The Mill on the Floss

For a whole week Maggie Tulliver had thought of nothing but her brother Tom, who was coming home from school for the holidays.Maggie was nine, quick and dark and clever, and she loved Tom with her whole fierce heart.Before he left, Tom had asked her to take care of his two rabbits while he was away.

But Maggie forgot things when her mind was full of books and daydreams, and for several days no one fed them.By the time she remembered, both rabbits were dead.She had been carrying the guilt of it about with her like a stone.

When the cart finally brought Tom to the door, Maggie rushed at him and hugged him so hard that his cap fell off.Tom was pleased to be home, and pleased with himself, for he had something for her in his pocket.It was a fishing-line — half of one he had bought with his own money — and a new hook, so that she could fish beside him.

Maggie was almost too happy to speak, and for a few minutes she let herself forget the rabbits.Then Tom asked, brightly, how his rabbits were getting on.Maggie’s face changed, and after a struggle she told him the truth.

Tom’s pleasure went cold at once. “You’re a very naughty girl,” he said. “I don’t love you.”He would not look at her; he talked instead about going to see the mill and the pond.Maggie’s heart seemed to break, and she ran upstairs to the dark attic to cry alone.

But Tom’s anger never lasted long, and before the afternoon was over he climbed up to fetch her, and they were friends again.They walked down together to the Round Pool, and as she sat by the water with her line, Maggie thought that heaven could be nothing better than this: to sit beside Tom, and never be scolded.