HARRIET. La! Why a bird does not mind, you know. CONSTANTIA. Not mind! Do you think, then, they do not feel? Do you think they have no pleasure in seeing the light? Why then, do they sing when it first dawns? HARRIET. Oh, that is because it is natural to them. CONSTANTIA. Yes, to rejoice in the daylight! Ah, poor little wretch! Would I could restore you to sight! HARRIET. But you cannot think how much better he sings! CONSTANTIA. I should not wish to hear him; I should think every note a melancholy expression of his sorrow, or a reproach to me for having caused it. HARRIET. What odd notions you have! Where did you pick them up? CONSTANTIA. If you mean the notion of hurting no creature whatever, I gained it, as I did all I know, from my father and mother. HARRIET. Well, I declare I am sorry; but nobody ever told me it was cruel, so how should I know? NED. (_without_) Harriet, Harriet, come here. I have something droll to show you. The cat is playing with a mouse. (MRS. LEYSTER, ALICIA, CONSTANTIA _and_ HELEN. CONSTANTIA _seated at a table, drawing_.) ALICIA. Cousin, do you draw? CONSTANTIA. A little, but I am very fond of it. ALICIA. So am I, though I have not practised lately; if you will give me a pencil I will try. CONSTANTIA. Oh, willingly. (_They sit down to draw._) HELEN. Come, Constance, tell us what you did at Mr. Sydney’s last night. CONSTANTIA. Nothing agreeable, I can assure you. I went with Miss Sydney into her playroom, but her books were torn to pieces, and then we came back into the drawing-room to see the cat play with a mouse. HELEN. The cat play with a mouse; but did she not hurt it? Mama always says “poor thing” when old Tom catches one. CONSTANTIA. Oh yes, she hurt it enough, I believe, but they did not mind that, as Miss Sydney said, when I asked her if her goldfinch was not unhappy, when they first confined him. HELEN. Not mind hurting anything! I fancy this Miss Sydney is not very good! CONSTANTIA. No, truly, for if you had been there, when she first came into the room! HELEN. Why, what did she do? CONSTANTIA. Her hat was half torn off, her hair was tangled, and her face was dirty; and she came in bawling, just like this, (_mimicking_) “Mama, Ned says he won’t come.”