"Don't talk in that way, child, for heaven's sake! you do read such books--they give you such ideas of everything. I declare when your aunt and I were your age we knew nothing about wickedness. I think it was better so."
"Why did you not bring me up in that way, mamma?" said Gwendolen. But immediately perceiving in the crushed look and rising sob that she had given a deep wound, she tossed down her hat and knelt at her mother's feet crying,
"Mamma, mamma! I was only speaking in fun. I meant nothing."

"Don't talk in that way, child, for heaven's sake! you do read such books. I declare when I was your age I knew nothing about wickedness."
"Why did you not bring me up in that way, mamma?" said Gwendolen. But immediately perceiving her mother's crushed look, she knelt at her feet crying-
"Mamma! I was only speaking in fun. I meant nothing. 