“But her parasol, and her bird! Did you think her mama very silly to give her pretty things?”
“No, certainly not, unless she wore them at unsuitable times, or thought too much about them.”
“Ida has so many, she does not think of them at all. And she has shells, and such a lovely work-box, and picture-books; she has all she wants.”
“Are you quite sure?”
“Oh, yes, quite sure! and they don’t tease her for liking pretty things; her brothers keep quite away, and never bother about the schoolroom; but she learns Italian and German, and drawing and singing. Mr. Greville said something about our spending the day there. Oh! if we do but go! Won’t you, Miss Fosbrook?”
“If I am asked, and if your Mamma would wish it.”
“Oh, Mamma always lets us go, except once—when—when—”
“When what?”
“When I cried,” said Elizabeth, hanging down her head; “I couldn’t help it. It did seem so tiresome here, and she said I was learning to be discontented; but nobody can help wishing, can they?”
“There must be a way of not breaking the Tenth Commandment.”