You have frightened your
mamma, so as to make her very ill, and I am sorry to find you most
mischievous and unruly, not to be trusted out of sight. Now, listen
to me, I shall punish you very severely if you act in this
disobedient way again.'
Papa angry, was a novel spectacle, at which Maurice looked as
innocently and steadily as ever, so completely without fear or
contrition, that he provoked a stern, 'Do you hear me, sir?' and
another shake. Maurice flushed, and his chest heaved, though he did
not sob, and his father, uncomfortable at such sharp dealing with so
young a child, set him aside, with the words, 'There now, recollect
what I have told you!' and walked to the window, where he stood
silent for some seconds, while the boy stood with rounded shoulders,
perplexed eye, and finger on his pouting lip, and Mr. Ferrars,
newspaper in hand, watched him under his eyelids, and speculated what
would be the best sort of mediation, or whether the young gentleman
yet deserved it. He knew that his own Willie would have been a mere
quaking, sobbing mass of terror, under such a shake, and he would
like to have been sure whether that sturdy silence were obstinacy or
fortitude.
The sound of the door-bell made Mr. Kendal turn round, and laying his
hand on the little fellow's fair head, he said, 'There, Maurice,
we'll say no more about it if you will be a good boy. Run away now,
but don't go into your mamma's room.
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