"Regrets, I've had a few . . ."

We can all remember regrettable instances of actions taken in our childhood that, had we been more mature we would not have done but which certainly seemed reasonable at the time. Rosemary Sutcliff has one in Blue Remembered Hills.

There was Sheila Walker who was six, and who, I am ashamed to say, Jean and I used to terrorize. She did ask for it - she grizzled and told tales - but still, we should not have fed her on dandelion leaves and then told her they were deadly poison. I see that now. At the time, it seemed like a good idea.