A great hush had fallen on the room; there was not a whisper, not a
movement; eyes and ears were intent upon seeing and hearing all that
should pass.
Miss Diana, glancing from her father to Lulu, drew herself up haughtily
and replied, "Miss Raymond refuses obedience to orders."
"Indeed!" he said, his frown growing darker and expending itself entirely
upon the culprit. "How is that? What were the orders, and what reason
does she assign for refusing obedience?"
"The signor sent word that she had not finished her music-lesson, and
that he desired her to return and do so. I directed her to obey the
summons, and she flatly refused; giving as her only reason that he was
not a gentleman."
"Not a gentleman!" repeated the professor in accents of astonishment and
indignation--"not a gentleman! In making such an assertion, young miss,
you insult not the signor merely, but myself also; since it was I who
engaged him to give instruction in music to the pupils of this
establishment. Pray, miss, on what do you found your most absurd
opinion?"
"Upon his conduct, sir," replied Lulu, returning the man's stare
unblenchingly, while her cheeks reddened and her eyes flashed with anger;
"he has treated me to-day as no gentleman would ever treat a lady or a
little girl.
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