'
'Not our own little ones,' said Jane; 'honest Phyl did not understand
the joke, and Ada was thinking of her attitudes; one comfort is, that
I shall be confirmed in three weeks' time, and then people cannot
treat me as a mere child--little as I am.'
'Oh! Jane,' said Emily, 'I do not like to hear you talk of
confirmation in that light way.'
'No, no,' said Jane, 'I do not mean it--of course I do not mean it--
don't look shocked--it was only by the bye--and another by the bye,
Emily, you know I must have a cap and white ribbons, and I am afraid
I must make it myself.'
'Ay, that is the worst of having Esther,' said Emily, 'she and Hannah
have no notion of anything but the plainest work; I am sure if I had
thought of all the trouble of that kind which having a young girl
would entail, I would never have consented to Esther's coming.'
'That was entirely Lily's scheme,' said Jane.
'Yes; it is impossible to resist Lily, she is so eager and anxious,
and it would have vexed her very much if I had opposed her, and that
I cannot bear; besides, Esther is a very nice girl, and will learn.'
'There is Robert talking to papa on the green,' said Jane; 'what a
deep conference; what can it be about?'
If Jane had heard that conversation she might have perceived that she
could not wilfully offend, even in what she thought a trifling
matter, without making it evident, even to others, that there was
something very wrong about her.
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