Part 45 (1/2)
Her mother would have been the one to speak to about it, and her mother had been too ill. Remembering this, Matilda stood silent and her eyes filled.
”You have been intending it for these two months past?”
”Yes, Aunt Candy; and before.”
”Well, then, why did you not speak to me?”
”I spoke to Mr. Richmond.”
”Mr. Richmond might have had the courtesy, himself.” (Which Mr.
Richmond had meant to do, but various pressing matters had prevented.) ”But _you_ ought to have spoken to me, Matilda. You are too young a child to take such responsibility.”
Matilda did not think of anything to say to this.
”I do not think you understand what you have been doing.”
”I think I do, Aunt Candy.”
”What did you want to be baptized for?”
”Because Jesus says we must.”
”Yes, properly; but not improperly, without knowing what you do. What do you think it means, Matilda?”
”To be baptized, Aunt Erminia?”
”Yes.”
”It means,” said the child steadily, and with the clear utterance of pleasure, ”that I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ.”
”There!” said Clarissa, appealing to her mother.
”I thought so,” said Mrs. Candy. ”That is not what it means, Matilda.”
”It is what I mean, Aunt Candy.”
”It means a great deal more, my dear, which you cannot understand. And you ought to have had a white dress on.”