Then she opened a Bible which lay on a table near her, and in very solemn tones read these words, “‘But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers’” (glancing off now in a threatening manner at Carrie), “‘and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.’”
Carrie turned very pale. If Miss Palmer had asked her for the truth again, she would have told it, but 213 she did not; she only motioned the girls from the room, and went herself to see Miss Ashton.
Incidents similar to this were not unusual in the school, and Miss Ashton always considered them the most painful and troublesome to deal with. She waited a day or two before taking any notice of it, then she sent for Marion, who went to her room with fear and trembling.
“Marion,” said Miss Ashton, beckoning to her to come and sit on the sofa beside her, “I am very sorry on your account that this has happened. It would have been better if you had told Miss Palmer as soon as you knew what Carrie was doing; better for her, for of course she was deceiving, and we know what that means; better for Miss Palmer, for she could form no just estimate of Carrie’s scholarship, for which she is responsible; and better for you, because, in a certain way, it made you a partaker in the deception.”
“O Miss Ashton! I could not tell on her; I could not, I could not!” exclaimed Marion.
“I understand you perfectly,” said wise Miss Ashton; “I only want you to see the situation as it is. If you had thought of it, you might have come to me. Everything of that kind I should know, then your responsibility would have ceased, and, without making a class matter of it, I could have influenced Carrie to do right.
“Now, if you fully understand me, run back to your lessons, only remember, in whatever perplexity 214 for the future you find yourself, I am the house mother, and you are all my children; you would not have hesitated to tell your mother if you had found any of your brothers or sisters doing wrong, should you?”
“No, ma’am; I should have gone to her at once.”
“And not felt that you were a tell-tale?”
“Not for a moment.”