He is the finest of fellows,
if they only would let him alone.'
And that was all I could get from Clarence.
CHAPTER XXVIII--A SQUIRE OF DAMES
'Spited with a fool -
Spited and angered both.'
Cymbeline.
This long stay of Ellen's in our family had made our fraternal
relations with her nearer and closer. Familiarity had been far from
lessening our strong feeling for her goodness and sweetness. Emily,
who knew her best, used to confide to me little instances of the
spirit of devotion and self-discipline that underlay all her sunny
gaiety--how she never failed in her morning's devout readings; how
she learnt a verse or two of Scripture every day, and persuaded
Emily to join with her in repeating it ere they went downstairs for
their evening's pleasure; how she had set herself a little task of
plain work for the poor, which she did every day in her own room;
and the like dutiful habits, which seemed, as it were, to help her
to keep herself in hand, and not be carried away by what was a whirl
of pleasure to her, though a fashionable young lady would have
despised its mildness.
Indeed Lady Peacock, with whom we exchanged calls, made no secret of
her compassion when she found how many parties the ladies were NOT
going to; and Ellen's own relations, the Lesters, would have taken
her out almost every night if she had not staunchly held to her
promise to her mother not to go out more than three evenings in the
week, for Mrs.
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