She established
ten minutes of daily lessons, but even she could not reach beyond the
capture of his restless person, his mind was out of reach, and keen
as he was in everything else, towards "a + b = ab" he was an
unmitigated dunce. Nor did he obey any one who did not use authority
and force of will, and though perfectly simple and sincere, he was
too young to restrain himself without the assistance of the
controlling power, so that in his mother's absence he was tyrannical
and violent, and she never liked to have him out of her sight, and
never was so sure that he was deep in mischief as when she had not
heard his voice for a quarter of an hour.
'Albinia,' said Mr. Kendal, one relenting autumn day, when November
strove to look like April, 'I thought of walking to pay Farmer Graves
for the corn. Will you come with me?'
'Delightful, I want to see what Maurice will say to the turkey-cock.'
'Is it not too far for him?'
'He would run quite as many miles in the garden,' said Albinia, who
would have walked in dread of a court of justice on her return, had
not the scarlet hose been safely prancing on the road before her.
'This way, then,' said Mr. Kendal; 'I must get this draft changed at
the bank. Come, Maurice, you will see a friend there.'
'Do you know, Edmund,' said Albinia, as they set forth, 'my
conscience smites me as to that youth; I think we have neglected
him.'
'I cannot see what more we could have done.
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