You must keep to what is right," far better than the good-natured yielding to entreaty he had formerly admired in Jemima.

He was wandering off into this comparison, while Ruth, with delicate and unconscious tact, was trying to lead Jemima into some subject which should take her away from the thoughts, whatever they were, that made her so ungracious and rude.
Jemima was ashamed of herself before Ruth, in a way which she had never been before any one else.

She valued Ruth's good opinion so highly, that she dreaded lest her friend should perceive her faults.
She put a check upon herself--a check at first; but after a little time she had forgotten something of her trouble, and listened to Ruth, and questioned her about Leonard, and smiled at his little witticisms; and only the sighs, that would come up from the very force of habit, brought back the consciousness of her unhappiness.
Before the end of the evening, Jemima had allowed herself to speak to Mr Farquhar in the old way--questioning, differing, disputing.

She was recalled to the remembrance of that miserable conversation by the entrance of her father.

After that she was silent.