"Very well, Iris, on this occasion I will take you," she said. "But please first understand that you four children have got to bend your wills to mine; and when you are naughty,--although I don't expect you will ever be naughty, Iris,--I trust you, at least, will be an example to the others,--but when any of you are naughty you will be most certainly punished. I have brought you here with the intention of disciplining you and making you good children." "Then," said Iris, very slowly, "do you really think, Aunt Jane, that when mother was alive we were bad children?" "I have nothing to say on that point," answered Mrs. Dolman. She led Iris across the cool hall, and, taking a key out of her pocket, opened the door of the punishment chamber. She threw it wide open, and there, in the center of the matting, lay Diana, curled up like a little dog, very sound asleep. "Much she cares," said Mrs. Dolman. "Oh, Aunt Jane!" said Iris, tears springing to her eyes, "how could you be cruel to her, and she is not long without mother, you know--how could you be cruel to her, Aunt Jane?" "You are not to dare to speak to me in that tone, Iris," said Aunt Jane. But at that moment the noise, or perhaps it was the draught of fresh air, caused Diana to stir in her sleep. She raised her head and looked around her. The first person her eyes met was Iris. "So you has come at last," she said. "I don't think much of you for a mother. You made a lot of pwomises, and that's all you care. Has that ugly old woman been sent to pwison? There's my darlin' pets gone and got deaded, and she deaded 'em. Has she been put in pwison for murder? Oh, there you is, too, old Aunt Jane! Well, I is not going to obey you, so there! Now you know the twuf. I is Diana, the gweat Diana. I isn't going to obey nobody!" "Iris," said Mrs. Dolman, "will you speak to this extremely naughty little girl? If she will not repent and beg my pardon she shall have no dinner. I will send her in some bread and water; and here she shall stay until her naughty little spirit is broken." Mrs. Dolman left the room as she spoke, and Iris found herself alone with her sister. "You isn't much of a mother," repeated Diana. She went over to the window, and stood with her back to Iris. Her little bosom was heaving up and down; she felt very forlorn, but still she hugged her misery to her as a cloak. Iris gazed at her in perplexity. "Di," she said, "I never saw you like this before. What are you turning away from me for? Come to me, Di; do come to me." Diana's little breast heaved more than ever, tears came into her eyes, but she blinked them furiously away. "You can come to me, if you want; I shan't come to you. You isn't much of a mother," she repeated. "But I did not know you were in trouble, darling. Do, do come to your own Iris. Do tell me what is the matter." "Oh, Iris!" sobbed Diana.