It seems to me that even an ordinarily masculine girl of your
age would have been clear-headed enough to see the absurdity of your
little farce. It is nothing but a farce, mere babyishness. You have
been playing with yourself and with your doll. No boy could have done
it."
There was a short pause; then Mollie's voice piped out into a humble
question as to what course a boy would have pursued in the matter.
"Why, that is clear enough," said Mr. John. "If you want to do what a
boy would do, dispose of the doll on the shortest notice. Get it out
of your sight and mind as soon as possible, and then never give it any
more thought than you'd give the rattle you used to shake when you
were a baby, or the rubber ring you cut your teeth on."
Could he be made to understand the immense difference between Helena
and other toys? Could any words explain to him about the soul that had
grown out of Mollie's love into the cloth and sawdust body? Mollie
looked up to catch a sympathetic expression that should help her to
tell him; but she did not find it.
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