“Father, soon after they came home from performing, told Merrylegs to jump up on the backs of the two chairs and stand across them⁠—which is one of his tricks. He looked at father, and didn’t do it at once. Everything of father’s had gone wrong that night, and he hadn’t pleased the public at all. He cried out that the very dog knew he was failing, and had no compassion on him. Then he beat the dog, and I was frightened, and said, ‘Father, father! Pray don’t hurt the creature who is so fond of you! O Heaven forgive you, father, stop!’ And he stopped, and the dog was bloody, and father lay down crying on the floor with the dog in his arms, and the dog licked his face.”

Louisa saw that she was sobbing; and going to her, kissed her, took her hand, and sat down beside her.

“Finish by telling me how your father left you, Sissy. Now that I have asked you so much, tell me the end. The blame, if there is any blame, is mine, not yours.”