"Ah!" said Miss Cunningham, significantly, "we will see about that," and some more whispering went on between her and Margaret.
Amy did not remark this conversation; but she said in a low voice to
Dora, "Does Mr Cunningham go to town with them always?"
"Yes," answered Dora, laughing; "and you must go to town too, to learn his language. French, Italian, German, and double-Dutch,—what an accomplished person you will be!"
"I don't mean to be unkind to him," said Amy; "but it would take off a great deal of my pleasure."
"Oh no, it would not; it is only because you are not accustomed to him—every one in the house understands him."
"Do they? but then they are older. Oh Dora! you cannot think how frightened I was. I was so afraid he would think me rude and unfeeling."
"I should have been afraid of laughing," said Dora; "I never heard such an extraordinary voice in my life."
"Perhaps I might have laughed if he had not been so kind; and then it vexes mamma so, if I ever ridicule a person's misfortunes; she says that we never can tell when the same things may be sent to ourselves."
Dora was thoughtful for a minute; at length she said, "You are so grave about things, Amy; it is not human nature not to laugh at such oddities."
"But," replied Amy, "mamma says we have two natures, a good one and a bad one, and that human nature is the bad one."