She was up almost with the light, to despatch whatever household
affairs could be settled without Emily, before the time came for the
children's lessons; many hours were spent on these, while she was
continually harassed by Phyllis's dulness, Ada's inattention, and the
interruption of work to do for Emily, and often was she baffled by
interference from Jane or Emily. She was conscious of her unfitness
to teach the children, and often saw that her impatience, ignorance,
and inefficiency, were doing mischief; but much as this pained her,
she could not speak to her father without compromising her sister,
and to argue with Emily herself was quite in vain. Emily had taken
up the principle of love, and defended herself with it on every
occasion, so that poor Lily was continually punished by having her
past follies quoted against herself.
Each day Emily grew more selfish and indolent; now that Lily was
willing to supply all that she neglected, and to do all that she
asked, she proved how tyrannical the weak can be.
The whole of her quarter's allowance was spent in dress, and Lily
soon found that the only chance of keeping her out of debt was to
spend her own time and labour in her behalf; and what an exertion of
patience and kindness this required can hardly be imagined.
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