As soon as Mrs. Bennet heard Annie’s story, a greater pain came into her heart than had been there for many a day; for they had lately received a fortune from a rich uncle, and she felt that her motives for simplicity and economy would not be understood. Her greatest anxiety, however, was for her children. How she had prayed that the love of this money might not be to them “the root of all evil,” and “pierce them through with many sorrows.” She well knew how her precious Annie would now be petted by the gay and fashionable, and here had come her first great trial in this irresistible message from charming Mrs. Duncan. Annie understood her mother’s hesitation and said, “Mamma, wouldn’t it be a pity to have little May think her prayer was not heard?” “My child, May did not pray for a diamond ring, but for a gift like Bell’s. Perhaps if you tell Mrs. Duncan I cannot conscientiously grant her request she will get a simple gift like one we get for Bell.” “Oh, mamma, I never could tell Mrs. Duncan that. Don’t you think the habit of economy, that of necessity you have practiced all these years, may be mistaken for conscience?” “The habit doubtless makes it easier for me to obey conscience, but I cannot think I am mistaking one for the other,” replied Mrs. Bennet. “But, ma, do you think it proper for us to live as simply now as we did when papa had a salary of only $2,000 a year?” “Annie, dear, have we not been able to dress respectably, has not our table always had well-prepared, wholesome and appetizing food, has not our little cottage contained all that was absolutely necessary for real home comfort?” “Yes, ma, we have a sweet home: you know I love it. I was not complaining of the past, but why did God give us this fortune if He did not wish us to enjoy _luxuries_ now as well as comforts?” “I think He did, Annie. I’m sure we can all now enjoy the luxury of doing good as we never have before. Then just think what a luxury it will be not to weary ourselves with making over worn garments. We can now give them to the needy and help still others by hiring them to make our new clothing,—not that we may be idle, but that we may have ‘a heart at leisure from itself to soothe and sympathize.’ We can have dear grandpa and grandma with us all the time. We will have several cosey bed-rooms added to our cottage, and shall not feel too poor to invite our less favored cousins and many dear friends to spend long vacations with us.” “But, ma, we might do all this and still appear poor, while if we had a grand home like Mrs. Duncan, and exquisite curtains, and a fine carriage, and Bell had her diamond ring, and we all wore expensive and stylish clothing, everybody would know papa was rich.” “Yes, Annie, and what good would it do people to know papa was rich?” “Well, I cannot think of any good it would do them.” “What good would it do _us_, darling, to have people know it?”