‘Dear little affectionate creature!’ exclaimed Helen warmly.

‘How very angry with her Mrs. Hazleby seemed!’ said Anne.

‘Yes,’ said Helen, ’because Dora came to me in her distress, and would not let Mrs. Hazleby kiss her.’

‘How came Mrs. Hazleby to begin upon it?’ said Elizabeth; ’was it from her instinctive perception of disagreeable subjects?’

‘I can hardly tell,’ said Helen, ’I was not there at first; I rather think—­’ but here she stopped short, and looked confused.

‘Well, what do you think?’

’Why, I believe it arose from her seeing Uncle Edward playing with Edward on the green,’ began Helen, with a good deal of hesitation, ’saying that he was his godfather, and—­and she—­she hoped he would be would be as—­he would do as much for him, as if he was actually his uncle.’

‘Horrid woman!’ said Elizabeth, blushing deeply.

‘My dear Lizzie,’ said Anne, laughing, ‘do you hope he will not?’

‘Nonsense, Anne,’ said Elizabeth, laughing too; ’but I hope you quite give up the Hazlebys after this specimen.’

‘Now, Lizzie,’ said Helen, ’that is quite in your unjust sweeping style of censuring.  You do not mean to say that Lucy, or the Major, or the boys, are disagreeable.’

‘Root and branch, they are all infected,’ said Elizabeth; ’who could help it, living with Mrs. Hazleby?’

‘Pray do not be so unfair, Lizzie,’ continued Helen; ’I am sure that Lucy is a most amiable, sensible, gentle creature; the more to be admired for having such a mother and sister.’

‘By way of foil, I suppose,’ said Elizabeth; ’still, saving your presence, Helen, I think that if Lucy had all the sense you ascribe to her, she might keep things a little more straight.’

‘Really, Lizzie,’ said Helen, ’it is not like you to blame poor Lucy for her misfortunes; but I know very well that you only do it to contradict me.’

‘Well,’ said Elizabeth impatiently, ’I do allow that she is a redeeming point, but I do not give her such hyperbolical praise as you do; I may say she is the best of them, without calling her a paragon of perfection.’

‘I never called her any such thing!’ exclaimed Helen; ’but you will always wrest my words, and pretend to misunderstand me.’

‘I am sorry I have vexed you, Helen,’ said Elizabeth, more kindly; and Helen left the room.

‘Indeed, Lizzie,’ said Anne, ’I cannot think why you argued against this poor girl, after what you said yesterday.’

‘Because I cannot bear Helen’s sententious decided manner,’ said Elizabeth; ’and she exaggerates so much, that I must sometimes take her down.’

‘But,’ said Anne, ’do you not exaggerate the exaggeration, and so put her more in the right than yourself?’

’You mean by turning her string of superlatives into a paragon of perfection,’ said Elizabeth; ’I certainly believe I was unjust, but I could not help it.’