you a little? It can't hurt you now."

"But I don't like people to jump upon me," Alice said.

"And why are you to have everything just as you like it? You are so
unreasonable. Think how I've been jumped on! Think what I have borne
from them! If you knew the things she used to say to me, you would
not be such a coward. I was sent down to her for a week, and had no
power of helping myself. And the Marchioness used to be sent for to
look at me, for she never talks. She used to look at me, and groan,
and hold up her hands till I hated her the worst of the two. Think
what they did to me, and yet they are my dear friends now. Why should
you escape altogether?"

Alice could not escape altogether, and therefore was closeted with
Lady Midlothian for the best part of an hour. "Did Lady Macleod read
to you what I wrote?" the Countess asked.

"Yes,--that is, she gave me the letter to read."

"And I hope you understand me, Alice?"

"Oh, yes, I suppose so."

"You suppose so, my dear! If you only suppose so I shall not
be contented. I want you to appreciate my feelings towards you
thoroughly. I want you to know that I am most anxious as to your
future life, and that I am thoroughly satisfied with the step you are
now taking." The Countess paused, but Alice said nothing. Her tongue
was itching to tell the old woman that she cared nothing for this
expression of satisfaction; but she was aware that she had done much
that was deserving of punishment, and resolved to take this as part
of her penance. She was being jumped upon, and it was unpleasant;
but, after all that had happened, it was only fitting that she should
undergo much unpleasantness. "Thoroughly satisfied," continued the
Countess; "and now, I only wish to refer, in the slightest manner
possible, to what took place between us when we were both of us under
this roof last winter."

"Why refer to it at all, Lady Midlothian?"

"Because I think it may do good, and because I cannot make you
understand that I have thoroughly forgiven everything, unless I tell
you that I have forgiven that also. On that occasion I had come all
the way from Scotland on purpose to say a few words to you."

"I am so sorry that you should have had the trouble."

"I do not regret it, Alice. I never do regret doing anything which
I believe to have been my duty. There is no knowing how far what I
said then may have operated for good." Alice thought that she knew
very well, but she said nothing.