excuse, or to plead her sorrow for what had happened as a
means of averting her father's displeasure, and ending by asking
permission to go to Mrs. Turner the instant the Hazlebys had left
Abbeychurch, to tell her that the excursion had been entirely without
Mr. Woodbourne's knowledge or consent. 'For,' said she, 'that is the
least I can do towards repairing what can never be repaired.'

'I am not sure that that would be quite a wise measure, my dear
Lizzie,' said Mrs. Woodbourne.

'Certainly not,' said Mr. Woodbourne; 'it would put Lizzie in a very
unsuitable situation, and in great danger of being impertinent.'

'Yes,' said Elizabeth; 'I see that I do wrong whichever way I turn.'

'Come, Lizzie,' said her father, 'I see that I cannot be as much
displeased with you as you are with yourself. I believe you are
sincerely sorry for what has passed, and now we will do our best to
make it useful to you, and prevent it from having any of the bad
consequences to my character which distress you so much.'

Elizabeth was quite overcome by Mr. Woodbourne's kindness, she sprung
up, threw her arms round his neck, kissed him, and taking one more look
to see that his eyes no longer wore the expression which she dreaded,
she darted off to her own room, to give a free course to the tears with
which she had long been struggling.

Katherine, who had been studying the newspaper all this time, seeing
Elizabeth's case so easily dismissed, and not considering herself as
nearly so much to blame, now giggled out, 'Mamma, did you ever see
anyone so impertinent as this man? "Fair and accomplished daughters,"
indeed! was there ever anything so impertinent?'

'Yes, Katherine,' said Mr. Woodbourne, 'there is something far more
impertinent in a young lady who thinks proper to defy my anger, and to
laugh at the consequences of her giddy disobedience.'

'Indeed, Papa,' said Katherine, 'I am very sorry, but I am sure it was
not disobedience. I did not know we were not to go.'

'Not when you had heard all that was said on the subject last year?'
said Mr. Woodbourne; 'I am ashamed to see you resort to such a foolish
subterfuge.'

'I did not remember it,' said Katherine; 'I am sure I should never have
gone if I had, but Lizzie was so bent upon it.'

'Again throwing the blame upon others,' said Mr. Woodbourne; 'your
sister has set you a far better example. She forbore from saying what
I believe she might have said with perfect truth, that h