'
Poor Phyllis ran away to the other end of the garden, sat down and
sobbed, Ada screamed and argued, Emily complained, Lily exhorted
Claude to interfere, while Reginald stood laughing.
'Such useless cruelty,' said Emily.
'Useless!' said Maurice. 'Pray how is any one to make a collection
of natural objects without killing things?'
'I do not see the use of a collection,' said Lily; 'you can examine
the creatures and let them go.'
'Such a young lady's tender-hearted notion,' said Reginald.
'Who ever heard of a man of science managing in such a ridiculous
way?'
'Man of science!' exclaimed Lily, 'when he will have forgotten by
next Christmas that insects ever existed.'
It was not convenient to hear this speech, so Maurice turned an empty
flower-pot over his prisoner, and left it in Jane's care while he
went to fetch the means of destruction, probably choosing the lawn
for the place of execution, in order to show his contempt for his
sisters.
'Fair damsel in boddice blue,' said Lily, peeping in at the hole at
the top of the flower-pot, 'I wish I could avert your melancholy
fate. I am very sorry for you, but I cannot help it.'
'You might help it now, at any rate,' muttered Claude.
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