‘But he didn’t knock me down,’ said Maurice.  ’You told me he did not, papa.’

‘That’s all he thinks of!’ said Mr. Kendal, in admiration.

’Not a cry nor a tear from first to last.  I told Sophy to let me know when Bowles came.’

‘For a black eye?’ cried the hard-hearted mother, laughing.  ’You should have seen what Maurice and Fred used to do to each other.’

‘Oh, tell me, mamma,’ cried Maurice, eagerly.

‘Not now, master,’ she said, not thinking his pugnacity in need of such respectable examples.  ’It would be more to the purpose to ask Mr. Cavendish Dusautoy’s pardon for such very bad behaviour.’

Mr. Kendal looked at her in indignant surprise.  ’Ours is not the side for the apology,’ he said.  ’If Dusautoy has a spark of proper feeling, he must excuse himself for such a brutal assault.’

’I am afraid Maurice provoked it; I hope my little boy is sorry for having been so mischievous, and sees that he deserves—­’

Mr. Kendal silenced her by an impatient gesture, and feeling that anything was better than the discussion before the boy, she tried to speak indifferently, and not succeeding, left the room, much annoyed that alarm and indignation had led the indulgent father to pet and coax the spirit that only wanted to be taken down, and as if her discipline had received its first real shock.

Mr. Kendal followed her upstairs, no less vexed.  ’Albinia, this is absurd,’ he said.  ’I will not have the child punished, or made to ask pardon for being shamefully struck.’

‘It was shameful enough,’ said Albinia; ’but, after all, I can’t wonder that Algernon was in a passion; Maurice did behave very ill, and it would be much better for him if you would not make him more impudent than he is already.’

’I did not expect you to take part against your own child, when he has been so severely maltreated,’ said he, with such unreasonable displeasure, that almost thinking it play, she laughed and said, ’You are as bad as the mothers of the school-children, when they wont have them beaten.’

He gave a look as if loth to trust his ears, walked into his room, and shut the door.  The thrill of horror came over her that this was the first quarrel.  She had been saucy when he was serious, and had offended him.  She sprang to the door, knocked and called, and was in agony at the moment’s delay ere he returned, with his face still stern and set.  Pleading and earnest she raised her eyes, and surrendered unconditionally.  ’Dear Edmund, don’t be vexed with me, I should not have said it.’

‘Never mind,’ he said, affectionately; ’I do not wish to interfere with your authority, but it would be impossible to punish a child who has suffered so severely; and I neither choose that Dusautoy should be made to think himself the injured party, nor that Maurice should be put to the pain of apologizing for an offence, which the other party has taken on himself to cancel with interest.’