Margaret had much anxiety respecting the little boy about to be sent
into a scene of temptation. Her great confidence was in Richard, who
told her that boys did many more wrong things than were known at
home, and yet turned out very well, and that Tom would be sure to
right himself in the end. Richard had been blameless in his whole
school course, but though never partaking of the other boys' evil
practices, he could not form an independent estimate of character,
and his tone had been a little hurt, by sharing the school public
opinion of morality. He thought Stoneborough and its temptations
inevitable, and only wished to make the best of it. Margaret was
afraid to harass her father by laying the case before him. All her
brothers had gone safely through the school, and it never occurred to
her that it was possible that, if her father knew the bias of Tom's
disposition, he might choose, for the present, at least, some other
mode of education.

She talked earnestly to Tom, and he listened impatiently. There is
an age when boys rebel against female rule, and are not yet softened
by the chivalry of manhood, and Tom was at this time of life. He did
not like to be lectured by a sister, secretly disputed her right,
and, proud of becoming a schoolboy, had not the generous deference
for her weakness felt by his elder brothers; he was all the time
peeling a stick, as if to show that he was not attending, and he
raised up his shoulder pettishly whenever she came to a mention of
the religious duty of sincerity. She did not long continue her
advice, and, much disappointed and concerned, tried to console
herself with hoping that he might have heeded more than he seemed to
do.