Barry Pain

“ I have always noticed that with people who spoil children they think they can make up for their weakness in some points by being unnecessarily strict in others. As a matter of fact Jane was by no means anxious to have Veronica properly educated—not, at any rate, in the widest sense of the term. When the fireworks arrived Veronica was naturally anxious to let them all off herself; so far from being lazy she was much more eager to learn than Jane was to teach. ”

“ A sensible mother can always see the defects of her own child. I went to stay with Jane on purpose to point out to her that she had become simply silly. But I happened to arrive at the time when Veronica had honoured the measles by having them. Jane was mostly in tears. Harry let his cigars out, pretended to be listening to me when he was really listening to footsteps in the nursery overhead, and filled in the intervals by telegraphing for fresh nurses and more doctors. ”

“ I stopped two days, gave Veronica a rocking-horse, which she was not at the time even allowed to see, and then was called away by telegram. Harry is not the only man who can send telegrams. I went at first to Monte Carlo.
I did not stop there very long. I should not in the least have minded my valet playing at the tables in my clothes and with my money, if he had sometimes won. The older one grows the less one minds what one's servants do. But the poor man always lost apparently. ”

“ Of course Jane insisted that this would be very dangerous, and Veronica must not touch the fireworks. However, I had my own way, and Veronica did let them off, under the supervision of Harry and myself. Now, of course, if she ever has to do anything of the kind again she will know how to do it. There was another point, I thought Veronica ought to dine downstairs in the evening; she had, in fact, suggested it to me herself. A child cannot begin too early to learn correct behaviour at table. Here, however, Jane was hopelessly obstinate, and Harry backed her up. ”

“ Veronica wrinkled her pretty forehead in thought. "No," she said, "I know a better thing. Lessons begin again at half-past nine. At ten I shall be at sums, which is the worst part. You come in just at ten into the school-room and talk rather a long time to Mademoiselle."
"I'll be there, Veronica, without fail." I had arranged to drive with Harry and Jane directly after breakfast, but I knew I could easily put them off. "And what ought I to do after that?"
"If I were you I should have the pony and drive to Cullay. It's a lovely drive, and there's a lot of good shops in Cullay. ”

“ I'm in for an hour this time, and I wish I was out."
"What were the crimes?"
"Spilling ink, killing a fly in lessons—it had bitten me three times before I went for it—being impertinent, and getting different answers to my sums from the ones in the book, and a few other things."
"Dear me!" I said, "this is very bad. Why can't you get the right answers to your sums?" ”

“ I'm shut up here when I've done anything wrong. My governess, Mademoiselle, fixes a piece of stamp-paper outside where the door shuts. Then she can always tell if I've opened the door—which I'm not allowed to do. But I didn't do it this time. You did it yourself."
"Bless my soul, I never saw the stamp-paper at all! Yes, I've done it right enough. And what will happen now?"
She looked reflective. "Depends—might be nothing. Grown-up people are allowed to do a good many things that I'm not. You can't always tell what Mademoiselle will do."
"And how long are you put iu prison at a time?" ”