Page:The Yellow Book - 01.djvu/195

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Fred M. Simpson
177

Lucy.Yes, almost before I was well. It was very unfair that she should leave everything to me; your father was her nephew, just as I was her niece, but he wouldn't hear of my sharing it with——

Agnes.I should think not indeed! I should be very sorry to think that my father would ever allow such a thing. Although, at the same time, it is all very well for you to imagine that you don't share it, but you do. Who pays for Lillie's and May's and George's schooling? Who sent Alfred to Cambridge, and Frank to——

Lucy.Don't, please. What a huge family you are, to be sure.

Agnes.And last, but not least, who gave me a chance of going to Girton? Oh, we are not supposed to know anything about it, I know, but you see we do. You thought you had arranged it all so beautifully, and kept every one of us entirely in the dark, but you haven't one little bit.

Lucy.Nonsense, Agnes, you——

Agnes.Oh, you are a huge big fraud, you know you are; I am quite ashamed of you.[Lucy is going to speak.]You are not to be thanked, I know; and you needn t be afraid, I am not going to do so; but if you could only hear us when we are talking quietly together, you would find that a certain person, who shall be nameless, is simply worship——

Lucy.Hush! you silly little girl. You don't know what you are saying. You have nothing to thank me for whatsoever.

Agnes.Haven't we just? I know better.

Lucy.Young people always do. So you see I do know some thing of how "the poor" live.

Agnes.Yes, but you were never married.

Lucy.No, dear.

Agnes.That is what I want to——— Why weren't you


married?