Gertie had not, and did not particularly care to be just yet, she said; and Alice was as much shocked and surprised as if the child had been convicted of a crime.
“Not wish to be confirmed and be good! How shocking!” she exclaimed.
And Gertie replied:
“I did not say I did not wish to be good, for I do; but I don’t want to be confirmed until I am older and understand it better.”
“Who is your teacher in Sunday-school?” Alice asked next, with a good deal of severity.
“I don’t go to Sunday-school. I get my lesson at home, and recite it with the Collect and the Commandments to Auntie,” Gertie said, while Miss Creighton grew more and more amazed.
“Not go to Sunday-school! I did not suppose there was any one in this town so heathenish as that! Child, you must go, and, if you do not care to join the school at church, come to the Mission to-morrow at four o’clock. You will find me there, and the Misses Schuyler and several other ladies. Will you come?”
Gertie hesitated a moment, and then asked:
“Has Mr. Godfrey a class?”
“Mr. Godfrey a class! Certainly not. Can’t you go unless he is there?” Alice said, sharply, conscious of a sudden feeling, which, had Gertie been her equal, would have been jealousy.