"
Mary gave a low moan--and then implored Sally to change the subject;
for unpleasant as it always was, it was doubly unpleasant in the
manner in which she was treating it. If they had been alone Mary
would have borne it patiently--or she thought, but now she felt
almost certain, her father was listening; there was a subdued
breathing, a slight bracing-up of the listless attitude. But there
was no arresting Sally's curiosity to hear all she could respecting
the adventures Mary had experienced. She, in common with the rest
of Miss Simmonds' young ladies, was almost jealous of the fame that
Mary had obtained; to herself, such miserable notoriety.
"Nay! there's no use shunning talking it over. Why! it was in the
Guardian--and the Courier--and some one told Jane Hodgson it was
even copied into a London paper. You've set up heroine on your own
account, Mary Barton. How did you like standing witness? Aren't
them lawyers impudent things? staring at one so. I'll be bound you
wished you'd taken my offer, and borrowed my black watered scarf!
Now didn't you, Mary? Speak truth!"
"To tell the truth, I never thought about it then, Sally.
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