have a more serious charge against you. How can you excuse yourself for
letting my canary fly away? and above all, why did you twist my poor
Poll's neck?

EDWARD. Well, mamma, you would have done the same. I did open the door
of the canary's cage. He was poking his poor little bill through the
bars, and I was so sorry for him! I thought he wanted to go to his
mother, who, perhaps, might be perched up in the tree opposite, and so I
gave him his liberty. Mr. Sherwood has often told me that kindness to
animals is one of the finest virtues.

MRS. L. Oh! was twisting my parrot's neck another proof of your
kindness? What had the poor bird done to you?

EDWARD. Nothing to me, mamma; but the wicked little squinting thing had
bitten Jane's finger, when she was kindly giving him some sugar; and she
cried, and seeing the tears rolling down her cheeks, I got very angry,
quite in a rage. I am very sorry, but I did not think that Jane would
have been the one to accuse _me_.

MRS. L. There, Jane! you are an ungrateful creature! You have tried to
poison my mind against my son!

JANE. But, Mrs. Langdon--

MRS. L. Be silent! Your affair is settled. But, Edward, when Patrick
came to call you, why did you break a stick over his legs?

EDWARD. It was very wrong in me, mamma; but I had just gathered some
splendid roses for you: they were on the ground, and the clumsy fellow
trampled upon them without seeing them. It put me in such a passion, I
did whack him once or twice. I beg his pardon, mamma.

MRS. L. He should ask yours, you dear boy! I order you all to apologize
to my son, or I shall discharge you. You first, Jane. My son would not
for twenty gardens, or poll parrots, do a mean thing or tell a lie; he
shall be respected and obeyed as I am; and those who don't like it can
leave.

ANDREW (_ironically_). I beg your pardon, Master Edward, for the good
switching you so kindly gave me; I beg your pardon for the damage you
did to the garden; you will oblige me by continuing to tumble everything
topsy-turvy, and break all the rest.

PATRICK. Forgive me, Master Edward, for all the pretty little capers you
cut up.

EDWARD. Oh, certainly. Mamma, they are good sort of people, after all;
and I hope you will excuse their coming to complain of me.

MRS. L. To oblige you, my dear son, I will. You see, all of you, how
amiable he is. And now remember, the very first complaint he makes of
_you_, I will discharge you. Leave the room.

A