By the time she entered the house, her indignation had risen like a blaze, and burned away all her tears. But should she tell her mother what Mrs. Lovejoy had said about her ownself, about her being "stuck up," and holding her head pretty high? Susy could not decide whether she ought to tell her, and risk the danger of almost breaking her heart! But before she had time to decide, she had poured out the whole story in a torrent.
Strange to say, Mrs. Parlin listened with perfect calmness, and even said, when Susy had finished,—
"Very well, my dear; now you may go and hang up your hood and cloak."
"But, mother," said Susy, rushing up stairs again, quite out of breath, "now I've taken care of my things; but did you understand what I said, mother? Annie will never come into this house, never again! Her mother forbids it!"
"That is quite fortunate for me, Susy, as it saves me the trouble of forbidding it myself!"
"Why, mother, you wouldn't do such a thing as that! Why, mother, I never heard of your doing such a thing in my life!"
"I should regret the necessity very much, my child; but wouldn't it be better, on the whole, to have a little moral courage, and put an end to all intercourse between the two families, than to live in a constant broil?"
"Why, yes, mother, I suppose so."
Susy was beginning to feel more composed. She saw that her mother understood the whole story, yet her heart was far from being broken!
"What is moral courage, mother?"