“No.”
“You might sympathize with me.”
Sue nibbled the edge of her book, with her eyes filled with tears. She had no friend except Tessa, and now she had deserted her!
Tessa turned the leaves and thought that she was reading; she did read the words: “The family from which I am derived is not an ignoble one, but hath descended all along from the priests; and as nobility among several people is of a different origin, so with us to be of the sacerdotal dignity is an indication of the splendor of a family.”
“Yes,” she tried to think, her eyes wandering out of the window towards the rear of Gesner’s Row, “and that is why the promise, to be made kings and priests—”
“Tessa, I think you are real mean,” said Sue, in a pathetic voice.
Tessa met her eyes and smiled. She did not like to be hard towards Sue.
“Do you think that I’ve been so wicked?”
“I think that you have been so wicked that you must either be forgiven or punished.”