know your lesson?"
"No," said Beryl, rather unsteadily; "I have not learned it."
"Not learned it!" repeated Miss Burton, in a tone of the greatest surprise. "Why, what is this?" she added, as her eyes fell on the story book, which Beryl had hastily pushed from her as her governess entered. "Have you been reading this, Beryl, instead of learning your lesson?"
"Yes," said Beryl, colouring hotly, and looking on the floor.
Miss Burton was silent for a few moments from sheer astonishment. She was quite unprepared for such an outbreak of wilfulness on the part of her pupil. She could not understand how it was that Beryl thus persisted in defying her authority.
Beryl, glancing timidly at her governess, saw an expression of pain and perplexity on her face, the sight of which did more to soften the child's mood than any words which had yet been spoken.
"I could not have believed it of you, Beryl," said Miss Burton at last, without raising her voice or showing any sign of anger. "What can have come over you to make you behave thus? Do you find pleasure in giving me trouble?"
Beryl did not answer. She hung her head now in genuine shame. Oh, how she wished she had acted differently! If only what had happened could be blotted out, and she could begin the day afresh!
"Go to your bedroom, Beryl, and remain there for the rest of the day," said Miss Burton, in her quiet tone of decision; "I will send your dinner to you there. We must go to the woods without you this afternoon. I hope when I see you in the evening, you will have thought over what has passed, and feel sorry for having behaved so badly. You do not need me to tell you how wrong you have been."