Katherine Mansfield

“ Edward lowered the bicycle and took off his hat. A red angry pucker showed where the brim had pressed. “What's up?”
“Come—come into the drawing-room,” said Mrs. Bendall, speaking very fast. “I simply can't tell you how naughty Dicky has been. You have no idea—you can't have at the office all day—how a child of that age can behave. He's been simply dreadful. I have no control over him—none. I've tried everything, Edward, but it's all no use. The only thing to do,” she finished breathlessly, “is to whip him — is for you to whip him, Edward.” ”

“ Bendall, faintly.
“Now my two boys,” Mrs. Spears smiled kindly, encouragingly, at Mrs. Bendall, “would behave just like Dicky if they were not afraid to. As it is ...”
“Oh, your boys are perfect little models,” cried Mrs. Bendall.
They were. Quieter, better-behaved little boys, in the presence of grown-ups, could not be found. In fact, Mrs. Spears' callers often made the remark that you never would have known that there was a child in the house. ”

“ Spears; breathing softly, as she folded her work, “to be weak with children when they are little. It's such a sad mistake, and one so easy to make. It's so unfair to the child. That is what one has to remember. Now Dicky's little escapade this afternoon seemed to me as though he'd done it on purpose. It was the child's way of showing you that he needed a whipping.”
“Do you really think so?” Mrs. Bendall was a weak little thing, and this impressed her very much. ”