ed into No and Yes. But if you don't want to be bothered
I won't say anything, or I'll say yes or no, which ever you like."

And I kicked the shovel. (My aunt had shoved the poker with _her_
slipper.) She drew her foot back and spoke very gently:

"I beg your pardon, my dear. Please say what you were going to say,
and in your own way."

There is no doubt that good-humour--like bad--is infectious. I drew
nearer to Aunt Isobel, and fingered the sleeve of her dress
caressingly.

"You know, dear Aunt Isobel, that I should never think of saying to
the Rector what I want to say to you. And I don't mean that I don't
agree to whatever he tells us about right and wrong, but still I think
if one can be quite convinced in the depths of one's own head, too,
it's a good thing, as well as knowing that he must be right."

"Certainly," said Aunt Isobel.

"To begin with, I don't want you to think me any better than I am.
When we were very very little, Philip and I used to spit at each
other, and pull each other's hair out. I do not do nasty or unladylike
things now when I am angry, but, Aunt Isobel, my 'besetting sin' is
not conquered, it's only civilized."

"I quite agree with you," said Aunt Isobel; which rather annoyed me. I
gulped this down, however, and went on:

"The sin of ill-temper, _if it is a sin_," I began. I paused,
expecting an outburst, but Aunt Isobel sat quite composedly, and
fingered her eyelashes.

"Of course the Rector would be horrified if I said such a thing at the
confirmation-class," I continued, in a dissatisfied tone.

"Don't invent grievances, Isobel, for I see you have a real
stumbling-block, when we can come to it. You are not at the
confirmation-class, and I am not easily horrified."

"Well, there are two difficulties--I explain very stupidly," said I
with some sadness.

"We'll take them one at a time," replied Aunt Isobel with an
exasperating blandness, which fortunately stimulated me to
plain-speaking.

"Everybody says one ought to 'restrain' one's temper, but I'm not sure
if I think one ought. Isn't it better to _have things out_? Look at
Philip. He's going to be confirmed, and then he'll go back to school,
and when he and another boy quarrel, they'll fight it out, and feel
comfortable afterwards. Aunt Isobel, I can quite understand feeling
friendly after you've had it out, even if you're the one who is
beaten, if it has been a fair fight. Now _restraining_ your temper
means forcing you