"I have a nice opportunity to turn you over on these rocks and smash the carriage to pieces; but I don't mean to do it."
"You know what I mean, Norton; nobody has an opportunity to do wrong. I mean, you know, an opportunity to do anything good."
"Well now, Pink," said Norton, drawing the reins a little, and letting the ponies come to an easy walk,—"see what that would end in. As long as people have got money, they have got opportunities. I suppose that is what you mean?"
"Yes," said Matilda. "That is part."
"Well. We might go on and help all the people in Lilac Lane, mightn't we? and then we could find plenty more to help somewhere else; and we could go on, using our opportunities, till we had nothing to live upon our selves. That is what it must come to, if you don't stop somewhere. We should have to sell the carriages and the ponies, and keep two or three servants instead of eight; and mamma would have to stop wearing what she wears now; and by and by we should want help ourselves. How would you like that? Don't you see one must stop somewhere?"
"Yes," said Matilda. "But what puzzles me is, where ought one to stop? Mr. Richmond says we ought to use all our opportunities."
"If we can," said Norton.
"But, Norton, what we can't, is not an opportunity."
"That's a fact!" said Norton, laughing. "I didn't know you were so sharp, Pink."
"I should like to ask Mr. Richmond more about it," said Matilda.