r having
sent such a girl to her house?

Yes, lessons went on well, and Irene especially made great progress in
her musical studies. She had always been fond of music as a little
child. In her wildest moods, when Lady Jane had played for her she had
become quiet, and crept close to her mother, laid her charming little
head against her mother's knee, and listened with wide-open eyes. As she
grew a little older she began to practice for herself, inventing her own
melodies--nonsense, of course, but still with a certain promise in them.

Now Rosamund suggested that Irene should give up music with Miss Frost,
for Miss Frost's style was by no means encouraging, and should take her
lessons from the first-rate master who came twice a week from Dartford.
It was amazing how quickly Irene made progress under this tuition. In
the first place, Mr. Fortescue would not hear of any nonsense. He did
not mind Irene's airs or her little attempts to subdue him; he simply
desired her to do things, and when she failed he pounded her soundly on
her knuckles.

"That is not the way to bring out that note," he would say; and then he
would sit down to the piano himself, and ring out great melodies in the
most splendid style, until the enthusiastic child almost danced with
pleasure.

"Oh, is there any chance of my playing like that?" she once exclaimed.

"Every chance, and a great deal better, if you really take to it with
all your heart and soul," was his response.

Rosamund was also intensely fond of music, and the girls were happy over
their musical studies; in short, Irene, from having an aimless life, in
which she did nothing but torment others, was now leading a full and
happy existence. She had her distinct hours for work and distinct hours
for play. She had a companion who delighted her; and toads, wasps,
spiders, and even leeches lost their charm.

One day, to Rosamund's great delight, Irene suggested that Fuzz and Buzz
and all their children should go back to the nearest chemist. This was
no sooner thought of than done. Certainly it was a very great step in
Irene's reform; but it must not be supposed that such a character could
become good all of a sudden. It takes a lifetime, and perhaps more than
a lifetime, to make any of us really good, and Irene was not by nature a
very amiable child. She had been terribly spoiled, it is true, and but
for Rosamund might have been an annoyance and a torment to every one as
long as she lived.