'Well,' said Elizabeth, drawing a long breath, as she went out to walk with Anne
and Helen, 'there is the even-handed justice of this world. Of the four delinquents
of last Friday, there goes one with flying colours, in all the glory of a successful
deceit; you, Anne, who, to say the best of you, acted like a very great goose, are
considered as wise as ever; I, who led you all into the scrape with my eyes
wilfully blinded, am only pitied and comforted; poor Kitty, who had less idea of
what she was doing than any of us, has had more crying and scolding than
anybody else; and Lucy, who behaved so well --oh! I cannot bear to think of her.'
'It is a puzzle indeed,' said Helen; 'I mean as far as regards Harriet and Lucy.'
'Not really, Helen,' said Elizabeth; 'it is only a failure in story book justice. Lucy is
too noble a creature to be rewarded in a story-book fashion; and as for Harriet,
impunity like hers is in reality a greater punishment than all the reproof in the
world.'
'How could she sit by and listen to all that Papa and Mrs. Hazleby were saying?'
said Helen.
'How could she bear the glance of Papa's eye?' said Elizabeth; 'did you watch it?
I thought I never saw it look so stern, and yet that contemptible creature sat
under it as contentedly as possible. Oh! it made me quite sick to watch her.'
Are you quite sure that she knew whether my uncle was aware of her share in
the matter?' said Anne.
'She must have seen it in that glance, or have been the most insensible creature
upon earth,' said Elizabeth.
'Ah!' said Anne, 'I have some notion what that eye of your Papa's can be.'
'You, Anne?' said Elizabeth; 'you do not mean that you could ever have done
anything to make him look at you in that way?'
'Indeed I have,' said Anne; 'do not you remember?'
'No, indeed,' said Elizabeth.
'However, it was not quite so bad as this,' said Anne.
'But do tell us what it was,' said Elizabeth, 'or I shall think it something
uncommonly shocking.'
