such hypocrite—did you not suspect when she wished not her trunk examined?—did you not see her blush and tremble?—did she not turn pale as one guilty person when the cape dropped?—and now she accuse me! Ah, c'est un horreur!"
"Quite shocking, indeed!" responded Mrs. Hartell, faintly, her eyes still fixed on the rent in her cape. "Do you think, Adéle, Justine could darn this so it would not show?"
"I believe not, madame."
"If she had only stolen it, and not torn it," resumed Mrs. Hartell, "I could have forgiven her—but she really does deserve the penitentiary."
Adéle, bad as she was, started from such a consequence; and affecting to pity Lucy, she said, "Ah madame, she is very young!"
"The penitentiary, mamma!" exclaimed Ophelia; "Lucy shall not go to the penitentiary—I will ask papa—he will be home before dinner—she shall not go to the penitentiary, if she is ever so guilty."
Lucy's distress was increased by her embarrassment as to what it was best for her to say or do; her faculties were stunned; she almost lost the sense of her identity. She felt alone, helpless, and exposed to judgement without mercy. Ophelia's affection touched the springs of her heart, and, as she afterward said, "first sent her thoughts to the right place;" and that, having breathed a silent trust in Him who seeth in darkness as well as in light, she felt more composed! Still the tears poured over her cheeks, and little Eugene, who sat on her lap, put up his hand and wiped off first one cheek and then the other; then put up his lips to
