"And the wine, I suppose," said Matilda, severely.
"Yes!" said Maria, boldly, "I dare say, if all wine was like that, Mr. Richmond would have no objection to it."
"I don't see, Maria," said her sister, "what you made those promises for the other night. I think you ought not to have got up at all; it was the same as speaking; and if you do not mean to keep promises, you should not make them."
"And what have you got to do with it?" said Maria in her turn. "You did not stand up with the rest of us; you have no business to lecture other people that are better than yourself. I am going to keep all the promises I ever made; but I did not engage to go poking into Mrs. Dow's wash kitchen, nor to be rude to Mrs. Laval; and I don't mean to do the one or the other, I give you notice."
Matilda drew another of the long breaths that had come so many times that afternoon, and presently remarked that she was glad the next meeting of the Band would come in a few days.
Maria sharply inquired, "Why?"
"Because," said Matilda, "I hope Mr. Richmond will talk to us. I don't understand about things."
"Of course you don't!" said Maria; "and if I were you I would not be so wise, till I did 'understand.'"
Matilda got into bed, and Maria sat down to finish putting the braid on her dress.
"Tilly, what are you going to get with your twenty-five dollars?"