Abbeychurch

before, Anne was dressed on Saturday morning in time to g

oken of Rupert's arrival, 'where do

e, my

at the Mechanics'

le would have approved of his daughters

ght not to have gon

ady Merton; 'the Mechanics' Institute may perhaps

rd much better than Lizzie and I did; and after it was too late, I found that Helen had declared it was very wrong of u

'Now, Mamma, do you think we could have helped going on after we once ca

lves easily when they have taken the

m afraid we have done

are much to blame, since I cannot see how you were to know

t it, for I might certainly have supposed that there was some reason against

elen's remonstrances

she had been talking nonsense,' said Anne; 'besides, I could see that Hel

od reasons, Anne,'

so full of the pleasure I expected in going to the lecture, that I did not choose to thin

ly said you must guard against doing so; and as far as I have seen, you h

e; 'that is the dangerous time, especially now Rupert

Merton, 'provided it is with

ly after, 'what do you think abo

e about it,' said Lady Merton; 'do

oke this morning. But I do firmly believe, that if Lizzie had had the slightest idea that s

portmanteau had just been broken open for the seventh time since it had been in his possession. He said t

m; Dora was to accompany the other young people in a long walk, to a farm-house, which report said had been a baronial castle in the days of King Stephen, and from exploring the antiquities of which some of them ex

able to tell the children of the treat in store for them, and to write a little note to

Edward asked what the smart-looking build

nics' Institute,' s

town without on

conducted?' inqu

oodbourne; 'two or three Socialist lectures were given there

d to interfere?'

ty and bigotry; and poor Mr. Turner was so much distressed, that he came to entreat me to go myself, or at least to allow my girls to go, to some lectures, which he promised should be perfectly harmless. I told him that I disapproved of Mechanics' Institutes in general, and especially of the way i

e, who was on the point of speaking, was checked by an imploring glance from Harriet. The conversation was changed, and nothing more was said on the subj

three voices at once, 'do

atal?' said Elizabeth,

u have got into!'

h you have brought us i

izabeth; 'why do you look so like the form tha

so provoking with Priam and all that stuff, but tel

beth; 'so I suppose Fido was stolen

what Papa says? Uncle Edward has been asking about the Institute; and, oh dear! oh dear! Papa said he could not

and horrible people, have been lecturing there! I remember now, that when you were at Merton Hall in the spring, there was a gr

pedition? Really, I think, if everyone had their deserts, you would have no small share of blame!

it,' said

put in mind of it? And how could you bring me back such a flaming description of Mrs. Turner's aug

e so cross; you know Mamma says I have su

which softened Eliza

you; besides that, I led you all into it, being the eldest. I only meant to shew you that you are not q

en Harriet died out, 'O Helen,

lizabeth; 'I am going to tell Papa my

Harriet, 'I beg you will not; you do

lly, 'do you think that I am going to c

now it was wrong to go; and now Fido is lost, Mamma will be certain to say it was by my going, and s

ell, Anne,' said Elizabeth,

this morning

med Harriet; 'and

e allowed to go to such a place,' said Ann

ry with you?' pe

she could not be angry with Anne, when it was all my

Mamma and Aunt Mild

nk she will,'

to tell,' said Elizabeth; 'so

I cannot see why; it will o

ly deserve,' s

' said Harriet, 'you are very welcome;

ncere and cowardly,' said Elizabet

a fib,' said Harriet; 'I on

en l'autre,'

till we are gone, if you are deter

iet, I do not see what you have to fear. It was Kate and I who did wrong; we knew better, and cast away Helen's good adv

I should not care if

ence find Fido?'

r going, because she will be angry about Fido; and if she once thinks that

sed to say that you could do anything with your

u may hear her from one end of the house to the other. Cannot you, Lucy? And now she will be dreadfully cros

sk Papa not to mention it to Mrs. Hazleby; though, Harriet, there a

directly,' said Kathe

th; 'there is the dining-room

us, a sudden thought struck her. 'Lizzie,' whispered she, 'if you tell Papa that you and I went, Mrs. Hazl

shew in your chosen f

t of cousin,' said Katherine; 'but I am sure

I will tell you that I had thought of the same thing; but I do not choose to do evil that good may come, or that ev

of her father's study, when Katherine excla

not mind his being there; we ought to

e, 'here are a hat and a roll of papers

en. It really was a very convenient thing when the architects of the old German cathedrals used to ta

when you may see Papa?' said Kather

lizabeth; 'besides, Harriet will pester me with entreaties as

e, looking rather miserable; 'only I am not in such a hu

l find her,' s

up to the nursery, but she was not there; and they were going down again, when Katherine, seeing Elizabeth go towards the kitchen stai

