“What in the world would he have said of Edwin then,” said Stella, “who often sleeps till it is too late to go to church, and then he stays at home and sleeps more?”

Lucy could not help smiling; but as Sophy came in just then, she did not need to make any reply.  Amy was eager to repeat to her sister the hymn she had just been learning, but Sophy did not seem to care about it, and said to Lucy, “You had better not teach her any more hymns.  The doctor says she should not be allowed to study anything till her constitution is stronger.  Besides, I don’t believe in filling children’s heads with things that make them think about death too soon.”

Lucy felt a little vexed and a good deal surprised at what was to her so new an experience.  She had not dreamed that any one could object to teaching a child those blessed gospel truths which will shed either on life or on death the truest light.  But while she felt a strong interest in and attraction towards her cousin Sophy, she instinctively felt that on such subjects she would be quite unapproachable.

Mrs. Brooke surprised Lucy with the unexpected decision that her deficiencies in dress must keep her at home that day.  She felt as if it was almost wrong to submit,—­her dear father would have so much disapproved of any one’s staying away from the house of God for such a reason.  But then she remembered that while under her aunt’s charge it was her duty to yield a deference to her wishes, unless she absolutely violated her conscience in so doing, and that her father would also have said, “Ye younger, be subject to the elder,” and would have told her that, though prevented from going up to an earthly sanctuary, she could worship God at home in the sanctuary of her heart.

But she did not find this so easy, as Stella, glad of the excuse, insisted on staying at home “to keep Lucy company,” though Lucy tried to make her understand that she was not desirous of having any “company” while the rest were at church.  In vain she tried to fix her attention on her open Bible.  Stella would continually break in with some remark which, when answered, was sure to lead to another; and though Lucy’s remonstrances at length became somewhat impatient in their tone, it was evidently hopeless to try to reduce her to silence.  She, however, at last succeeded in persuading her to listen while she read to Amy, first one or two Bible stories, such as she thought would interest her most, and then a simple story out of one of her own Sunday books which she had brought with her.  The earnestness with which Amy drank in every word was a great contrast to Stella’s desultory way of listening; but even she seemed a little interested in Lucy’s reading, and the morning did not seem altogether thrown away.

But in the afternoon Lucy found that trying to read in the drawing-room was quite out of the question, her attention being perpetually distracted by the frivolous conversation almost continually going on there.  First one topic was started, and then another; and in spite of her efforts to the contrary, she would find herself listening to the gossiping talk going on around her.  At last she took refuge in her own room to read there in quiet, though she was before long followed thither by Stella.