"Don't be silly," said Harriet. "Come down this path, no one will hear us; we must talk. On board the yacht, there will be so little opportunity, but here we are alone and together. The choice lies between you and me. Now, you think you want all that Mr Durrant is about to offer, but, compared to me, you don't want it at all. My home, compared to yours, is, oh! so rough; and my people are oh! so poor! You don't know, perhaps, that I am supported at Mrs Burton's school by an aunt who grudges every penny of the money she spends on me. To be educated by a man like that, to be able to live here until I am quite grown-up--oh, it would make such a difference! You don't want these advantages as badly as I want them. Give up your chance, you have but to help me with Ralph. He loves me better than you now; you have but to say a few words to Mr Durrant, and the deed is done." "And what words are those?" said Robina. "Tell him what you think about me." "What I think?" said Robina. "Yes, yes, yes! Don't you understand? You haven't said anything yet--I mean, you haven't betrayed me?" "I haven't." "Well, his great idea is that Ralph should be under the care of a truthful girl. Make out to him that I am the most truthful girl, the most honourable, the most upright in all the world." "Sell my soul, in fact?" said Robina. She turned and faced her companion. "O Harriet! How I despise you! I tell you what I will do. I will give up this whole thing. I will tell Mr Durrant that I won't be Ralph's companion; that I prefer to go back to Mrs Burton's school, and to take my chance there; that I can have nothing further to do with Ralph, that I can tell him what I know about you, and he can choose Rose Amberley, or Vivian, or Patience Chetwold, or one of the other girls as Ralph's school-mother. When I put you out of court, I shall put myself out of court. Oh, yes; that is what I will do. You are just dreadful, Harriet, dreadful." "You won't dare to do such a thing," said Harriet. "You must not; oh, I beseech of you!" Harriet's whole tone altered. "Robina, I was only joking. Oh, please, please, please don't betray me. Of course, I will do nothing, only don't betray me. Let us have our chance, let us both be above-board: probably Mr Durrant and Ralph will choose you, and if they do, I will promise not to say a word." "But you will have nothing to say," replied Robina, in some astonishment. "That is true; but oh! do nothing, nothing until the week is up!" "You distract me," said Robina. "I want to go to him now--at once. He thinks me truthful; perhaps I am; I have been up to the present. Now it seems that, knowing what I know--knowing that you did that thing with regard to the pond--" "Oh, hush!" said Harriet. "--That I ought to tell him. It lies on my conscience: I am most miserable!" "Well, at least promise that you will say nothing until we have been on board the yacht and the time there is over."