Norman little thought as he walked by her side how kindly she felt to him. He fancied that she was only thinking about her little dead bird, and mourning for its loss. He was ashamed to look up into her face, as he would have done, had his conscience not accused him—for although he tried to persuade himself that he had not intended actually to kill the bird, yet he well knew that he had harboured the thought day after day, and often as he murmured to himself, “I did not want to kill it,” a voice said to him, “Norman, you know that you did want to kill it.”
How different was the expression in the countenance of the two children. Although both were handsome, that of Norman showed his irritable discontented disposition. By the time they reached the house Fanny had dried her tears, and hers exhibited the sweet gentle temper which animated her.
As they got near the house they saw Mrs Leslie, who had come out into the garden. Fanny ran forward to meet her, and taking her hand said—
“Dear granny it is all over, Norman is very sorry, so when papa comes this evening, I hope that he may not hear about my poor birdie, and that we shall both look smiling and happy.”
“I hope so, my dear, and I am very sure that neither your mamma nor Mrs Maclean will tell him of what has occurred.”
“Oh, I shall be so much obliged to them,” answered Fanny, “it is what I have been dreading more than anything else, for I never saw Norman look so grieved for anything he has done.”
“That is a great step in the right direction, but he has still much to learn, and many faults to correct, and those faults he will not correct unless his heart is changed,” answered Mrs Leslie.
“O dear granny, that is what I have been praying it may be,” said Fanny, “and you have often told me that God hears prayers even of weak little girls like me.”
“Yes, indeed, He does, and I trust that your prayers and mine, and your mamma’s, will be answered in His good time. God accomplishes His ends as He judges best; and we must not despair, even if we do not see Norman behave as well as we could wish all at once.”
The subject of this conversation had been standing at some distance, with his head cast down, unwilling to approach his grandmamma, for he was afraid that he might receive another scolding, and was beginning to harden his heart to resist it.