“A prisoner I have taken—captivated—locked up! In other words, the pupil has turned teacher and locked her master up, as mothers do refractory children, to bring him to his senses.”
“Miss Lawless,” said the judge, in his most stately manner, “I have no time to listen to your nonsense. If you have anything to say—say it. If not, hold your tongue, and learn to be respectful when you address your father.”
“Well, I never!” ejaculated Pet. “No matter how seriously, sensibly, or solemnly I talk, people say I’m talking nonsense. But that’s just my fate; everything awful and horrid is destined to happen to me; and if I say a word against it, I’m told I’m imprudent and ungrateful, and dear knows what. Now, I told you I have locked my teacher up, and you tell me you have no time to listen to my nonsense. I guess Mr. Garnet finds it an unpleasant truth, anyway.”
“Petronilla! what do you mean?” said her father, beginning to think there might be method in this madness.
“Why, that I’ve locked Mr. Garnet up in the library for not behaving himself,” said Pet, promptly.
“Locked him up!”
“Yes, sir; and served him right, too, the hateful old ghoul!”
“Locked your teacher up?”
“Yes, sir; teachers require locking up as well as pupils.”
“Miss Lawless, it’s not possible that you have been guilty of such an outrageous act!” said the judge, with an awful frown.