“I don’t expect you to give it me for nothing, of course.”
“Indeed I wish I could give it you for nothing.”
“Listen, now, to what I intend to do: I will leave you in exchange all my books of sketches.”
“Oh, pray stop, uncle,” cried Maurice, feeling more and more unhappy; “what you are saying makes me so miserable. You know I promised Fritz never to part with Cressida.”
“But every day people make promises which they do not keep: besides, Fritz did not know that I should ever wish to have the horse, when he asked you to make that promise.”
“Still, I gave my word.”
“Yes, the word of a child: what does that signify?”
“Does age make a difference? Are not children expected to keep their promises?”
“Oh, I don’t mean to say exactly that,” replied the uncle. “Your own conscience must teach you how that ought to be. But I think it strange that you should prefer that old Fritz to me.”
Now you must not suppose, my little readers, that Maurice resisted his uncle’s persuasion with the calm steadfastness of a grown-up man, whose mind is quite clear as to his duty, and who is quite decided to keep to it. No: poor little Maurice found his heart drawing him one way and his conscience another. At last he wisely determined that he would take an opportunity, when alone with his father, to ask his advice: but the young lieutenant did not give him a chance of doing this, for he began again upon the subject the same evening.