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en I get older." A book on the table attracted her by its beautiful binding. She took it up. Mrs. Gallilee looked at her with compassionate good humour. "Science again, my dear," she said facetiously, "inviting you in a pretty dress! You have taken up the 'Curiosities of Coprolites.' That book is one of my distinctions--a presentation copy from the author." "What are Coprolites?" Carmina asked, trying to inform herself on the subject of her aunt's distinctions. Still good-humoured, but with an effort that began to appear, Mrs. Gallilee lowered herself to the level of her niece. "Coprolites," she explained, "are the fossilised indigestions of extinct reptiles. The great philosopher who has written that book has discovered scales, bones, teeth, and shells--the undigested food of those interesting Saurians. What a man! what a field for investigation! Tell me about your own reading. What have you found in the library?" "Very interesting books--at least to me," Carmina answered. "I have found many volumes of poetry. Do you ever read poetry?" Mrs. Gallilee laid herself back in her chair, and submitted patiently to her niece's simplicity. "Poetry?" she repeated, in accents of resignation. "Oh, good heavens!" Unlucky Carmina tried a more promising topic. "What beautiful flowers you have in the drawing-room!" she said. "Nothing remarkable, my dear. Everybody has flowers in their drawing-rooms--they are part of the furniture." "Did you arrange them yourself, aunt?" Mrs. Gallilee still endured it. "The florist's man," she said, "does all that. I sometimes dissect flowers, but I never trouble myself to arrange them. What would be the use of the man if I did?" This view of the question struck Carmina dumb. Mrs. Gallilee went on. "By-the-by, talking of flowers reminds one of other superfluities. Have you tried the piano in your room? Will it do?" "The tone is quite perfect!" Carmina answered with enthusiasm. "Did you choose it?" Mrs. Gallilee looked as if she was going to say "Good Heavens!" again, and perhaps to endure it no longer. Carmina was too simple to interpret these signs in the right way. Why should her aunt not choose a piano? "Don't you like music?" she asked. Mrs. Gallilee made a last effort. "When you see a little more of society, my child, you will know that one _must_ like music. So again with pictures--one _must_ go to the Royal Academy Exhibition. So again--" Before she could mention an
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