“I never was here when I was a child, and I am not one of your amiable people.” “Very true, indeed,” thought Helen. “Miss Stanley looks at me as if I had seven heads,” said Miss Clarendon, laughing; and, a minute after, overtaking Helen as she walked on, she looked full in her face, and added, “Do acknowledge that you think me a savage.” Helen did not deny it, and from that moment Miss Clarendon looked less savagely upon her: she laughed and said, “I am not quite such a bear as I seem, you’ll find; at least I never hug people to death. My growl is worse than my bite, unless some one should flatter my classical, bearish passion, and offer to feed me with honey, and when I find it all comb and no honey, who would not growl then?” Lady Cecilia now came up, and pointed out views to which the general had opened. “Yes, it’s well, he has done very well, but pray don’t stand on ceremony with me. I can walk alone, you may leave me to my own cogitations, as I like best.” “Surely, as you like best,” said Lady Cecilia; “pray consider yourself, as you know you are, at home here.” “No, I never shall be at home here,” said Esther. “Oh! don’t say that, let me hope--let me hope--” and she withdrew. Helen just stayed to unlock a gate for Miss Clarendon’s ‘rambles further,’ and, as she unlocked it, she heard Miss Clarendon sigh as she repeated the word, “Hope! I do not like to hope, hope has so often deceived me.” “You will never be deceived in Cecilia,” said Helen. “Take care--stay till you try.” “I have tried,” said Helen, “I know her.” “How long?” “From childhood!” “You’re scarcely out of childhood yet.” “I am not so very young. I have had trials of my friends--of Cecilia particularly, much more than you could ever have had.” “Well, this is the best thing I ever heard of her, and from good authority too; her friends abroad were all false,” said Miss Clarendon. “It is very extraordinary,” said Helen, “to hear such a young person as you are talk so-- “So--how?” “Of false friends--you must have been very unfortunate.” “Pardon me--very fortunate--to find them out in time.” She looked at the prospect, and liked all that her brother was doing, and disliked all that she even guessed Lady Cecilia had done. Helen showed her that she guessed wrong here and there, and smiled at her prejudices; and Miss Clarendon smiled again, and admitted that she was prejudiced, “but every body is; only some show and tell, and others smile and fib. I wish that word fib was banished from English language, and white lie drummed out after it. Things by their right names and we should all do much better. Truth must be told, whether agreeable or not.” “But whoever makes truth disagreeable commits high treason against virtue,” said Helen. “Is that yours?” cried Miss Clarendon, stopping short. “No,” said Helen. “It is excellent whoever said it.” “It was from my uncle Stanley I heard it,” said Helen. “Superior man that uncle must have been.”