At what should I have laughed? HARRIET. Oh, to hear Mama scold so, and to see me look so like a fool. CONSTANCE. Indeed, I was very sorry; it is such a sad thing to incur the displeasure of ones mother. HARRIET. Oh, not at all; I don’t care, she won’t say any more to me; and if I had cried then, I knew she would let me go; but I was ashamed because you and your Mamma were there, besides, I was a little afraid of Papa. Does your papa humour your brother more than he does you? CONSTANTIA. I hardly know what you mean; Papa humours neither of us. HARRIET. Why, he looks very good natured. CONSTANTIA. He is indeed, much too good natured to humour his children; he is uniformly kind and indulgent when we behave well, and constantly strict and resolute when we deserve his displeasure. HARRIET. Well, that seems very odd! As to Ned, Papa never contradicts him nor Mama neither; but he does me and is as angry as can be sometimes. [Illustration: PL. XXI.—FIRST KNOWN DIPLOMA ON TWILLED SILK Probably engraved by Tisdale ] CONSTANTIA. What a pretty bird! It is a goldfinch, I see. HARRIET. Yes, and a fine songster, I assure you. CONSTANTIA. Did you take him from the nest? HARRIET. No, he was about a year old when I had him. Ned caught him in a trap in the winter. CONSTANTIA. Poor thing was he not very uneasy when he was first confined? HARRIET. Oh, I don’t know; he used to flutter about sometimes, but we did not mind that. CONSTANTIA. He is very tame now; he does not seem at all disturbed when I stand by the cage. HARRIET. That is because he does not see you. CONSTANTIA. Not see me! How is that? HARRIET. Because he is blind. CONSTANTIA. Blind! Ah, poor little creature. By what accident did that happen? HARRIET. No accident at all; Ned did it on purpose. CONSTANTIA. On purpose; oh, how could he be so cruel? HARRIET. He did it to make him sing the better, with a red hot knitting needle. CONSTANTIA, (_pale and shuddering_.) Oh, how shocking. Were you not grieved? HARRIET. Not I; I liked it, because it is my bird. If I had not liked it, it should not have been done, I promise you. CONSTANTIA. Is it possible you should have given your consent? Oh, if you knew how melancholy it is to be blind!