"How I envy them!" "You would not if you saw the place," said Dr.May.

"I believe Norman is very angry with me for letting them go near it." "Ah! but they are of real use there!" "And Miss Meta is obliged to take to envying the black-hole of Cocksmoor, instead of being content with the eglantine bowers of Abbotstoke! I commiserate her!" said the doctor.
"If I did any good instead of harm at Abbotstoke!" "Harm!" exclaimed Margaret.
"They went on very well without me," said Meta; "but ever since I have had the class they have been getting naughtier and noisier every Sunday; and, last Sunday, the prettiest of all--the one I liked best, and had done everything for--she began to mimic me--held up her finger, as I did, and made them all laugh!" "Well, that is very bad!" said Margaret; "but I suppose she was a very little one." "No, a quick clever one, who knew much better, about nine years old.

She used to be always at home in the week, dragging about a great baby; and we managed that her mother should afford to stay at home and send her to school.

It seemed such a pity her cleverness should be wasted." The doctor smiled.

"Ah! depend upon it, the tyrant-baby was the best disciplinarian." Meta looked extremely puzzled.
"Papa means," said Margaret, "that if she was inclined to be conceited, the being teased at home might do her more good than being brought forward at school." "I have done everything wrong, it seems," said Meta, with a shade of what the French call depit.