"What is that?"
Mrs. Landholm looked up again, and the look caught Elizabeth's eye, as she answered,
"The Bible."
"The Bible! — no, I don't read it much," said Elizabeth. "Why,
Mrs. Landholm?"
"Why, my dear? — I hope you will know some day why," she answered, her voice a little changed.
"But that is not exactly an answer, Mrs. Landholm," said
Elizabeth with some curiosity.
Mrs. Landholm dropped her hands and her stocking into her lap, and looked at the face opposite her. It was an honest and intelligent face, very innocent in its ignorance of life and life-work.
"What should we do without the Bible?" she asked.
"Do without it! Why I have done without it all my days, Mrs.
Landholm."
"You are mistaken even in that," she said; "but, Miss Elizabeth, do you think you have lived a blameless life all your life till now? — have you never done wrong?"