Janet was almost too astounded to speak.

"Companion to Lady Chillington! I! Impossible!" was all that she could
say.

"Why impossible, dear Janet?" asked Sister Agnes, with her low, sweet
voice. "I see no element of impossibility in such an arrangement. The
duties of the position have been filled by me for many years; they have
now devolved upon you, and I am not aware of anything that need preclude
your acceptance of them."

"We are not all angels like you, Sister Agnes," said Janet. "Lady
Chillington, as I remember, is a very peculiar woman. She has no regard
for the feelings of others, especially when those others are her
inferiors in position. She says the most cruel things she can think of
and cares nothing how deeply they may wound. I am afraid that she and I
would never agree."

"That Lady Chillington is a very peculiar woman I am quite ready to
admit. That she will say things to you that may seem hard and cruel, and
that may wound your feelings, I will also allow. But granting all this,
I can deduce from it no reason why the position should be refused by
you. Had you gone out as governess, you would probably have had fifty
things to contend against quite as disagreeable as Lady Chillington's
temper and cynical remarks. You are young, dear Janet, and life's battle
has yet to be fought by you. You must not expect that everything in this
world will arrange itself in accordance with your wishes. You will have
many difficulties to fight against and overcome, and the sooner you make
up your mind to the acceptance of that fact, the better it will be for
you in every way. If I have found the position of companion to Lady