“Indeed, my dear Lady Rockville! I might perhaps have agreed to your wishes,” answered Lady Harriet, “particularly as Laura seems sincerely sorry, and did not premeditate her disobedience; but she actually has not a tolerable frock to appear in now!”

“I must lend her one of my velvet dresses to destroy next,” said Lady Rockville, smiling.

“Uncle David’s Mackintosh cloak would be the fittest thing for her to wear,” replied Lady Harriet, rising to leave the room. “Laura, you must learn a double task now! [89] ]Here it is! and at Lady Rockville’s request I excuse you this once; though I am sorry that, for very sufficient reasons, we cannot see you at dessert, which otherwise I should have been most happy to do.”

Laura sat down and cried during a quarter of an hour after Lady Harriet had gone to dinner. She felt sorry for having behaved ill, and sorry to have vexed her good grandmama; and sorry not to see all the fine party at dessert; and sorry to think that next day she must leave Holiday House; and sorry, last of all, to consider what Mrs. Crabtree would say when all her ruined frocks were brought home. In short, poor Laura felt perfectly overwhelmed with the greatness and variety of her griefs, and scarcely believed that any one in the world was ever more miserable than herself.

Her eyes were fixed on her task, while her thoughts were wandering fifty miles away from it, when a housemaid, who had frequently attended upon Laura during her visit, accidentally entered the room, and seemed much surprised, as well as concerned, to find the young lady in such a way, for her sobbing could be heard in the next room. It was quite a relief to see any one; so Laura told over again all the sad adventures of the day, without attempting to conceal how naughty she had been; and most attentively was her narrative listened to, till the very end.

“You see, Miss!” observed Nelly, “when people doesn’t behave well, they must expect to be punished.”

“So they should!” sobbed Laura; “and I dare say it will make me better! I would not pass such a miserable day as this again, for the world; but I deserve to be more punished than I am.”

“That’s right, Miss!” replied Nelly, pleased to see the good effect of her admonitions. “Punishment is as sure to do us good when we are naughty, as physic when we are ill. But now you’ll go down to dessert, and forget it all.”

[90]
]“No! grandmama would have allowed me, and Lady Rockville and every body was so very kind about inviting me down; but my last clean frock is quite unfit to be seen, so I have none to put on. Oh, dear! what a thousand million of pities!”

“Is that all, Miss! Then dry your eyes, and I can wash the frock in ten minutes. Give it to me, and learn your lesson, so as to be ready when I come back.”