‘I am afraid he was,’ said Katherine; ’but that is not the worst of it—­I know nothing about him.  But do you know what Papa says?  Uncle Edward has been asking about the Institute; and, oh dear! oh dear!  Papa said he could not bear Mechanics’ Institutes, and had resolved quite firmly that none of his family should ever set foot in one!’

Elizabeth really looked quite appalled at this piece of intelligence; and Katherine continued, ’And Chartists, and Socialists, and horrible people, have been lecturing there!  I remember now, that when you were at Merton Hall in the spring, there was a great uproar, and the Abbeychurch Reporter behaved very badly to Papa about it.  A fine affair you have made of it, indeed, Lizzie!’

‘And pray, Miss Kate,’ said Elizabeth sharply, ’who was the person who first proposed this fine expedition?  Really, I think, if everyone had their deserts, you would have no small share of blame!  What could prevent you from telling me all this yesterday, when it seems you knew it all the time?’

‘I forgot it,’ said Katherine.

‘Exactly like you,’ continued her sister; ’and how could you listen to all Helen said, and not be put in mind of it?  And how could you bring me back such a flaming description of Mrs. Turner’s august puppy of a nephew?  If we are in a kettle of fish, as Harriet says, you are at the bottom of it!’

‘Well, Lizzie,’ said Katherine, ’do not be so cross; you know Mamma says I have such a bad memory, I cannot help forgetting.’

And she began to cry, which softened Elizabeth’s anger a little.

‘I did not mean to throw all the blame upon you, Kate,’ said she; ’I know I ought not to have trusted to you; besides that, I led you all into it, being the eldest.  I only meant to shew you that you are not quite so immaculate as you seem to imagine.  We have all done very wrong, and must take the consequences.’

Helen was leaving the room, when Harriet died out, ’O Helen, pray do not go and tell of us!’

‘Helen has no such intention,’ said Elizabeth; ’I am going to tell Papa myself as soon as he has done breakfast.’

‘Oh!  Lizzie, dearest Lizzie,’ cried Harriet, ’I beg you will not; you do not know what Mamma would do to me!’

‘Pray, Harriet,’ said Elizabeth scornfully, ’do you think that I am going to conceal my own faults from my own father?’

‘But, Lizzie, stop one moment,’ said Harriet; ’you know it was you and Kate who took me; I did not know it was wrong to go; and now Fido is lost, Mamma will be certain to say it was by my going, and she will be dreadfully angry with me; and you would not wish me to be scolded for what was your fault!’

‘Should not you wish me to tell, Anne,’ said Elizabeth, turning her back upon Harriet.

‘I told Mamma this morning,’ said Anne.

‘Told her!’ exclaimed Harriet; ‘and what did she say—?’

’She said she wondered that my cousins were allowed to go to such a place,’ said Anne; ‘and she seemed very sorry we had gone.’