Volume III Part 20 (2/2)
”Tellood son, and if you can promise to be perfectly open and unreserved towards me?”
”I promise that I will die rather than tell you a falsehood”
”That's just like hi him with the utmost horror of untruthfulness”
”That's all very well, ht have pursued a still better course, and one which would have been still more conducive to his happiness”
”What is that?”
”I will tell you It was necessary to make him detest a lie; you should have rather endeavoured toit to him in all its native beauty This is the only way to make him lovable, and love is the sole bestower of happiness in this world”
”But isn't it the sa not to lie and to tell the truth,” said the boy, with a smile which charmed his reat difference--for to avoid lying you have only to hold your tongue; and do you think that co the truth? You hts, even if you blush in the recital I will teach you how to blush, and soon you will have nothing to fear in laying open all your thoughts and deeds When we know each other a little longer we shall see hoe agree together You must understand that I cannot look upon you as my son until I see cause to love you, and I cannot have you call me father till you treat me as the best friend you have You may be quite sure that I shall find a way to discover your thoughts, however cleverly you try to hide them If I find you deceitful and suspicious I shall certainly entertain no regard for you As soon as I have finished my business at Aue to-morrow, and on my return I hope to find you instructed by your mother in a system of morality more consonant with my views, andat reatest attention, I saw that her eyes were swi with tears, which she could hardly retain
”Why are you crying?” said the mother; ”it is silly to cry” And with that the child ran to her mother and threw her arms round her neck
”Would you like to come to Paris, too?” said I to her
”Oh, yes! But mamma must come too, as she would die without o?” said the mother
”I would obey you, mamma, but how could I exist away frohter pretended to cry I say pretended, as it was quite evident that the child did not mean what she said, and I am sure that her mother knew it as well as I
It was really ato see the effects of a bad education on this young child, to who
I took the mother on one side, and said that if she had intended to make actors of her children she had succeeded to admiration; but if she wished them to become useful members of society her system had failed lamentably, as they were in a fair way to beco her the most pointed remonstrances until, in spite of her efforts to control herself, she burst into tears However, she soon recovered her coer, but I told her it was out of the question, and left the rooain a fewlittle voice,
”If you are really ive me some proof of your friendshi+p”
”And what proof do you want, my dear?”
”I want you to come and sup with me to-morrow”
”I can't, Sophie dear, for I have just said no to your ranted you what I had refused her”
”Oh, no! she wouldn't; it was she who told h, but on herthat he had never coan to tremble all over, and looked abashed I reassured her as best I could, not caring whether what I said displeased her mother or not, and I endeavoured to instill into her principles of a very different nature to those in which she had been reared, while she listened with an eagerness which proved that her heart was still ready to learn the right way Little by little her face cleared, and I saw that I had h I could not flatterin its effects as long as she remained under the bad influence of her , ”but on the condition,”