‘I should be sorry to live without pepper,’ said Rupert.

‘I am not so sure of that,’ said Lady Merton.

‘At least you do not wish to have enough to choke you,’ said Anne; ‘you must have it in moderation.’

‘I think Lizzie is learning moderation,’ said Lady Merton; ’she is acquiring more command of impulse, and Helen more command of feeling, so that I think there is little danger of their not agreeing.’

‘Is it not curious, Mamma,’ said Anne, ’that we should have been talking of the necessity of self-control, just before we set out on this visit, when I told you that line of Burns was your motto; and now we find that the want of it is the reason of all that was wrong between those two sisters.  I wonder whether we could make out that any more of the follies we saw in this visit were caused by the same deficiency in anyone else.’

‘Beginning at home?’ said Sir Edward.

‘Of course, Papa,’ said Anne; ’I know that my failure in self-control has done mischief, though I cannot tell how much.  I laughed at the Hazlebys continually, in spite of Mamma’s warning, and encouraged Lizzie to talk of them when I had better not have done so; and I allowed myself to be led away by eagerness to hear that foolish lecture.  I suppose I want control of spirits.’

’And now having finished our own confession, how merrily we begin upon our neighbours!’ said Rupert; ‘whom shall we dissect first?’

‘Indeed, Rupert,’ said Anne, ’I do not want to make the most of their faults, I only wish to study their characters, because I think it is a useful thing to do.  Now I do not see that Kate’s faults are occasioned by want of self-control; do you think they are, Mamma?’

‘Do you think that piece of thistle-down possesses any self-control?’ said Rupert.

’You mean that Kate does not control her own conduct at all, but is drifted about by every wind that blows,’ said Anne; ’yes, it was Miss Hazleby’s influence that made her talk so much more of dress than usual, and really seem sillier than I ever saw her before.’

‘And what do you say of the fair Harriet herself?’ said Rupert.

‘Nothing,’ said Anne.

‘And Mrs. Hazleby is her daughter in a magnifying glass,’ said Rupert; ’a glorious specimen of what you all may come to.  And Mrs. Woodbourne?’

‘Oh!  I have nothing to do with the elders,’ said Anne; ’but if you want me to find you a fault in her, I shall say that she ought to control her unwillingness to correct people.  And now we have discussed almost everyone.’

‘From which discussion,’ said Rupert, ’it appears that of all the company at Abbeychurch, the sole possessor of that most estimable quality, the root of all other excellencies, is—­your humble servant.’

On this unfortunate speech of poor Rupert’s, father, mother, and sister, all set up a shout of laughter, which lasted till Rupert began to feel somewhat enraged.