Consequences

of Cons

sat round the table, learning the new game which the nursery-m

a, you fold the piece of paper like this, and then give it to Cedric, because he's next t

be sure. Here, Master Baby, you can play with

call him Archie now. The new little si

little while. The children's own nurse would have told her to mind her own business, or

boy as Master Archie is, too. Now you

. He was a little boy of eight, with seri

leman. Some on

ow, I

em all, scribbled on her piece of paper an

arbara. You'

know wh

isper, and Barba

ow us to whisper.

rid litt

into a temper, because she felt it, unconsciously, to

or you to say what Nurse allows or doesn't allo

t she did not cry, as Alex, in spite of her twelve ye

out of her blue eyes. Then she wrote something on the slip of pape

als, easily legible, but no one wa

and little Archie, and then the papers were fold

hat we've written?" a

hen we read them out. That's whe

ecide what he said to her, what she replied, and what the world said. But at last even Barbara, always

-maid, "pull one out, Master Ar

at a paper, an

!" said

er Archie-whoever o

ried the ot

is Sovereign was a by

No,' and he answered her, 'You dirty little boy, go 'ome and wash

said Cedric sombrely. "I might have gone

Alex impatiently. "Don't list

ere?" said Emily, pretending an in

a wedding-ring. Whoever went and tho

d, and Alex shrieked,

Nurse, and that Nurse would be ce

" said Nurse sharply. "You'll dis

Barbara, well known to be Nurse's favourite, must needs say to her in a

such a funny new game, Nur

all your clothes wanting looking over the way they

ut without much hope, and at the same

Archie met the Queen in the Park

urned, Miss Emily, teaching them such vulgar, nonsensical games

ut snatched the little slips out of Emil

uences in my nursery, and don't

he eyes of the Clare children, she co

onsequences

game for Cedric consisted in the ever-lengthening conversation which took place under the heading of what he said to her and what she replied. When Her Majesty proceeded, under Cedric's laborious pencil, to invite him to drive her in her own carriage-and-pair, to Buckingham Palace, Alex said scornfully that Cedric was a silly little boy, and of course the Queen wouldn't say that. To which Cedric turned a perfectly deaf ear, and continued slowly to evolve amenities eminently satisfactory to his admiration for Her Majesty. Alex went away, shrugging her shoulders, but secretly she knew that Cedric's indifference had got the better of her. However much she might

y his elder sister's mockery, which had its origin in her secret longing to prove to herself,

m a desire to provoke her further, but simply from his complete absorpt

what I say?" Ale

. "I'm not listening. Do

lly little babies," she cried angrily and incoherent

ll when Emily had first taught her the game, she had a

would get into one of her priggish, perverse moods, and in a fit of temper with Cedric go and tell N

r, and accused her of being violent and over-bearing, and then Lady Isabel, the children's

thers? I shall send you to school, if y

end me to sc

you're

good, reall

Now ring for Hawkins

u put on your diamond th

went back to the nursery with an elated sense of having been very good, an

ringlets. Besides, Lady Isabel had said that Barbara really mustn't come down again when "people" were there until her second teeth had put in their tardy appearance. Even Cedric, though acclaimed as "quaint" and "solemn" by his mother's friends, was too apt to make disconcerting comments on their sparkling conversation, and would return to the nurs

ey were taken into the Park or to play in the square garden. Then Emily pushed the big pram that contained t

just in front of her with Alex, and unwillingly

long as they're together I can keep an eye on both and see they don't get under no hansom's

things that were very close to his eyes. He even had another, different, pair for reading, which

c. "You have a pla

only hurt her and kept her awake at night, but was very disfiguring besides, and she passionatel

hat she had heard Lady Isabel say, "Barbara is dreadfully back

aps interested comment. In the nursery, Nurse never suffered any airs and graces, as she c

strict school, my lady, and see what you

ol. Mummy said I shoul

ink themselves everybody at home, gets whipped

that she would be sent to school. She knew instinctively that her father disapproved of ordinary girl

ce it evidently imposed no obligations in the nature of church-going, and she often wondered why her mother had let all her children be Catholics,

