I speak merely of
myself, mind."
"Thank you," I said. "But about what I said about hating. Aunt Isobel,
did you ever change your feelings by force? Do you suppose anybody
ever did?"
"I believe it is a great mistake to trouble one's self with the
spiritual experiences of other people when one cannot fully know their
circumstances, so I won't suppose at all. As to what I am sure of,
Isobel, you know I speak the truth."
"Yes," said I; it would have been impertinence to say more.
"_I_ have found that if one fights for good behaviour, GOD
makes one a present of the good feelings. I believe you will find it
so. Even when you were a child, if you had tried to be good, and had
managed to control yourself, and had not thrown the hatchet, I am
quite sure you would not have hated Philip for long. Perhaps you would
have thought how much better Philip used to behave before your father
and mother died, and a little elder-sisterly, motherly feeling would
have mixed with your wrath at seeing him with his fat legs planted
apart, and his shoulders up, the very picture of wilful naughtiness.
Perhaps you might have thought you had repulsed him a little harshly
when he wanted to help, as you were his chief playmate and twin
sister.
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