And away she flounced in tears of wrath.  Her mother went after her, and we laughed a little, it was impossible to help it, at the bathos of the chocolate creams; but, as Mr. Methuen said, she was really right, the amusement was undesirable, as savouring of evil.  Edith, to my vexation, saw no harm in it; but Horace said very decidedly he hoped it would not happen again; and Margaret presently returned, saying she hoped that she had pacified Jane, and shown her that to descend as if there were an uproar in the school would only do much more harm than was likely to happen in that one evening; and she said to me afterwards, “I see what has been wanting in our training.  We have let children’s loyalty run into intolerance and rudeness.”  But Meg was quite innocent of there being any harm in it, and only needed reproof for being too much charmed by the pleasure for once to obey her dictatorial sister.

13, Ten A.M.—­Horace has had it out with sundry of the young ladies, so as to prevent any more betting.  Several had regretted it.  “Only they did so want to get rid of the bon-bons!  And Jane did make such an uproar.”  After all, nobody did really bet but Charley and the young Elwood, and Pica only that once.  Jane candidly owns that a little gentleness would have made a difference.

Again I see this obtuseness to courtesy towards strangers.  Our despised church has become popular, and so many of the young folks choose to accompany us that they overflowed into the free seats in the aisle, where I had a full view of them from above.  These benches are long, and I was sorry to see the girls planting themselves fast at the outer end, and making themselves square, so as to hinder any one else from getting in, till the verger came and spoke to them, when Charley giggled offensively; and even then they did not make room, but forced the people to squeeze past.  Isa could not help herself, not being the outermost; but she was much distressed, and does not shelter herself under Charley’s plea that it was so hot that the verger should have been indicted for cruelty to animals.  Certainly they all did come home very hot from walking back with the pupils.

Pica and Avice were not among them, having joined the Druces in going to Hollyford, where Horace preached this morning.  Their gray serges and sailor hats were, as they said, “not adapted to the town congregation.”

“It is the congregation you dress for?” said their uncle dryly, whereupon Pica upbraided him with inconsistency in telling his poor people not to use the excuse of ‘no clothes,’ and that the heart, not the dress, is regarded.  He said it was true, but that he should still advocate the poor man’s coming in his cleanest and best.  “There are manners towards God as well as towards man,” he said.

I was too much tired by the heat to go to church again this evening, and am sitting with my mother, who is dozing.  Where the young people are I do not know exactly, but I am afraid I hear Charley’s shrill laugh on the beach.