Winnie gave another very slight shrug of her shoulders, and turned away, as far as a mingled impulse of defiance and politeness would let her. She would neither be rude nor would she permit her assailant to think that she was running away.
“If I venture to seize this moment, and speak to you more plainly than I would speak to all, oh, my dear Mrs. Percival,” cried Mrs. Kirkman, “my dear fellow sinner! don’t think it is because I am insensible to the existence of the same evil tendency in my own heart.”
“What do you mean by talking to me of evil tendencies?” cried Winnie, flushing high. “I don’t want to hear you speak. You may be a sinner if you like, but I don’t think there is any particular fellowship between you and me.”
“There is the fellowship of corrupt hearts,” said Mrs. Kirkman. “I hope, for your own sake, you will not refuse to listen for a moment. I may never have been tempted in the same way, but I know too well the deceitfulness of the natural heart to take any credit to myself. You have been exposed to many temptations——”
“You know nothing about me, that I am aware,” cried Winnie, with restrained fury. “I do not know how you can venture to take such liberty with me.”
“Ah, my dear Mrs. Percival, I know a great deal about you,” said Mrs. Kirkman. “There is nothing I would not do to make a favourable impression on your mind. If you would but treat me as a friend, and let me be of some use to you: I know you must have had many temptations; but we know also that it is never too late to turn away from evil, and that with true repentance——”
“I suppose what you want is to drive me out of the room,” said Winnie, looking at her fiercely, with crimson cheeks. “What right have you to lecture me? My sister’s friends have a right to visit her, of course, but not to make themselves disagreeable—and I don’t mean my private affairs to be discussed by Mary’s friends. You have nothing to do with me.”
“I was not speaking as Mary’s friend,” said Mrs. Kirkman, with a passing twinge of conscience. “I was speaking only as a fellow-sinner. Dear Mrs. Percival, surely you recollect who it was that objected to be his brother’s keeper. It was Cain; it was not a loving Christian heart. Oh, don’t sin against opportunity, and refuse to hear me. The message I have is one of mercy and love. Even if it were too late to redeem character with the world, it is never too late to come to——”
Winnie started to her feet, goaded beyond bearing.
“How dare you! how dare you!” she said, clenching her hands,—but Mrs. Kirkman’s benevolent purpose was far too lofty and earnest to be put down by any such demonstration of womanish fury.