"Matilda is a little piece of thoughtfulness," said her aunt, drawing the child to her side and kissing her. "Don't you think a little too much, Tilly?"
Matilda wondered whether her aunt thought quite enough.
"Now, Maria," Mrs. Englefield went on as her other daughter came in, "are you purposing to enter into all Mr. Richmond's plans that Clarissa has been talking about?"
"Yes, ma'am, of course," Maria said.
"Well, I want you to take notice, that I expect in the first place that all your home and school duties shall be perfectly performed. Religion, if it is good for anything, makes people do their duties. Your lessons must be perfect; your drawers kept in order; your clothes mended; you must be punctual at school and orderly at home; do you hear? And if all this is not done, I shall take all your pretended religion for nothing but a sham, and shall pay no respect to it at all. Now go to bed and act religion for a month before I hear you talk another word about it."
Maria went silently up-stairs, accompanied by her little sister; but once in their room, she broke out—
"Mamma is real cross to-night! It is just Clarissa's doing."
"I'll tell you what it is, Maria," her sister said; "she is not cross; she is worried. I know she is worried."
"About Mr. Richmond?" said Maria.
"I don't know about what. No, I guess she was worried before we came back."