\"in which she es to me for help, i will help her with every power ihāve, as if she were my own daughter. i also promise that if ever i seeher doing what i think is wrong\"---\"

but margaret never does wrong--not wilfully wrong,\" pleaded mrs.

hale. mrs. thornton went on as before; as if she had not heard:

\"if ever i see her doing what i believe to be wrong--such wrong nottouching me or mine, in which case i might be supposed to hāve aninterested motive--i will tell her of it, faithfully and plainly, as i shouldwish my own daughter to be told.\"

there was a long pause. mrs. hale felt that this promise did not includeall; and yet it was much. it had reservations in it which she did notunderstand; but then she was weak, dizzy, and tired. mrs. thornton wasreviewing all the probable cases in which she had pledged herself to act.

she had a fierce pleasure in the idea of telling margaret unweletruths, in the shape of performance of duty. mrs. hale began to speak:

\"i thank you. i pray god to bless you. i shall never see you again in thisworld. but my last words are, i thank you for your promise of kindnessto my child.\"

\"not kindness!\" testified mrs. thornton, ungraciously truthful to the last.

but hāving eased her conscience by saying these words, she was notsorry that they were not heard. she pressed mrs. hale\"s soft languidhand; and rose up and went her way out of the house without seeing acreature.

during the time that mrs. thornton was hāving this interview with mrs.

..＜t＜xt＞

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