Page:Mrs Molesworth - The Cuckoo Clock.djvu/211

IX.] "Aunt Grizzel, when I was out in the garden to-day—down the woodpath, I mean—I met a little boy, and he played with me, and I want to know if he may come every day to play with me."

Griselda knew she was not making her request in a very amiable or becoming manner; she knew indeed, that she was making it in such a way as was almost certain to lead to its being refused; and yet, though she was really so very, very anxious to get leave to play with little Phil, she took a of spiteful pleasure in injuring her own cause

How foolish ill-temper makes us! Griselda had allowed herself to get so angry at the thought of being thwarted that had her aunt looked up quietly and said at once, "Oh yes, you may have the little boy to play with you whenever you like," she would really, in a strange distorted sort of way, have been disappointed.

But, of course, Miss Grizzel made no such reply. Nothing less than a miracle could have made her