“There, Lucy, I told you that you were not big enough to go alone.”
Royal did wrong to say this; for Lucy had not boasted improperly of her age and powers, but only expressed a pleasure which it was very proper that she should feel at being intrusted by her mother with a mark of increased confidence in her strength and intelligence. Besides, even if Lucy had been vaingloriously boasting, her fall ought to have protected her from taunts; for whenever people are led into difficulty by their errors, the pain they feel is punishment enough. They do not need our reproaches.
However, though Royal at first accosted Lucy in a harsh manner, he soon changed his tone, and went to help her up. He smoothed her dress, and picked up her parcel, and gave it to her; for it had been thrown off up against the tree by the concussion.
“Lucy,” said he, “I’m sorry that you fell down; but you had better let me go along with you, to take care of you, and help you up if you fall down again.”
“No,” said Lucy, “I want to go and do the errand myself alone. I shall not fall down, if you are not behind me to talk to me, and make me turn round and walk backwards.”
Royal perceived that he had been the cause of Lucy’s fall; so he said no more upon that subject, but only added,—
“Well, Lucy, since you won’t let me go with you, just sit down here a few minutes on the grass, and tell me where you are going, and all about it.”
“No,” said Lucy, “I must not stop to play or sit down by the way, when I am going of errands,—only I am going to stop half an hour at Mary Jay’s.”
“Then you are going to Mary Jay’s,” said Royal.
“Yes,” answered Lucy, “to carry this book.”