Motives seemed weak; effort was weary and unprofitable; life unutterably mean.

It could scarcely be called suffering, to feel thus.
She was roused by voices below, and, immediately after, her mother came to her door again.
'Isn't it vexatious ?' Mrs.Hood whispered.

'Here are Jessie and Geraldine.

I'm obliged to ask them to stay tea.

Do you feel well enough to come down ?' Emily went down at once, almost with a sense of relief, and presented herself to the girls very much in her usual way.
'Now, I know very well you don't want us,' said Jessie, with her sprightly frankness.