But she only looked rather white, and smiled as
usual.
"Spare you both! What!--leave me alone the whole day, both of you!" The
old lady was scandalised. "I didn't think before that you were a selfish
girl, Joan. Well, well, never mind!--you're not generally, I know. But
of course it is out of the question, so lame as I am--not able to get
anything that I want. That wasn't in the bargain at all, when we settled
that you should live with me."
Joan knew that it was not. But it was very hard to bear!
She went to Mittie, and made one more attempt in that direction, ending,
as she expected, unsuccessfully.
"It really is my turn, you know, Mittie, dear."
"Your turn? What! because I went to that silly tea last week? As if the
two things could be compared!"
Mittie ran to the glass to inspect herself.
"Why didn't you just tell Grannie that you meant to do it, instead of
asking whether she could spare you? So absurd! She would have given in
then."
Joan might have answered, "Because I have some sense of duty!" But she
said nothing--it was so useless.
She debated whether to write a note for Mittie to take, and then decided
that she would run down to the river-edge and would explain to Fred
Ferris himself why she might not go, not implying any blame to her
sister, but just saying that she could not leave her grandmother.
The thought of this cheered her up, for surely he would understand.
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