"You cannot, of course, like the company of ill-behaved people, and I do not wish that you should; but you can and ought to feel just as kindly disposed towards them as if they had never offended you just as willing and inclined to please them or do them good. Now, could you offer Miss what's her name? some of your candies with as hearty goodwill as you could before she laughed at you?"
"No, Sir, I couldn't. I don't feel as if I ever wished to see them again."
"Then, my dear Ellen, you have something to do, if you were in earnest in the resolve you made this morning. 'If ye forgive unto men their trespasses, my Heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will my Father forgive your trespasses.' "
He was silent, and so was Ellen, for some time. His words had raised a struggle in her mind; and she kept her face turned towards the shore, so that her bonnet shielded it from view; but she did not in the least know what she was looking at. The sun had been some time descending through a sky of cloudless splendour, and now was just kissing the mountain-tops of the western horizon. Slowly and with great majesty he sank behind the distant blue line, till only a glittering edge appeared and then that was gone. There were no clouds hanging over his setting, to be gilded and purpled by the parting rays, but a region of glory long remained, to show where his path had been.
The eyes of both were fixed upon this beautiful scene, but only one was thinking of it. Just as the last glimpse of the sun had disappeared, Ellen turned her face, bright again, towards her companion. He was intently gazing towards the hills that had so drawn Ellen's attention a while ago, and thinking still more intently, it was plain; so, though her mouth had been open to speak, she turned her face away again as suddenly as it had just sought his. He saw the motion, however.
"What is it, Ellen?" he said.
Ellen looked again, with a smile.
"I have been thinking, Sir, of what you said to me."
"Well?" said he, smiling, in answer.
I can't like Mrs. Dunscombe and Miss Dunscombe as well as if they hadn't done so to me, but I will try to behave as if nothing had been the matter, and be as kind and polite to them as if they had been kind and polite to me."