"So I heard, but I don't see many of them. We hardly ever have any calls."
Emily dabbled her brush very fast in her water-glass, and her cheeks turned very pink:
"Well, the truth is, Marion, your sister is no favourite here. She doesn't mean any harm, I dare say, but you know her way of talking; and the long and the short of it is, she has made so many unkind speeches and said so many hard things that she has offended almost every lady in the place."
"What a pity!" said Marion. "Take care, Emily; you are working that up too much. Let it dry till the rest is done, and then you can glaze it if you like."
"It isn't that Mrs. Van Alstine isn't kind in one way," continued Emily; "she is always ready to do for the sick and to give to the poor, but she spoils it all with her speeches. If you knew how she talks about father! It is no thanks to her that we are here now."
"I do know," said Marion; "but, Emily, she doesn't mean half of it. It is a foolish way of talking she has got into. Then she is not at all well: she has very bad headaches; and besides, I think she has some trouble that she does not tell of; and the discomfort makes her irritable."
"Poor thing! I am sure I am sorry for her," said Emily; "but you see, Marion, other people don't know these things, and they can't be expected to make allowances, as you do. Besides, to tell you the truth, it is not only that Mrs. Van Alstine says sharp things. She says scandalous things that get repeated and make trouble, and she talks from one to another. I have wanted to tell you this, though it doesn't seem just the thing, either," continued Emily, greatly endangering the "keeping" of her stump in her confusion and earnestness. "I thought you would think it very strange that so few people in the church called on you."
"It did seem odd, but then, you know, I don't know much of the world," said Marion. "I never lived anywhere but at Holford and in the valley. Everybody was very sociable at Holford, and I think Aunt Barbara was a very great favourite. And in the valley, you know, there are only ourselves. But I am sorry for Gerty."
"And so am I, and so is mother, but we can't help her much. We visit her and ask her to our house, but we can't make other people do so. Look, Marion; is that right?"
"Very nice indeed," pronounced Marion, inspecting the sketch; "I think it is quite wonderful for a first attempt."