"Quite the contrary," answered her cousin coolly. "She won't hear of your going. But what signifies that? You could go to church in spite of her, and surely you can't think her consent of much consequence to a ball?"
Poor Mary's countenance fell, as the bright vision of her imagination melted into air.
"Without my mother's permission," said she, "I shall certainly not think of, or even wish—" with a sigh—"to go to the ball, and if she has already refused it that is enough."
Lady Emily regarded her with astonishment. "Pray, is it only on Sundays you make a point of disobeying your mother?"
"It is only when I conceive a higher duty is required of me," answered
Mary.
"Why, I confess I used to think that to honour one's father and mother _was _a duty, till you showed me the contrary. I have to thank you for ridding me of that vulgar prejudice. And now, after setting me such a noble example of independence, you seem to have got a new light on the subject yourself."
"My obedience and disobedience both proceed from the same source," answered Mary. "My first duty, I have been taught, is to worship my Maker—my next to obey my mother. My own gratification never can come in competition with either."
"Well, I really can't enter into a religious controversy with you; but it seems to me the sin, if it is one, is precisely the same, whether you play the naughty girl in going to one place or another. I can see no difference."
"To me it appears very different," said Mary; "and therefore I should be inexcusable were I to choose the evil, believing it to be such."
"Say what you will," cried her cousin pettishly, "you never will convince me there can be any harm in disobeying such a mother as yours—so unreasonable—so—"