I watched the little chap
all I could; he was strong and healthy, and while skilled nurses were
available he upset every rule by thriving; which was one more count
against me, and the lesson pointed out and driven home that no young wife
could give a child such attention, so the baby was better off in the hands
of the nurse. That he was reared without love, that his mother took not an
iota of responsibility in his care, developed not a trait of motherhood,
simply went on being a society belle, had nothing to do with it.
"He did so well, Nellie escaped so much better than many of her friends,
that in time she seemed to forget it and didn't rebel at Malcolm's advent,
or Elizabeth's, but by that time I had been practically ostracized from
the nursery; governesses were empowered to flout and insult me; I scarcely
saw my children, and what I did see made me furious, so I vetoed more
orphans bearing my name, and gave up doing anything. Then came the tragedy
of Elizabeth. Surely you understand 'just how' it was done Margaret?"
"Of course I had an idea, but I never before got just the perfect picture,
and now I have it, though it's the last word I _want_ to say to you, God
made me so that I'm forced to say it, although it furnishes one more
example of what is called inconsistency.
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