I am sure I think Harriet is very silly indeed,' said Katherine; 'I
cannot bear her vulgar ways, bouncing about as she does, and such dress
I never did see. Last time she was here, she had a great large
artificial rose upon her bonnet; I wonder what Papa would say if he saw
me in such a thing!'

'Pray keep the same opinion of her all the time she is here, Kate,'
said Elizabeth; 'but I know you too well to trust you. I only know
they will keep me in a perpetual state of irritation all the time, and
I hope that will not quite spoil my mind for the Service.'

'How can you talk of Mamma's relations in that way, Lizzie?' said Helen.

'I do not care whose relations they are,' said Elizabeth; 'if people
will be disagreeable, I must say so.'

'Mrs. Staunton used to say,' replied Helen, 'that people always ought
to keep up their connexion with their relations, whether they like them
or not. There were some very stupid people, relations of Mr.
Staunton's, near Dykelands, whom Fanny and Jane could not endure, but
she used to ask them to dinner very often, and always made a point--'

'Well, if I had any disagreeable relations,' said Elizabeth, 'I would
make a point of cutting them. I do not see why relations have a right
to be disagreeable.'

'I do not see how you could,' said Helen. 'For instance, would you
prevent Mamma from ever seeing the Major, her own brother?'

'He cannot be half so well worth seeing since he chose to marry such a
horrid wife,' said Elizabeth.

'Would you never see Horace again, if he did such a thing?' said
Katherine; 'I am sure I would not give him up. Would you?'

'I could trust Horace, I think,' said Elizabeth; 'I will give him fair
warning, and I give you and Helen warning, that if you marry odious
people, I will have done with you.'

'When I was at Dykelands,' said Helen, 'everybody was talking about a
man who had married--'

'Never mind Dykelands now, Helen,' said Elizabeth, 'and do put down
your pencil. That drawing was tolerable before luncheon, but you have
been making your tree more like Mr. Dillon's Sunday periwig, every
minute since I have been here. And such a shadow! But do not stop to
mend it. You will not do any good now, and here is some better work.
Mamma wants us to help to finish the cushions. We must do something to
earn the pleasure of having St. Austin's Church consecrated on St.
Austin's day.'

'What, do you mean that I am to work on that hard velvet?' said H