"There is some truth in that, isn't there, Ellen?"
"Perhaps so; but I think it might all have happened whether or no; and at any rate it is a little hard to talk so to me about it now when it's all over and can't be helped. Oh, I have been so tired to-day, Miss Alice! Aunt Fortune has been in such a bad humour."
"Why, all this about Nancy, in the first place; and then I know she didn't like Mr. Van Brunt's bringing the rocking-chair for me; she couldn't say much, but I could see by her face. And then Mrs. Van Brunt's coming--I don't think she liked that. Oh, Mrs. Van Brunt came to see me this morning, and brought me a custard. How many people are kind to me!--everywhere I go."
"I hope, dear Ellen, you don't forget whose kindness sends them all."
"I don't, Miss Alice; I always think of that now; and it seems you can't think how pleasant to me sometimes."
"Then I hope you can bear unkindness from one poor woman--who, after all, isn't as happy as you are--without feeling any ill-will towards her in return."
"I don't think I feel ill-will towards her," said Ellen; "I always try as hard as I can not to; but I can't _like_ her, Miss Alice; and I do get out of patience. It's very easy to put me out of patience, I think; it takes almost nothing sometimes."
"But remember, 'charity suffereth long and is kind.'"
"And I try all the while, dear Miss Alice, to keep down my bad feelings," said Ellen, her eyes watering as she spoke; "I try and pray to get rid of them, and I hope I shall by-and-by; I believe I am very bad."
"I have felt very sad part of to-day," said Ellen presently; "Aunt Fortune, and my being so lonely, and my poor letter, altogether; but part of the time I felt a great deal better. I was learning that lovely hymn--do you know it, Miss Alice? 'Poor, weak, and worthless though I am'?----"
"'I have a rich almighty friend, Jesus the Saviour is His name, He freely loves and without end.'
"Oh, dear Ellen, whoever can say that has no right to be unhappy. No matter what happens, we have enough to be glad of."
"And then I was thinking of those words in the Psalms--'Blessed is the man'--stop, I'll find it; I don't know exactly how it goes;--'Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven; whose sin is covered.'"