“My poor boy, you have been most severely punished for your fault,” at length resumed Mrs. Benham. “Conscience is a stern judge. ‘A wounded spirit who can bear?’”
“Yes, ma’am, when you punished Ronald, and when he got up before the school and asked your pardon”—but the penitent boy’s emotions were too deep to allow him to finish the sentence.
“And I suppose you have been suffering more or less from this concealed sin, every day since, now about six weeks,” said Mrs. Benham.
“Yes, ma’am,” replied Lewis. “I felt so mean that I used to keep out of Ronald’s way as much as I could. I hated to see him. Then I tried to treat him as well as I could, but that didn’t help me much. So I made up my mind at last that I would serve my writing-book the same way that I served his.”
“And did you expect to gain peace of mind in this way—by committing another fault, and covering it over with a falsehood?” inquired the teacher. “Your last error was almost as bad as the first. I hope this will be a lesson to you, as long as you live. By delaying this confession so many weeks, you have caused yourself a great deal of suffering, and got further into trouble than you were at first. But as I promised, I cheerfully forgive all, so far as it concerns me. Do you think there is any one else whose forgiveness you ought to seek?”
“I suppose I ought to tell Ronald about it, and ask him to forgive me,” replied Lewis.
“I should do so, most certainly,” said the teacher; “and you had better see him to-night, if possible, as you may not have an opportunity to speak with him to-morrow. Is there any one else whose forgiveness you propose to seek?”
“I don’t know,” replied Lewis, in doubt.
“Don’t you think your Heavenly Father will expect you to confess this matter to him, and ask his forgiveness?” inquired the teacher. “You have sinned against him quite as much as against Ronald or me. Are you in the habit of praying to him?”
“No, ma’am—only I say a hymn sometimes, when I go to bed,” replied Lewis.