s she, "Forsooth, Manners have come to a fine Pass in these Days!
Bring her a Pin, quotha!" Instead of making answer, "Well, 'twas
disrespectful; I ask your Pardon;" I must mutter, "I see what I'm valued
at--less than a Pin."

"_Deb_, don't be unduteous," says Father to me. "Woulde it not have been
better to fetch what you wanted, than strangely ask your Mother to bring
it?"

"And thereby spoil my Work," answered I; "but 'tis no Matter."

"Tis a great Matter to be uncivil," says Father.

"Oh! dear Husband, do not concern yourself," interrupts Mother; "the
Girl's incivility is no new Matter, I protest."

On this, a Battle of Words on both sides, ending in Tears, Bitterness,
and my being sent by Father to my Chamber till Dinner. "And, _Deb_," he
adds, gravely, but not harshly, "take no Book with you, unless it be your
_Bible_."

Soe, hither, with swelling Heart, I have come. I never drew on myself
such Condemnation before--at least, since childish Days; and could be
enraged with Mother, were I not enraged with myself. I'm in no Hurry for
Dinner-time; I cannot sober down. My Temples beat, and my Throat has a
great Lump in it. Why was _Nan_ out of the Way? Yet, would she have
made Things better? I was in no Fault at first, that's certain; Mother
took Offence where none was meant; but I meant Offence afterwards. Lord,
have mercy upon me! I can ask Thy Forgiveness, though not hers. And I
could find it in me to ask Father's too, and say, "I have sinned against
Heaven, and in thy . . . thy _Hearing_.'" And now I come to write that
Word, I have a Mind to cry; and the Lump goes down, and I feel earnest to
look into my _Bible_, and more humbled towards Mother. And . . . what is
it Father says?--

"What better can I do, than to the Place
Repairing, where he judged me, there confess
Humbly my Fault, and Pardon beg, with Tears
Of Sorrow unfeign'd, and Humiliation meek?"

. . . He met me at the very first Word. "I knew you would," he said; "I
knew the kindest Thing was to send you to commune with your own Heart in
your Chamber, and be still. 'Tis there we find the Holy Spirit and Holy
Saviour in waiting for us; and in the House where they abide, as long as
they abide in it, there is no Room for _Satan_ to enter. But let this
Morning's Work, _Deb_, be a Warning to you, not thus to transgress again.
As long as we are in peaceful Communion among ourselves, there is a fine,
invisible Cobweb, too clear