s; all I could see was
that, though not perfectly satisfied or convinced, she found that her
brother would not allow the separation to be kept up, and therefore she
resumed her favourite office of adviser. She examined me on the
religious habits of my nephews and niece, impressing on me that it was
for the sake of the latter that my presence at Arghouse was excusable;
but insisting that it was incumbent on me to provide her with an
elderly governess, both for her sake and my own. I was much afraid of
having the governess at once thrust upon me; but, luckily, she did not
happen to have one of a chaperon kind of age on her list, so she
contented herself with much advice on what I was teaching Dora, so that
perhaps I grew restive and was disposed to think it no concern of hers,
nor did I tell her that much of the direction of Dora's lessons was
with a view to Harold; but she could not have been wholly displeased,
since she ended by telling me that mine was a vast opportunity, and
that the propriety of my residence at Arghouse entirely depended on the
influence I exerted, since any acquiescence in lax and irreligious
habits would render my stay hurtful to all parties. She worried me
into an inclination to drop all my poor little endeavours, since
certainly to have tried to follow out all the details of her counsel
would have alienated all three at once.

Never was I more glad than when the luncheon-bell put a stop to the
conversation, and the sun struggling out dispensed me from further
endurance, and set me free to go with Viola to bestow her gifts,
disposing on the way of the overflow of talk that had been pent up for
months past. In the twilight, near the lodge of a favourite old nurse
of Dermot's, we encountered all the younger gentlemen, and not only did
Viola drag her brother in but Harold also, to show to whom was owing
the arrival of her wonderful tea-pot cozy.

The good woman was just going to make her tea. Viola insisted on
showing the use of her cozy, and making everybody stay to nurse's
impromptu kettledrum, and herself put in the pinches of tea. Dermot
chaffed all and sundry; Viola bustled about; Harold sat on the dresser,
with his blue eyes gleaming in the firelight with silent amusement and
perfect satisfaction, the cat sitting on his shoulder; and nurse, who
was firmly persuaded that he had rescued her dear Master Dermot from
the fangs of the lion, was delighted to do her best for his
entertainment.