"Do hold your tongue, Judy," said her mother. "You've got enough, and David much more than enough."
But with this the uncomfortable breakfast party broke up.
"Matilda," said Mrs. Laval when they had gone upstairs,—"I don't know whether you have done good or harm."
"She's done no good, mamma," said Norton. "Just look at Davy. And I can tell you, grandmamma is beginning to read the Bible to herself; I've seen her at it."
"But I haven't done anything, mamma," said Matilda.
"Well, my dear, I don't know who has, then," Mrs. Laval replied.
And the subject was dropped. But certainly Mrs. Lloyd did begin after that to ask Matilda now and then, when they were alone, to read to her; and Matilda found that David did it constantly, by his grandmother's desire, in her own room.
The weeks were few now to the time when the household would break up; Mrs. Laval and her children to return to Briery Bank, Mrs. Bartholomew and hers for a cottage at Newport. Mrs. Lloyd was accustomed to abide generally with the latter. All the members of the family were busied with their various preparations; and the unsettled feeling of coming change was upon the whole household. Little else was thought of. So when an invitation came from the mother of Esther Francis, that all the young ones should join a party of pleasure that were going to spend the day in Westchester, it was a very unlooked for variety in the general course of things. Of course they would go. The young people were to eat strawberries and do everything else that was pleasant, at General Francis's place. Mrs. Francis was not yet ready to leave town; there was nobody in possession but the servants; the widest liberty would be the rule of the day.
"How nice that the boys are out of school!" said Matilda. "Term just ended."
"Of course. Couldn't have the party without the people," said Judy.