‘My dear Kate,’ exclaimed Helen, ’how could you listen to such affected nonsense?’

‘Why, Lizzie says everybody talks nonsense,’ said Katherine, ’but we must listen and be civil, you know; I am sure I wish people would not be so silly, it is very disagreeable to hear it; but I cannot help it, and after this I really think I ought to go, it would be very odd if I did not.’

‘Better do what is odd than what is wrong,’ said Helen.

In her secret soul, Katherine had been of the same opinion the whole time, and now that she thought she had made a sufficient merit of giving up the expedition, she was about to promise to follow Helen’s advice, when she was interrupted by the entrance of Harriet, with her shawl and bonnet in her hand, coming to gossip with Katherine, and thus escape from Lucy, who had been quietly suggesting that in a doubtful case, such as the present seemed to be, it was always best to keep to the safe side.  Harriet had laughed at Lucy for not being able to give any reasons, told her that it was plain that Helen knew nothing about the matter, and declared that she thanked goodness that if Mr. Woodbourne was ever so angry, he was not her master, and her own mamma never minded what she did.  Lucy could make no answer in words, but her silent protest against her sister’s conduct made Harriet so uneasy that she quitted her as soon as she could.

Helen still hoped that Anne would see the folly of the scheme, and persuade Elizabeth to give it up, and content herself with taking a walk, or that her sister’s better sense would prevail; but she was disappointed, when, as they left the house, Anne asked where the lecture was to be given, Elizabeth replied, ‘At the Mechanics’ Institute;’ and no further observation was made, Anne’s silence confirming Elizabeth in her idea that Helen had been talking nonsense.  Still, as St. Martin’s Street, where Mr. Turner lived, was their way out of the town, Helen remained in doubt respecting her sister’s intentions until they reached Mr. Turner’s house, and Elizabeth walked up the steps, and knocked at the door.

Helen immediately wheeled round, and walked indignantly homewards, too full of her own feelings to make any attempt to persuade Katherine to follow her example, and every step shewing how grieved and affronted she was.

Lucy laid her hand on her sister’s arm, and looked up imploringly in her face.

‘Pooh!’ said Harriet pettishly, jerking the ribbon by which she was leading Fido:  ‘give me one reason, Lucy, and I will come.’

‘What Helen said,’ answered Lucy.

‘Stuff and nonsense!’ said Harriet; ‘that was no reason at all.’

‘What did Helen say?’ asked Anne, who had been rather startled by her departure.

‘Only some Dykelands fancies about Socialists,’ said Elizabeth; ’that is the reason she has gone off like a tragedy queen.  I did not think all Abbeychurch was ready for the French Revolution—­that was all.’