Part 44 (1/2)
Matilda had dried all the cups, and she threw her napkin down and covered her face.
”Oh yes!” she said; ”it is duty and pleasure too. I'll do what I can.”
”But what does it signify, your doing it?” said Maria. ”It isn't anything. And it will look so odd if you do and I don't.”
Matilda took up her napkin again, and went to work at the plates.
”Matilda, I wish you would wait. I am not ready to go now.”
”But I am ready, Maria.”
”If I was to tell Aunt Candy, I believe she would put a stop to it,”
said Maria, sulkily. ”I know she does not think much of such young people doing such things.”
”But Jesus said, Let them come.”
Maria tossed her head. However she did not speak to Mrs. Candy.
So it was with no notion of Matilda's intention that her aunt that Sunday took her seat in Mr. Richmond's church. She had heard that a number of people, most of them young people, were to be baptized in the evening; she had been to her own church duly in the morning, and thought she might gratify her curiosity now in seeing how these things are managed in a different communion. She and Clarissa went alone, not supposing that the younger ones of the family were at that same moment getting ready to follow.
”How are you going to dress yourself, Matilda?” her sister inquired.
”To dress myself!” said Matilda, turning her eyes upon her sister in astonished fas.h.i.+on.
”Why, yes, child! you will go out there in sight of everybody, you know. Aren't you going to put on a white frock? Clarissa says they always do in 'her church.'”
Matilda looked down at her own black dress and burst into tears; only by a vigorous effort she kept the tears from falling, after the first one or two, and hurriedly and silently began to get herself ready.
”But, Matilda! why don't you speak?” said her sister. ”Are you going just so? and why don't you speak to me? There is no harm in a white frock.”
”I don't want a white frock,” said Matilda. ”Do _you_ mean to stay at home?”
”I suppose I am going,” said Maria, beginning slowly her own preparations. ”People would think odd if I didn't go. Where are you going to sit?”
”What do you mean?”
”Why, you are very stupid. I mean, where are you going to sit?”
”Where we always do, I suppose.”
”But then you would have so far to walk.”
”To walk?” Matilda repeated, bewildered.
”Why, yes, child! When you are called to go up with the rest, you know; you would have so far to go.”
”Oh!” said Matilda. ”What of it?”
”Don't you care?”
”Why, no. It don't make any difference.”