"
"An injudicious promise, Barbara. You do the child more harm by
implying such an opinion of her than you could do by letting me hear
what she has actually done. But you are absolved from the promise,
for she has herself told me."
"Told you! That girl has no sense of shame! After all the pains I
took to conceal it!"
"No, Barbara; it was with the utmost shame that she told me. It was
unguarded of me, I own; but De la Poer and I had entirely forgotten
that she was present, and I asked him if he could account for your
evident dislike and distrust of her. The child's honourable feelings
would not allow her to listen, and she came forward, and accused
herself, not you!"
"Before Lord de la Poer! Giles, how could you allow it?" cried Lady
Barbara, confounded. "That whole family will tell the story, and she
will be marked for ever!"
"De la Poer has some knowledge of child nature," said the Colonel,
slightly smiling.
"A gentleman often encourages that sort of child, but condemns her
the more. She will be a by-word in that family! I always knew she
would be our disgrace!"
"O Giles, do tell Barbara it cannot be so very bad!" entreated Lady
Jane. "She is such a child--poor little dear!--and so little used to
control!"
"I have only as yet heard her own confused account."
Lady Barbara gave her own.
"I see," said the Colonel, "the child was both accurate and candid.
You should be thankful that your system has not destroyed her
sincerity.
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