Hetty put her arms round the governess’s neck as she spoke, and laughed and sobbed together.  Miss Davis seemed quite stunned with the revelation.

“Are you sure you are not dreaming, Hetty?  I want a few moments to think it all over.  None of these dreadful things have really happened!  Well, my dear, I must first thank God.”

“Oh, Miss Davis, I wish you would beat me.”

“No, dear, I won’t beat you.  Only don’t another time think it good fun to cut a poor governess to the heart.  Perhaps you thought I had not much feeling in me.”

“Not very much,” said Hetty.  “I knew you were very good, and strong, and wise, and learned; but I did not know you could love people.”

“You know it now.  For the future do not think that because people are colder in their manner than you are they are therefore heartless.  Persons who lead the life that I lead, have to keep many feelings shut up within themselves, and to accustom themselves to do without sympathy.”

Hetty pondered over these words.  She wanted to say that she thought it would do quite as well to show more feeling, and look for a little more sympathy.  She was now sure that she could always have loved Miss Davis, had she only known her from the first to be so warm-hearted and so truly affectionate.  But she did not know how to express herself and remained silent.

“Miss Davis,” she said presently; “must governesses always keep their hearts shut up, and try to look as if they loved nobody?  You know I am going to be a governess some day, and that is why I ask.”

Miss Davis was startled.  “Do I look as if I loved nobody?” she asked.

“A little,” said Hetty.

“Then I must be wrong.  It cannot be good to look as if one loved nobody.  At the same time it is very necessary to curb all one’s feelings.  Phyllis, for instance, would not respect me if she thought me what she would call sentimental.  And even Nell would perhaps smile at me as a simpleton if she saw me looking for particular affection.  Even you, Hetty—­you who think so much about love!—­could I manage you at all if I did not know how to look stern?”

“You could,” said Hetty; “you could manage me better by smiling at me; just try, Miss Davis.  But oh, I forgot; I have got to be a governess too, and perhaps I had better be hardened up.”

Miss Davis was silent, thinking over Hetty’s words.  That this ardent child found her “hardened up” was an unpleasant surprise to her; but she was not above taking a hint even from one so young and faulty as Hetty.  She would try to be warmer, brighter with this girl.  And then she reflected sadly on the prospect before Hetty.  With a nature like hers, how would she ever become sufficiently disciplined to be fit for the life of toil and self-repression that lay before her?

The next day Hetty looked out anxiously for an opportunity of speaking privately to Mark.