The Bracelets | Page 3

"it would be no injustice,
if she deserved it better." "How can you compare Louisa to me!"
exclaimed Cecilia, indignantly.
Leonora made no answer, for she was really hurt at her friend's conduct;
she walked on to join the rest of her companions. They were dancing in
a round upon the grass. Leonora declined dancing, but they prevailed
upon her to sing for them; her voice was not so sprightly, but it was
sweeter than usual. Who sung so sweetly as Leonora? or who danced so
nimbly as Louisa?
Away she was flying, all spirits and gayety, when Leonora's eyes full of
tears, caught hers. Louisa silently let go her companions' hands, and
quitting the dance, ran up to Leonora to inquire what was the matter
with her.
"Nothing," replied she, "that need interrupt you,--Go, my dear, and
dance again."
Louisa immediately ran away to her garden, and pulling off her little
straw hat, she lined it with the freshest strawberry leaves, and was upon
her knees before the strawberry bed when Cecilia came by. Cecilia was
not disposed to be pleased with Louisa at that instant, for two reasons:
because she was jealous of her, and because she had injured her. The
injury, however, Louisa had already forgotten; perhaps, to tell things
just as they were, she was not quite so much inclined to kiss Cecilia as
she would have been before the fall of her mandarin, but this was the
utmost extent of her malice, if it can be called malice.
"What are you doing there, little one?" said Cecilia in a sharp tone.
"Are you eating your early strawberries here all alone?" "No," said
Louisa, mysteriously; "I am not eating them." "What are you doing
with them--can't you answer then? I'm not playing with you, child!"
"Oh! as to that, Cecilia, you know I need not answer you unless I

choose it; not but what I would, if you would only ask me civilly--and
if you would not call me child." "Why should not I call you child?"
"Because--because--I don't know;--but I wish you would stand out of
my light, Cecilia, for you are trampling upon all my strawberries." "I
have not touched one, you covetous little creature!" "Indeed--indeed,
Cecilia, I am not covetous. I have not eaten one of them--they are all
for your friend Leonora. See how unjust you are." "Unjust! that's a cant
word you learned of my friend Leonora, as you call her, but she is not
my friend now." "Not your friend now!" exclaimed Louisa. "Then I am
sure you must have done something very naughty." "How!" said Cecilia,
catching hold of her. "Let me go--Let me go!" cried Louisa, struggling.
"I won't give you one of my strawberries, for I don't like you at all."
"You don't, don't you?" said Cecilia, provoked; and catching the hat
from Louisa, she flung the strawberries over the hedge. "Will nobody
help me!" exclaimed Louisa, snatching her hat again, and running away
with all her force.
"What have I done?" said Cecilia, recollecting herself. "Louisa!
Louisa!" She called very loud, but Louisa would not turn back! she was
running to her companions.
They were still dancing, hand in hand, upon the grass, whilst Leonora,
sitting in the middle, sang to them.
"Stop! stop! and hear me!" cried Louisa, breaking through them; and
rushing up to Leonora, she threw her hat at her feet, and panting for
breath----
"It was full--almost full of my own strawberries," said she, "the first I
ever got out of my own garden. They should all have been for you,
Leonora, but now I have not one left. They are all gone!" said she; and
she hid her face in Leonora's lap.
"Gone! gone where?" said every one at once, running up to her.
"Cecilia! Cecilia!" said she, sobbing. "Cecilia!" repeated Leonora;
"what of Cecilia?" "Yes, it was--it was."
"Come along with me," said Leonora, unwilling to have her friend

exposed; "come, and I will get you some more strawberries." "Oh, I
don't mind the strawberries, indeed; but I wanted to have had the
pleasure of giving them to you."
Leonora took her up in her arms to carry her away, but it was too late.
"What, Cecilia! Cecilia, who won the prize! It could not surely be
Cecilia," whispered every busy tongue.
At this instant the bell summoned them in.
"There she is!--There she is!" cried they, pointing to an arbour, where
Cecilia was standing, ashamed and alone; and as they passed her, some
lifted up their hands and eyes with astonishment, others whispered and
huddled mysteriously together, as if to avoid her. Leonora walked on,
her head a little higher than usual.
"Leonora!" said Cecilia, timorously, as she passed.
"Oh, Cecilia! who would have thought that you had a bad heart?"