"Then they shan't hear it," said Ellen, kissing her. "I don't know what makes me say it — I never used to. But I've got more to tell you — I've had more visitors. Who do you think came to see me? — you'd never guess — Nancy Vawse! Mr. Van Brunt came in the very nick of time, when I was almost worried to death with her. Only think of _her_ coming up here — unknown to every body! And she stayed an age, and how she _did_ go on! She cracked nuts on the hearth; — she got every stitch of my clothes out of my trunk, and scattered them over the floor; — she tried to make me drink gruel, till, between us we spilled a great parcel on the bed; — and she had begun to tickle me when Mr. Van Brunt came. Oh! wasn't I glad to see him! And when Aunt Fortune came up and saw it all, she was as angry as she could be; and she scolded and scolded, till at last I told her it was none of my doing — I couldn't help it at all — and she needn't talk so to me about it; and then she said it was my fault, the whole of it! that if I hadn't scraped acquaintance with Nancy, when she had forbidden me all this would never have happened." "There is some truth in that, isn't there, Ellen?" "Perhaps so; but I think it might all have happened whether or no; and, at any rate, it is a little hard to talk so to me about it now, when it's all over, and can't be helped. Oh, I have been so tired to-day, Miss Alice! — Aunt Fortune has been in such a bad humour." "What put her in a bad humour?" "Why, all this about Nancy in the first place; and then I know she didn't like Mr. Van Brunt's bringing the rocking-chair for me — she couldn't say much, but I could see by her face. And then Mrs. Van Brunt's coming — I don't think she liked that. Oh, Mrs. Van Brunt came to see me this morning, and brought me a custard. How many people are kind to me, everywhere I go." "I hope, dear Ellen, you don't forget whose kindness sends them all." "I don't, Miss Alice; I always think of that now; and it seems, you can't think how pleasant, to me sometimes." "Then I hope you can bear unkindness from one poor woman — who, after all, isn't as happy as you are — without feeling any ill-will towards her in return." "I don't think I feel ill-will towards her," said Ellen; "I always try as hard as I can not to; but I can't _like_ her, Miss Alice; and I do get out of patience. It's very easy to put me out of patience, I think; it takes almost nothing, sometimes." "But, remember, 'charity suffereth long, and is kind.' " "And I try all the while, dear Miss Alice, to keep down my bad feelings," said Ellen, her eyes watering as she spoke; "I try, and pray to get rid of them, and I hope I shall by-and-by; I believe I am very bad." Alice drew her closer. "I have felt very sad part of to-day," said Ellen, presently; "Aunt Fortune, and my being so lonely, and my poor letter, altogether; but part of the time I felt a great deal better. I was learning that lovely hymn — do you know it, Miss Alice? —