rather
long, you will scarcely have time to learn it perfectly, before coming
down to dessert, therefore, that you may be quite ready, I shall ring
now for Lady Rockville's maid, and have you washed and dressed
immediately. Remember this is your last clean frock, and be sure not to
spoil it."

When Laura chose to pay attention, she could learn her lessons
wonderfully fast, and her eyes seemed nailed to the book for some time
after Lady Harriet went away, till at last she could repeat the whole
poem perfectly well. It was neither "slowly nor sadly" that Laura "laid
down" her book, after practising it all, in a sort of jig time, till she
could rattle over the poem like a rail-road, and she walked to the
window, still murmuring the verses to herself with prodigious glee, and
giving little thought to their melancholy subject.

A variety of plans suggested themselves to her mind for amusing herself
within doors, as she had been forbidden to venture out, and she lost no
time in executing them. First, she tried on all her grandmama's caps at
a looking-glass, none of which were improved by being crushed and
tumbled in such a way. Then she quarrelled with Lady Rockville's
beautiful cockatoo, till it bit her finger violently, and after that,
she teazed the old cat till it scratched her; but all these diversions
were not sufficiently entertaining, so Laura began to grow rather tired,
till at last she went to gaze out at the portico of Holiday House, being
perfectly determined, on no account whatever, to go one single step
farther.

Here Laura saw many things which entertained her extremely, for she had
scarcely ever seen more of the country than was to be enjoyed with Mrs.
Crabtree in Charlotte Square. The punctual crows were all returning home
at their usual hour for the evening, and looked like a black shower over
her head, while hundreds of them seemed trying to make a concert at
once; the robins hopped close to her feet, evidently accustomed to be
fed; a tame pheasant, as fat as a London alderman, came up the steps to
keep her company; and the peacock, spreading his tail, and strutting
about, looked the very picture of silly pride and vanity.

Laura admired and enjoyed all this extremely, and crumbled down nearly a
loaf of bread, which she scattered on the ground, in order to be popular
among her visitors, who took all they could get from her, and quarrelled
among themselves about it, very much as boys and girls would per