Even the boy henry was made the instrument of adding to his sister's
torments. One morning he rushed into the room with a willow branch in
his hand, which he told her had arrived that instant from Germany for
her special wearing. Lucy, as we have seen, was remarkably fond of
her younger brother, and at that moment his wanton and thoughtless
unkindness seemed more keenly injurious than even the studied insults of
her elder brother. Her grief, however, had no shade of resentment; she
folded her arms about the boy's neck, and saying faintly, "Poor Henry!
you speak but what they tell you" she burst into a flood of unrestrained
tears. The boy was moved, notwithstanding the thoughtlessness of his age
and character. "The devil take me," said he, "Lucy, if I fetch you any
more of these tormenting messages again; for I like you better," said
he, kissing away the tears, "than the whole pack of them; and you shall
have my grey pony to ride on, and you shall canter him if you like--ay,
and ride beyond the village, too, if you have a mind."
"Who told you," said Lucy, "that I am not permitted to ride where I
please?"
"That's a secret," said the boy; "but you will find you can never ride
beyond the village but your horse will cast a she, or fall lame, or the
cattle bell will ring, or something will happen to bring you back.
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