after all, she cared very little what we did out of school-hours
provided that our proceedings _cost her nothing_.

_Mrs. Middleton._ You must not speak so disrespectfully of your former
governess. But I will explain to you that _I_ care very much what you
do, even in your hours of recreation. It is when the business of the
school is over, and they are no longer in the presence of their
instructors, that girls are in the greatest danger of forming bad
habits, and imitating bad examples. All deceit, all tricks, are highly
unjustifiable. A little feast may seem in itself of small moment; but if
you persist in plotting little feasts, you will eventually be led on to
plot things of more importance, and which may lead to the worst
consequences. Then, as I always allow you as large a portion of sweet
things as comports with your health, it is the more reprehensible in you
to seek to procure them for yourselves, without my knowledge. Tell me
now, do any of you feel the better for last night's frolic?

_Miss Thomson._ O, no, no! Miss Watkins and Miss Roberts were sick all
night; and, indeed, none of us feel very well this morning.

_Mrs. Middleton._ I observed that you all had very little appetite for
your breakfast.

_Miss Brownlow._ And then _I_ had my new frock spoiled when I fell down
in the lamp-oil.

_Miss Wilcox._ And I got some lamp-oil into my mouth. I tasted it all
night. Even my nose was rubbed in it, as I lay struggling on the floor.

_Miss Snodgrass._ And _I_ fell with my knees on half a dozen pieces of
orange, and stained my black silk frock, so that it is no longer fit to
wear.

_Miss Marley._ And _I_ was thrown down with the back of my head on a
bunch of grapes, mashing them to a jelly.

_Miss Scott._ But _my_ hair was so very sticky, with falling into the
lemon syrup, that I was obliged, this morning, to wash it all over with
warm soap-suds.

_Miss Roberts._ And _I_ put my foot into the bottom of the broken
pitcher, and cut my heel so that it bled through the stocking.

_Miss Watkins._ Still, nothing of this would have happened if Rosalie
Sunbridge had stayed in her bed. It was her hiding in the closet and
frightening us, that caused all the mischief.

_Rosalie._ I am sure I was punished enough for my curiosity; for when I
got on the closet-shelf I was obliged to lie so cramped that I was
almost stiff; and I was half dead with cold, notwithstanding I had put
on my merino coat. And then I was longi