“No you weren’t,” said Pa.

“A vexatious (do you hear, sir?), a vexatious, capricious, thankless, troublesome, animal; but I hope you’ll do better in the time to come, and I bless you and forgive you!” Here, she quite forgot that it was Pa’s turn to make the responses, and clung to his neck. “Dear Pa, if you knew how much I think this morning of what you told me once, about the first time of our seeing old Mr. Harmon, when I stamped and screamed and beat you with my detestable little bonnet! I feel as if I had been stamping and screaming and beating you with my hateful little bonnet, ever since I was born, darling!”

“Nonsense, my love. And as to your bonnets, they have always been nice bonnets, for they have always become you⁠—or you have become them; perhaps it was that⁠—at every age.”

“Did I hurt you much, poor little Pa?” asked Bella, laughing (notwithstanding her repentance), with fantastic pleasure in the picture, “when I beat you with my bonnet?”