"Gentlemanlike! ay, that's it," said Rachel, "just so like as to
delight the born curatolatress, like Grace and Miss Williams."

"Would it hurt the children?" asked Fanny, hardly comprehending the
tremendous term.

"Yes, if it infected you," said Rachel, intending some playfullness.
"A mother of contracted mind forfeits the allegiance of her sons."

"Oh, Rachel, I know I am weak and silly," said the gentle young
widow, terrified, "but the Major said if I only tried to do my duty
by them I should be helped."

"And I will help you, Fanny," said Rachel. "All that is requisite is
good sense and firmness, and a thorough sense of responsibility."

"That is what is so dreadful. The responsibility of all those dear
fatherless boys, and if--if I should do wrong by them."

Poor Fanny fell into an uncontrollable fit of weeping at the sense of
her own desolation and helplessness, and Mrs. Curtis came to comfort
her, and tell her affectionately of having gone through the like
feelings, and of the repeated but most comfortable words of promise
to the fatherless and the widow--words that had constantly come
before the sufferer, but which had by no means lost their virtue by
repetition, and Fanny was soothed with hearing instances of the
special Providence over orphaned sons, and their love and deference
for their mother. Rachel, shocked and distressed at the effect of
her sense, retired out of the conversation, till at the announcement
of the carriage for Lady Temple, her gentle cousin cheered up, and