This plea of trying experiments was neither absolutely true nor false;
but it restored Charles to himself, by saving a confession that he had
been out of temper, and enabling him to treat with him wonted
indifference the expostulations of father, mother, and Laura.

Now that the idea of 'poking up the lion' had once occurred, it became
his great occupation to attempt it. He wanted to see some evidence of
the fiery temper, and it was a new sport to try to rouse it; one, too,
which had the greater relish, as it kept the rest of the family on
thorns.

He would argue against his real opinion, talk against his better sense,
take the wrong side, and say much that was very far from his true
sentiments. Guy could not understand at first, and was quite
confounded at some of the views he espoused, till Laura came to his
help, greatly irritating her brother by hints that he was not in
earnest. Next time she could speak to Guy alone, she told him he must
not take all Charles said literally.

'I thought he could hardly mean it: but why should he talk so?'

'I can't excuse him; I know it is very wrong, and at the expense of
truth, and it is very disagreeable of him--I wish he would not; but he
always does what he likes, and it is one of his amusements, so we must
bear with him, poor fellow.'

From that time Guy seemed to have no trouble in reining in his temper
in arguing with Charles, except once, when the lion was fairly roused
by something that sounded like a sneer about King Charles I.