It was fortunate for her that she was quick-witted.

These two flagrant blunders were sufficient for her.

She grasped the principle that those who have a great love of power and little scope for it must necessarily exercise it in trivial matters.

She extended the principle of the newspaper and the letter-bag over her entire intercourse with the Gresleys and never offended in that manner again.
On this particular morning she waited decorously beside her brother as he opened the bag and dealt out the contents into three heaps.

Hester pounced on hers and subsided into her chair at the breakfast-table.
"I wonder," said Mrs.Gresley, looking at Hester's pile of letters over the top of her share of the morning's correspondence--namely, a list of Pryce Jones--"that you care to write so many letters, Hester.