"Why not, of course! you will have no eyes for any one shortly but Clarissa Candy; I can see it. But she is a member of the Church, isn't she?"
"What if she is?" said Matilda. "Mamma read that in one of Aunt Candy's letters, I remember."
"We'll see what Mr. Richmond will say to her. Maria reports that he does not like red flowers; I wonder what he will think of some other things."
"That is only Maria's nonsense," Matilda insisted. "I know Mr. Richmond likes red flowers; he has got a red lily in his room."
"In his room—oh yes! but not in people's bonnets, you know; nor in their heads; if they are Christians."
"I can't imagine what people's being Christians has to do with red flowers," said Matilda. "Besides, Clarissa hadn't any flowers about her at all. I don't know what you are talking of."
"Didn't you see her gold chain, though, that hung round her neck?"
"Her watch was on that. Mayn't Christians wear gold chains? What nonsense you do talk, Letitia!"
"I shouldn't want to be a Christian if I thought I couldn't wear anything," Maria remarked.
"Nor would I," said Letitia. "So I advise you, my dears, to be a little careful how you join Bands and such things. You may find that Mr. Richmond is not just the sort of Christian you want to be."