You see it was entirely my fault.'
'Oh! no, no, Mamma, do not say so!' said Elizabeth; 'it was entirely
mine. I was led away by my foolish eagerness and self-will, I was
bent on my own way, and cast aside all warnings, and now I see what
mischief I have done. Cannot you do anything to repair it, Papa?
cannot you say that it was all my doing, my wilfulness, my
carelessness of warning, my perverseness?'
'I wish I had known it before,' said Mr. Woodbourne, 'I could at
least have spoken to Mr. Turner on Saturday, and prevented the
Mertons' name from appearing.'
'I did not tell you because I had no opportunity,' said Mrs.
Woodbourne; 'Lizzie came and told me all, the instant she knew that
she had done wrong; but I thought it would harass you, and you were
so much occupied that I had better wait till all this bustle was
over, but she told me everything most candidly, and would have come
to you, but that Mr. Roberts was with you at the time.--My dear
Lizzie, do not distress yourself so much, I am sure you have suffered
a great deal.'
'O Mamma,' said Elizabeth, 'how can I ever suffer enough for such a
tissue of ill-conduct? you never will see how wrong it was in me.
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