FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96  
97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   >>   >|  
d--such as singing, making of anagrams, guessing of riddles, and so forth. There is my day." "Forsooth, and a useless one it is," commented she. "The law-books and the Parliament business seem the only decent things in it." "Ah, 'tis full little changed," remarked Lady Louvaine, "these sixty years since I dwelt at Surrey Place." And she sighed. "Temperance, I am astonished at you," interposed Faith. "You do nought save fault-find poor Aubrey." "Poor Aubrey! ay, that he is," returned his Aunt, "and like to be a sight poorer, for all that I can see. If you'll fault-find him a bit more, Faith, there'll not be so much left for me to do." "What is the matter?" asked Edith, coming softly in. "There's a pair of velvet pantofles and an other of silken hose the matter, my dear," answered Temperance, "and a beaver hat with a brave blue feather in it. I trust you admire them as they deserve, and him likewise that weareth them." "They are brave, indeed," said Edith, in her quiet voice. "I would fain hope it is as fair within as without, my boy." She looked up in his face as she spoke with yearning love in her eyes; and as Aubrey bent his head to kiss her, he said, in the softest tone which he had yet employed since his entrance, "I am afraid not, Aunt Edith." And Edith answered, in that low, tender voice-- "`Thy beauty was perfect through My comeliness which I had put upon thee.' Dear Aubrey, let us seek that." Aubrey made no answer beyond a smile, and quickly turned the conversation, on his mother asking if he brought any news. "But little," said he. "There be new laws against witchcraft, which is grown greater and more used than of old, and the King is mightily set against it--folks say he is afraid of it. None should think, I ensure you, how easily frightened is his Majesty, and of matters that should never fright any save a child." "But that is not news, Aubrey," said his mother plaintively. "I want to hear something new." "There isn't an artichoke in the market this morrow," suddenly remarked her sister. "Temperance, what do you mean?" "Why, that's news, isn't it? I am sure you did not know it, till I told you." Mrs Louvaine closed her eyes with an air of deeply-tried forbearance. "Come, lad, out with thy news," added Temperance. "Wherewith hath my Lady guarded her new spring gowns? That shall serve, I reckon." Aubrey laughed. "I have not seen them yet, Aunt. But I hea
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96  
97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Aubrey

 

Temperance

 

mother

 
answered
 
matter
 

Louvaine

 
remarked
 

afraid

 

witchcraft

 

reckon


laughed
 

greater

 

beauty

 

quickly

 

turned

 
comeliness
 

answer

 

conversation

 

brought

 
perfect

morrow

 
suddenly
 

forbearance

 

artichoke

 

market

 

sister

 

closed

 
deeply
 

Wherewith

 

ensure


easily

 

mightily

 

spring

 

frightened

 

tender

 

guarded

 

plaintively

 

Majesty

 

matters

 

fright


sighed

 

astonished

 

interposed

 

Surrey

 

changed

 

nought

 
poorer
 

returned

 

riddles

 

Forsooth