"Art
filled with fears for Thursday's function?"
Usually I enjoy Phil's nonsense, and talk as much of it as he does; but
somehow I didn't feel in the mood for it this afternoon. One reason may
have been because of the dreadfully tired feeling that had come over me
since entering the schoolroom: it was really an effort for me to answer
him; I felt as if I wanted only to be let alone, and I realised, without
being able to control it, that my voice was very irritable as I said
briefly, "One has got to be silent when you begin to gabble."
Phil reared his head again, and looked at me. "Whew!" he whistled,
"aren't we spicy this afternoon!" Nannie immediately rushed into
conversation.
"Mrs. Blackwood wrote papa that she and Mr. Blackwood had just received
some very rare old books from Europe," she said, "among them a
Chaucer,--and beside that, a charming Corot; so, Fee, both you and
papa will have something to enjoy, while Nora and I are exchanging
small-talk."
"Oh, that's why papa was so willing to go to the reception," Nora
remarked, with her usual brilliancy. "I might have known there was
something like that about it."
[Illustration: "'FEE, DEAR,' SHE SAID IN AN UNDERTONE, 'DON'T YOU FEEL
WELL? TELL ME.
Pages:
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148