Elizabeth ran down to the kitchen, where

rembling all over with impatience, while Mrs. Woodbourne and the cook were

presently, 'would you just run to my roo

er a relief to her, and she was do

ve brought me the account-book instead of-But, my dear child, what is the matter?'

with the right book; but Mrs. Woodbourne was too much alarmed by her manner to spend another moment in giving directions t

ss with any of the-' exclaimed Mrs. W

is not Winifred who is mad. It is I who have been more mad and foolish and self-willed tha

u do not mean it!'

certainly, but I would not listen to Helen's good advice, and so I have made Papa seem to consent

Mrs. Woodbourne; 'I am afraid your papa will be very much annoyed; but,

asking your leave. Simple obedience might have kept me straight. But now I will t

n able to talk over her conduct in this manner; and though she still felt that she had been very much to blame, and by no means sure that Mr. Woodbourne would pass over her fault so lightly, was greatly comforted by her mamma's kindness. She went away to bathe her swollen eyes, before she went down to the school-room to read the Psalms and Lessons with her sisters, as was their

rriet, just as Elizabeth departed on her

the window, 'what difference is her saying not

han mine,' said Harriet; 'I could not be wat

ou take him the

way without ever thinking wh

go his string,' said Helen; 'I cannot see how you can accuse Lucy

an answer, by hearing her mother calling her in

Fido is?' was Mrs.

a to fall into another. She avoided any further questions,

eby; and as Lucy came out of the sc

swered Lucy in a low voice

in the kitchen then,

, firmly, but not daring to raise her eyes; 'we misse

of it? I never knew anyone so careless as you are, in all my lif

Anne and Helen could distinguish nothing but the sound of M

cy!' sig

ul!' sa

n, with tears in her eyes; 'there she is, bearing all that terrible scolding, rather than say it was Harriet's fault

he exist?'

she would have taken her away to live with her, as the Major proposed, after Miss Dorothea Hazleby died, but that she thought it would be taking away all the comfort of her father's life. Oh! Anne,' cried Helen, walking up and down th

y was ready to do almost anything

bear all this. Anne, I do believe that if martyrs are made, and crowns are gained, by

answe

e happy sou

through tha

fore in hu

'mid their

worms of

Lucy as the light, the glow-worm of her family. Thank you; the thought

eard in the passage, and a letter was brought in and given to Helen. It was from Fanny Staunton, but she had only just time to glance it over, before the three children came in, followed by their mother a

y assuring Lady Merton that the Bible and Prayer-book which Uncle Edward, his godfather, had given him, were quite safe, and he was to use them himself when Lizzie thought he could read well enough. This Dora explained as meaning when he had for a week abstained from guessing words instead of spelling them; and Elizabeth proposed to him to try whether he could read to-day without one mistake. Edward objected to reading at that time, as he was to go out at half-past twelve, and there would be no time for

l you can read; I want to know whether the young rob

ed by two more monsters; but Anne stopped her ears, and declared she would hear nothing

e paused however a few moments, to consider whether she should go to Lucy, but thinking that it must certainly be painfu

unfortunately, however, her hair was rather too soft to curl well, and after having been plaited for the last three months, it was most obstinate in hanging deplorably straight, in a way very uncomfortable to her feelings and irritating to her temper; besides which, Elizabeth had been too much occupied by her own concerns all the morning, to observe the alteration, and indeed, if she had remarked it, she was not likely to feel as much flattered by this instance of deference to her opinion, as Helen thought she ought to be. Last night, Helen had lamented that her own petulance had prevented her from reasoning calmly with Elizabeth, and from setting before her all the arguments upon which she had discoursed so fluently to Lucy, after the imprudent step had been taken

wer to Fanny's letter; and by the time she had finished, had brought her into that agreeable fram

longer alone; if Lady Merton wanted anything which she had left up-stairs, Katherine would officiously volunteer to fetch it, when particularly told that she was not wanted; if Mrs. Woodbourne moved to the door, and made signs to Katherine to follow her, she worked with double assiduity, and never looked up

amusement; Elizabeth seemed to have recovered her spirits; Harriet was as noisy as ever; and Lucy, if possible, a little

e in her life, and concluded as usual with, 'would you, Lucy?' Mrs. Woodbourne inquired anxiously after Winifred's hand. Mrs. Hazleby was on the point of taking fire at the implied suspicion of her lamented favourite's sanity, when Rupert averted the threatened danger, by a grave examination of Winifred and Meg Merrilies, who had both been wounded, and conc