“What! not confess that you were in the wrong? Oh, Cecilia! I had a better opinion of you.”
“Your opinion is of no consequence to me now, for you don’t love me.”
“No; not when you are unjust, Cecilia.”
“Unjust! I am not unjust; and if I were, you are not my governess.”
“No, but am not I your friend?”
“I don’t desire to have such a friend, who would quarrel with me for happening to throw down little Louisa. How could I tell that she had a mandarin in her hand? and when it was broken, could I do more than promise her another; was that unjust?”
“But you know, Cecilia—”
“I know,” ironically. “I know, Leonora, that you love Louisa better than you love me; that’s the injustice!”
“If I did,” replied Leonora, gravely, “it would be no injustice, if she deserved it better.”
“How can you compare Louisa to me!” exclaimed Cecilia, indignantly.