2012年11月6日星期二

'Aunt Truth

'Aunt Truth,' she said softly, as Mrs. Winship sat down beside her, 'you remember that Dr. Paul hung my hammock in a new place to-day, just behind the girls' sleeping-tent. Now I know that Polly is in trouble, and that you are displeased with her. What I want to ask, if I may, is, how much you know; for I overheard a great deal myself- -enough to feel that Polly deserves a hearing.'
'I overheard nothing,' replied Mrs. Winship. 'All that I know Polly herself confessed in Laura's presence. Polly told Laura, just as she was going away, that everybody would be glad to see the last of her, and that she had made everybody miserable from the beginning of her visit. It was quite inexcusable, you know, dear, for one of my guests to waylay another, just as she was leaving, and make such a cruel speech. I would rather anything else had happened. I know how impetuous Polly is, and I can forgive the child almost anything, her heart is so full of love and generosity; but I cannot overlook such a breach of propriety as that. Of course I have seen that Laura is not a favourite with any of you. I confess she is not a very lovable person, and I think she has led a very unwholesome life lately and is sadly spoiled by it; still that is no excuse for Polly's conduct.'
'No, of course it isn't,' sighed Elsie, with a little quiver of the lip. 'I thought I could plead a better case for Polly, but I see exactly how thoughtless and impolite she was; yet, if you knew everything,louis vuitton australia, auntie, dear, you would feel a little different,cheap designer handbags. Do you think it was nice of Laura to repeat what Polly said right before her, and just as she was going away, when she knew it would make you uncomfortable and that you were not to blame for it?'
'No, hardly. It didn't show much tact; but girls of fifteen or sixteen are not always remarkable for social tact. I excused her partly because she was half-sick and nervous.'
'Well,' Elsie went on, 'I didn't hear the whole quarrel, so that I do not know how long it lasted nor who began it. I can't help thinking it was Laura, though, for she's been trying her best to provoke Polly for the last fortnight, and until to-day she has never really succeeded. I was half asleep, and heard at first only the faint murmur of voices, but when I was fully awake, Laura was telling Polly that she doted on you simply because you had money and position, while she had not; that you were all so partial to her that she had lost sight of her own deficiencies. Then she called her bold and affected, and I don't know what else, and finally wound up by saying that nobody but the Winships would be likely to make a pet of the daughter of a boarding-house keeper.'
'Elsie!' ejaculated Mrs. Winship; 'this grows worse and worse! Is it possible that Laura Burton could be guilty of such a thought?'
'I can't be mistaken. I was too excited not to hear very clearly; and the moment the words were spoken I knew my poor dear's fiery temper would never endure that. And it didn't; it blazed out in a second, but it didn't last long, for before I could get to the tent she had stopped herself right in the middle of a sentence; and in another minute I heard your voice, and crept back to the hammock, thinking that everything would be settled by Laura's going away. I'd no idea that she would pounce on Polly and get her in disgrace, the very last thing, when she knew that she was responsible for the whole matter. You see,fake uggs online store, auntie, that, impolite as Polly was, she only told Laura that we girls were glad she was going. She didn't bring you in, after all; and Laura knew perfectly well that she was a welcome visitor, and we all treated her with the greatest politeness, though it's no use to say we liked her much,Discount UGG Boots.'

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