He only knew that she had a secret--a counter secret to his pig; and
when she hotly assured him that she had never touched the money, and
Susan backed her up with, "There, she says she did not," he answered,
"She once told a story."
Elizabeth coloured deep red, and Susan cried out loudly that it was a
shame in David; then explained that it was a long long time ago, that
Hal and Bessie broke the drawing-room window by playing at ball with
little hard apples, and had not 'told, but when questioned had said,
"No;" but indeed they had been so sorry then that she knew they would
never do so again.
Again David showed that he could not enter into this, and sulkily
repeated, "She told a story."
"I will have no more of this," said Christabel resolutely. "You are
all working yourselves up into a bad spirit: and not another word
will I hear on this matter till lessons are over."
That tone was always obeyed; but lessons did not prosper; the
children were all restless and unsettled; and David, hitherto for his
age her best scholar, took no pains, and seemed absolutely stupefied.
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