Mass at the Oratory every Sunday, where there was a front bench reserved for them, with little cards in

down and standing up at the right moment, and keeping the prayer-books open in front of them. Alex and Barbara each had a Garden o

he one matter over which Nurse could be hoodwinked was print, and that she might quite safely indulge herself in the perusal of the pages devoted t

n as it would go over the bench. Alex always looked up surreptitiously, then, to see if by any chance a miracle was taking place, or to watch

eathing stertorously with Barbara on the other side devotedly imitating her, e

n up his little square headgear and faced the congregation for the last time, Nurse would begin to po

nst the stone floor. The final ceremony connected with the children's religion took place at the door, when Cedric had to make his way through rustling skirts and an occasional pair of black trousers to the big stone basin of

cross made then, the worst of Sun

nt out and left Emily in charge. In the summer she took the children to sit in the Square garden-the Park on Sundays was not

oloured frocks with innumerable frills at throat and wrists, and a small pad fastened under each skirt so that it might stand well out at the back. Cedric, like

like she was to her mother, which always delighted her. Her mother looked so pretty, sitting on the sofa with her fringe beautifully curled and a lovely dress that was half a teagown, the tight

ple took as much notice of her as of talkative Alex or pretty little Archie, who was a

down in search of you. I've got the most invaluable old dragon for them," she generally ad

of the visiting ladies would e

r won't hear of my spoilin'

from the room, Barbara taking little Archie by the hand and leading him to the door, where they both dropped the obeisance considered "picture

that her soul loved, she always said in a pleading whisper, lou

u a little longer, mummy. D

let her stay, d

to spoil her. She ought

this onc

aid Lady Isabel apologetically, "she is the eldes

original, or even merely precocious. No wonder that the nursery greeted her return with disdain. Even Emily called her "drawing-room child," and by her contempt brought Alex' ready tears of mortified va

e you're a couple of years older!" Nurse would say, pullin

whole yea

e any showing-off up here, I can tell you. You can keep those

ly went to b

ed whenever Barbara ventured to differ from Alex and take up an attitude of her own, or still more w

sionately. "I want to show you a better way. It'll

did not w

y. How could they not want to be shown the best way of doing things, when she knew

en that her belief in her own infallib

ly kille

took advantage of her state of excitement over the packing, and the emptiness of the downstair rooms, to play at circus on the stairs. Emily only said, "Now do

earned pigs and things like that-" This last impersonation having been persever

skipping-ro

id Barbar

d her sister, stamping her

skippin

e we can't have the tight-rope

you do tight-rope dancin

l yourself, if you'll only let me show yo

ping-rope, and let Alex knot it hastily and insecurely

bara, and I'll hold the other end of

t, I should

little muff; I'

ightened. Let

n the short flight of stairs and sat firmly down upon the

a," Alex commanded h

of disobeying her, Alex got her sister into a kneel

he rope. You'll be the famous tight-rop

I'm fri

e way on to the stairs, and I'll catch you. Beside

k to the alarming void between her perch and

he jerked at the rope, and at the same instan

lip suddenly, and screamed aloud as a shriek and crash that seem

basement-the flying feet of the servants-all was an agonized nightmare to Alex until Barbara,

om, and laid her down on the broad sofa. Then Alex became aware of a monotonous sound tha

u've broken my spectacles," r

tle boy, Cedric! When poor

it was all you that made her fal

"All you, was it? I might have known it, you mischiev

though she must die of such misery, and it was Cedric who gav

, which brought back Lady Isabel, white-faced and t

ied Cedric earnestly, running to meet

, Nurse?" sai

r, thank Heaven. The doctor says he

after a long time spent with Lady Isabel in the boudoir, and saw Alex, her face was quite hard again, and she gave her a push and

I didn't,"

aid any atte

nd Cook, who was Emily's aunt, and very angry about it all, told Alex that it was al

who, Nurse said, had been given a dreadful shock by Alex' wickedness, was going into the count

dric?" asked A

know, and he'll stay here and help me amuse poor litt

and play wit

ned grimly. "And I should think the sight of you

appen to me, Nur

ll talk to yo

before, but Alex, trembling and sick from crying, fou

to school, Alex," he tol

elv

nt from home in disgrace for such a reason. I am told that you have the deplorable reputation of originating quarrel

answer these terrible imputation

n now, I can scarcely believe it-a harmless, gentle child like your little sister, who, I am assured, has never do

waiting for Alex to speak, bu

your future behaviour must be such as to lead us all, particul

rbara ge

by the doctor that a year or two will entirely correct the injury to the spine

r sister's life," he said gently, "I hope you will reflect

you ever forgive me?" gas

ced that little Barbara will do. But I cannot, nor would I if I coul

uite flat on her back for at least a year, the doctor said, and she need do no lessons, and later she would be taken out in a

played circus again, and I could have been

chool at the e

rience of the game of Consequences, a