Oh, my poor orphan children, I must do my utmost to prevent your having your own perverse way in this matter!" She arrived at Woodbine Cottage to find the neat little house already in sad confusion.

Hannah favored her with an expressive look, and a grave shaking of her head.
"I don't know if they'll see you," she said--"they won't see you if it is on a lecturing errand you've come, ma'am.

Their minds is made up, ma'am, and obstinate is no word for them.

Dear Miss Martineau, you means well, and you has known them most of their lives, poor darlings, so sit you down in the hall, and I'll see if I can get them to have a word with you." Jasmine, however, had heard her old governess's voice, and now running out, looking extremely untidy but very pretty, she exclaimed in her eager tones-- "Now, you dear Miss Martineau, say you're not--do say you're not!" "Not what, my dear ?" asked the governess, who really felt quite angry with Jasmine at this moment.

"If you mean that I am not displeased--I am displeased; and if you mean that I am not to oppose you, my dear, I should not be doing my solemn duty, the duty which I owe to your poor dead mother, if I did not oppose you to the very uttermost.