Our old nurse taught me to say it when I was small , and though it has been pretty well governessed out of me since then , it 's sure to pop up when I get confused and nervous . Sue ... may it be accounted unto her for righteousness ... contrived that I should go out to dinner with old Mr. Grant , because she knew he goes to dinners for the sake of eating and never talks or wants anybody else to . But when we were crossing the hall I stepped on Mrs. Burnett 's train and something tore . Mrs. Burnett gave me a furious look and glowered all through dinner . The meal was completely spoiled for me and I could find no comfort , even in the Nesselrode pudding , which is my favourite dessert . It was just when the pudding came on that I got the most unkindest cut of all . Mrs. Allardyce remarked that Sidney Elliot was coming home to Stillwater . Everybody exclaimed and questioned and seemed delighted . I saw Mother give one quick , involuntary look at Jen , and then gaze steadfastly at Mr. Grant to atone for it . Jen is twenty-six , and Stillwater is next door to our place ! As for me , I was so vexed that I might as well have been eating chips for all the good that Nesselrode pudding was to me . If Sidney Elliot were coming home everything would be spoiled . There would be no more ramblings in the Stillwater woods , no more delightful skating on the Stillwater lake . Stillwater has been the only place in the world where I could find the full joy of solitude , and now this , too , was to be taken from me . We had no woods , no lake . I hated Sidney Elliot . It is ten years since Sidney Elliot closed Stillwater and went abroad . He has stayed abroad ever since and nobody has missed him , I 'm sure . I remember him dimly as a tall dark man who used to lounge about alone in his garden and was always reading books . Sometimes he came into our garden and teased us children .
He is said XXXXX be a cynic and to detest society .
If as from in into of on since though to