UNOPENED PARCELS. 101

too much. They filled at once with tears, and, I
felt my lips trembling with distress.

Still my father only smiled. “ Little Honor,”
said he, in a whisper, “you are too impatient.
You have not half opened your parcel yet.” +

The paper in which the walnut had been wrapped
was lying on the floor. I picked it up and held
it before him inside and out, to show him his
mistake, I should have said, “I have opened it
quite, papa,” if I had been able to speak at all.

“Oh nonsense !” papa went on, but still with
a smile; “that’s only the outside paper, child!
Listen, little Honor, your parcel is stall unopened
—do you hear? Take it back; look at it for
yourself.” |

I took it from his hand and sat down, and I
turned the walnut round and round, and looked at
it, but only as one looks at things from which one
expects nothing, and dislikes the sight of. My
eyes merely wandered over it, that is to say; all
my heart and attention were given to the one
thought, “ Why had grandmamma been so cruel
as to send me only a walnut?” ....