"And what harm will it do me if you do think me a hypocrite?" said she. "You will no doubt injure yourself greatly; but I do not see how I shall be the sufferer. It is not by your judgment I stand or fall, or by that of any man or woman, but by my own Master's. As to your thinking me a hypocrite, that is just as you please. I know that neither you nor Joe would think any better of me for giving up my just rights in this matter; but whether you do or not is of small consequence to me."
"I should like to know how you found out any thing about the will," said Agnes, angrily. "I suppose you got it out of Madge, the mischief-making little story-teller! I can tell you this is the last time she enters your door, Letty Caswell; and I'll pay her well for her meddling. I will make her rue the day she ever went tattling to you or anybody else. I'll make you rue it too: see if I don't. You have been trying your best to make that child over after your own pattern; but I'll drive it out of her. I want no saints of your stamp spying and sneaking about me." Agnes paused from lack of breath.
"Agnes," said Letty, rising and speaking in a tone which made her angry listener keep silence in spite of herself, "you can act as you like, so far as I am concerned. I care nothing for what you may say or do; but, if you vent your spite towards me on that afflicted child, you will do a most wicked thing, for which God will bring you into judgment as sure as you stand there,—if not in this life, yet in the life to come. His eye is over the helpless and the innocent, and his ear is open to their prayer. For what you have said to me, may God forgive you, as I do; but beware how you offend one of these little ones; for I tell you, on his authority, that it would be better for you that a mill-stone were hanged about your neck and that you were drowned in the depths of the sea."
Letty left the room as she finished speaking. At the foot of the stairs she encountered Joe, who had evidently been waiting the result of her interview with Agnes.
"So you've seen Agnes,—hey? I suppose she has told you all about mother's will,—hey?"
"If you have any thing to say on that subject, I prefer that you should talk to my husband," said Letty.
"What! So you and Agnes have had a brush?" said he, with a disagreeable laugh. "I might have known she would make a mess of it, with that temper of hers. But never mind that: you and I can be reasonable, I hope; and, of course, Letty, you will at once see the justice of our claim."
"I prefer to have you talk to John," replied Letty. "I have no more to say on the subject."
"Why John?" said Emerson. "What has he got to do with it?"
Letty attempted to pass by him to the door; but Joe placed himself before her.