LETTER XLI.
WILLIAM to his MOTHER.
Judge of the good heart of Emilia; an accident yesterday made it appear to advantage. She was in the parlour with Edward, playing on the harpsicord; after she had finished the tune, she went to look for a china flower-pot in a china-closet near the parlour. She found what she wanted; but still loitered, looking at the china; and one jar she would reach from a high shelf, though Edward cautioned her: the consequence was, it fell out of her hand, and was dashed to pieces. She trembled, well knowing it was a jar of great value.
EDWARD.
Mighty well, you would look at the china.
Do not scold me, I am so sorry; rather give me your advice.
EDWARD.
I can give you no advice; if you sought every where you could not find such another jar to match the one which is left. Why did you touch it? you must always be meddling, you are so curious.
EMILIA.
I will never be curious again, I assure you. I know I have done wrong.
EDWARD.
Now hear me, do not cry; I will tell you what you may do. Nobody has heard it, we will take the pieces and put them together behind a dish; and to-morrow, all of a sudden, you may say you have heard something fall in the closet; then go and look, and Lady Grandison will think the cat threw it down, or some other accident made it fall.
EMILIA.
No, Edward,—that I will never do; it would be much worse than breaking it through idle curiosity.
EDWARD.
What will you do then? your mother will be displeased.
EMILIA.
I would sooner bear her displeasure a week, than tell such a falsehood. Hear me, I will go to her, confess my fault; and indeed I shall be more careful for the future.
She then ran trembling to her mother; but how was she astonished, when the good Lady spoke kindly to her. If you had broken all my china by accident, my child, I should not have chid you; your foolish curiosity was blameable; but your attention to truth has more than atoned for it: I find I can rely on your veracity. She kissed her mother’s hand, and returned to tell us what had happened. Edward looked ashamed, and said, he would never advise such an artifice again, he should not like to deceive such a kind Lady, or lose her good opinion. Charles could not help saying, when we tell a lie we offer an affront to God. Dr. Bartlett often observes, he is ever present, and abhors a liar.
WILLIAM.