really, it has done us one most important service.--May I mention
it, Kate, without betraying your confidence?'

'Nonsense, Lizzie,' said Katherine.

'Oh! you do not object,' said Elizabeth; 'then be it known to you,
Anne, that once upon a time, Kitty confided to me, what I forthwith
confided to Papa, that Mrs. Turner was working in cross-stitch a
picture of St. Augustine preaching to the Saxons, which she intended
to present as a cushion for one of the chairs of St. Austin's
Church.'

'Oh! dreadful!' cried Anne.

'Papa walked up and down the room for full ten minutes after he heard
of it,' said Elizabeth; 'but Mamma came to our rescue. She, the
mild-spoken, (Mildred, you know,) set off with the Saxon Winifred,
the peace-maker, to reject the Saint of the Saxons, more civilly than
the British bishops did. She must have managed most beautifully, so
as to satisfy everybody. I believe that she lamented that the Austin
Friars who named our hill were not called after the converter of our
forefathers, looking perfectly innocent of Kitty's secret all the
time; and Winifred eat Mrs. Turner's plum-cake, and stared at her
curiosities, so as to put her into good humour. Thus far is certain,
from that day to this no more has been heard of St. Augustine or King
Ethelbert.'

'Oh! her work is made up into a screen now,' said Katharine, 'and is
very pretty.'