"
"Why, hoity-toity!" said the old gentleman — "what's all this?
what's the matter? don't you like it? I thought I was doing
the very thing that would please you best of all."
"I am very sorry you should think so, Sir," said Ellen, who
had recovered a little breath, but had the greatest difficulty
to keep back her tears; "I never thought of such a thing as
your giving me anything, Sir, till somebody spoke of it; and I
had rather never have anything in the world than that you
should think what you thought about me."
"What _did_ I think about you?"
"George told me that somebody told you, Sir, I wanted money
for my present."
"And didn't you say so?"
"Indeed I didn't, Sir!" said Ellen, with a sudden fire. "I
never thought of such a thing!"
"What did you say then?"
"Margaret was showing us her ear-rings, and she asked me if I
wouldn't like to have some like them; and I couldn't help
thinking I would a great deal rather have the money they would
cost to buy something for Alice; and just when I said so, you
came in, Sir, and she said what she did. I was very much
ashamed. I wasn't thinking of you, Sir, at all, nor of New
Year."
"Then you would like something else better than money."
"No, Sir, nothing at all, if you please. If you'll only be so
good as not to give me this, I will be very much obliged to
you indeed; and please not to think I could be so shameful as
you thought I was.
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