’I think, Jane, that the greatest and most dangerous fault of your character is want of reverence.  I think it is want of reverence which makes you press forward to that for which you confess yourself unfit; it is want of reverence for holiness which makes you not care to attain it; want of reverence for the Holy Word that makes you treat it as a mere lesson; and in smaller matters your pertness is want of reverence for your superiors; you would not be ready to believe and to say the worst of others, if you reverenced what good there may be in them.  Take care that your want of reverence is not in reality want of faith.’

Jane’s spirits were weak and subdued.  It was a great shock to her to hear that she was not thought worthy of confirmation; her faults had never been called by so hard a name; she was in part humbled, and in part grieved, and what she thought harshness in her cousin; she turned away her face, and did not speak.  He continued, ’Jane, you must not think me unkind, your father desired me to talk to you, and, indeed, the time of recovery from sickness is too precious to be trifled away.’

Jane wept bitterly.  Presently he said, ’It grieves me to have been obliged to speak harshly to you, you must forgive me if I have talked too much to you, Jane.’

Jane tried to speak, but sobs prevented her, and she gave way to a violent fit of crying.  Her cousin feared he had been unwise in saying so much, and had weakened the effect of his own words.  He would have been glad to see tears of repentance, but he was afraid that she was weeping over fancied unkindness, and that he might have done what might be hurtful to her in her weak state.  He said a few kind words, and tried to console her, but this change of tone rather added to her distress, and she became hysterical.  He was much vexed and alarmed, and, ringing the bell, hastened to call assistance.  He found Esther, and sent her to Jane, and on returning to the schoolroom with some water, he found her lying exhausted on the sofa; he therefore went in search of his uncle, who was overlooking some farming work, and many were the apologies made, and many the assurances he received, that it would be better for her in the end, as the impression would be more lasting.

Jane was scarcely conscious of her cousin’s departure, or of Esther’s arrival, but after drinking some water, and lying still for a few moments, she exclaimed, ‘Oh, Robert! oh, Esther! the confirmation!’ and gasped and sobbed again.  Esther thought she had guessed the cause of her tears, and tried to comfort her.

’Ah!  Miss Jane, there will be another confirmation some day; it was a sad thing you were too ill, to be sure, but—­’

‘Oh! if I had—­if he would not say—­if he had thought me fit.’

Esther was amazed, and asked if she should call Miss Weston, who was now with Lilias.

‘No, no!’ cried Jane, nearly relapsing into hysterics.  ’She shall not see me in this state.’