'Certainly not,' said Lily, 'the rules of politeness are rules of love, and it was in love that Alethea spoke; she sees how sadly we are left to ourselves, and is kind enough to speak a word in season.'
'Perhaps,' said Jane, 'since it was in love that she spoke, you would like to have her for our reprover for ever, and I can assure you more unlikely things have happened. I have heard it from one who can judge.'
'Let me hear no more of this,' said Emily, 'it is preposterous and ridiculous, and very disrespectful to papa.'
Jane for once, rather shocked at her own words, went back to what had been said just before.
'Then, perhaps, you would like to have Eleanor back again?'
'I am sure you want some one to put you in mind of your duty,' said Lily.
'Eleanor and duty!' cried Emily; 'you who thought so much of the power of love!'
'Of Emily and love, she would say, if it sounded well,' said Jane.
'I cannot see what true love you or Jane are showing now,' said Lily, 'it is no kindness to encourage her pertness, or to throw away a friendly reproof because it offends your pride.'
'Nobody reproved me,' replied Emily; 'besides, I know love will prevail; for my sake Jane will not expose herself and me to a stranger's interference.'
'If you depend upon that, I wish you joy,' said Lilias, as she left the room.
'What a weathercock Lily is!' cried Jane, 'she has fallen in love with Alethea Weston, and echoes all she says.'
'Not considering her own inconsistency,' said Emily.
'That Alethea Weston,' exclaimed Jane, in an angry tone;-but Emily, beginning to recover some sense of propriety, said, 'Jenny, you know you were very ill-bred, and you made it difficult for the little ones to behave well.'
'Not our own little ones,' said Jane; 'honest Phyl did not understand the joke, and Ada was thinking of her attitudes; one comfort is, that I shall be confirmed in three weeks' time, and then people cannot treat me as a mere child-little as I am.'
'Oh! Jane,' said Emily, 'I do not like to hear you talk of confirmation in that light way.'
'No, no,' said Jane, 'I do not mean it-of course I do not mean it - don't look shocked-it was only by the bye-and another by the bye, Emily, you know I must have a cap and white ribbons, and I am afraid I must make it myself.'
'Ay, that is the worst of having Esther,' said Emily, 'she and Hannah have no notion of anything but the plainest work; I am sure if I had thought of all the trouble of that kind which having a young girl would entail, I would never have consented to Esther's coming.'
'That was entirely Lily's scheme,' said Jane.
'Yes; it is impossible to resist Lily, she is so eager and anxious, and it would have vexed her very much if I had opposed her, and that I cannot bear; besides, Esther is a very nice girl, and will learn.'
'There is Robert talking to papa on the green,' said Jane; 'what a deep conference; what can it be about?'
If Jane had heard that conversation she might have perceived that she could not wilfully offend, even in what she thought a trifling matter, without making it evident, even to others, that there was something very wrong about her. At that moment the Rector was saying to his uncle, 'I am in doubt about Jane, I cannot but fear she is not in a satisfactory state for confirmation, and I wished to ask you what you think?'
'Act just as you would with any of the village girls,' said Mr. Mohun.
'I should be very sorry to do otherwise,' said Mr. Devereux; 'but I thought you might like, since every one knows that she is a candidate, that she should not be at home at the time of the confirmation, if it is necessary to refuse her.'
'No,' said Mr. Mohun, 'I should not wish to shield her from the disgrace. It may be useful to her, and besides, it will establish your character for impartiality. I have not been satisfied with all I saw of little Jane for some time past, and I am afraid that much passes amongst my poor girls which never comes to my knowledge. Her pertness especially is probably restrained in my presence.'
'It is not so much the pertness that I complain of,' said Mr. Devereux, 'for that might be merely exuberance of spirits, but there is a sort of habitual irreverence, which makes one dread to bring her nearer to sacred tings.'
'I know what you mean,' said Mr. Mohun, 'and I think the pertness is a branch of it, more noticed because more inconvenient to others.'
'Yes,' said Mr. Devereux, 'I think the fault I speak of is most evident; when there is occasion to reprove her, I am always baffled by a kind of levity which makes every warning glance aside.'
'Then I should decidedly say refuse her,' said Mr. Mohun. 'It would be a warning that she could not disregard, and the best chance of improving her.'
'Yet,' said Mr. Devereux, 'if she is eager for confirmation, and regards it in its proper light, it is hard to say whether it is right to deny it to her; it may give her the depth and earnestness which she needs.'
'Poor child,' said Mr. Mohun, 'she has great disadvantages; I am quite sure our present system is not fit for her. Things shall be placed on a different footing, and in another year or two I hope she may be fitter for confirmation. However, before you finally decide, I should wish to have some conversation with her, and speak to you again.
'That is just what I wish,' said Mr. Devereux.
'Jane borrowed maxims from a doubting school,
And took for truth the test of ridicule.'
The question of Jane's confirmation was decided in an unexpected manner; for the day after Mr. Mohun's conversation with his nephew she was attacked by a headache and sore throat, spent a feverish night, and in the morning was so unwell that a medical man was sent for from Raynham. On his arrival he pronounced that she was suffering from scarlet fever, and Emily began to feel the approach of the same complaint.
Phyllis and Adeline were shut up in the drawing-room, and a system of quarantine established, which was happily brought to a conclusion by a note from Mrs. Weston, who kindly begged that they might be sent to her at Broomhill, and Mr. Mohun gladly availing himself of the offer, the little girls set off, so well pleased to make a visit alone, as almost to forget the occasion of it. Mrs. Weston had extended her invitation to Lilias, but she begged to be allowed to remain with her sisters, and Mr. Mohun thought that she had been already so much exposed to the infection that it was useless for her to take any precautions.
She was therefore declared head nurse; and it was well that she had an energetic spirit, and so sweet a temper, that she was ready to sympathise with all Emily's petulant complaints, and even to find fault with herself for not being in two places at once. Two of the maids were ill, and the whole care of Emily and Jane devolved upon her, with only the assistance of Esther.
Emily was not very seriously ill, but Jane's fever was very high, and Lily thought that her father was more anxious than he chose to appear. Of Jane's own thoughts little could be guessed; she was often delirious, and at all times speaking was so painful that she said as little as possible.
Lily's troubles seemed at their height one Sunday afternoon, while her father was at church. She had been reading the Psalms and Lessons to Emily, and she then rose to return to Jane.
'Do not go,' entreated Emily.
'I will send Esther.'
