You are not to have anything to do with this child in
particular. Daisy, understand me--I forbid you to speak to her again."
"O mamma--"
"Not a word," said Mrs. Randolph.
"But mamma, please! just this. May I not tell her once, that I cannot
teach her? She will think me so strange!"
Mrs. Randolph was silent.
"Might I not, just that once, mamma?"
"No."
"She will not know what to think of me," said Daisy; her lip trembling,
her eye reddening, and only able by the greatest self-control to keep
from bursting into tears.
"That is your punishment"--replied Mrs. Randolph, in a satisfied, quiet
sort of way. Daisy felt crushed. She could hardly think.
"I am going to take you in hand and bring you into order," said Mrs.
Randolph with a smile, bending over to kiss Daisy, and looking at her
lips and eyes in a way Daisy wished she would not. The meek little face
certainly promised small difficulty in her way, and Mrs. Randolph kissed
the trembling mouth again.
"I do not think we shall quarrel," she remarked. "But if we do, Daisy, I
shall know how to bear my part of it.
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