of his own importance at school, and the idea of his
superiority above his school-fellows, that there was no room for any
thing else in his head, and he went on with the firm conviction that
both the ladies were, like every one else, extremely delighted and
interested in him and his sentiments. There had been another auditor
in the room almost ever since the beginning of the long chat, and that
was Henry Norman, who, when he had seen his horse and lunched, entered
the room unperceived by Louis or Mrs. Paget, and passed noiselessly
along to the furthest window, where he sat, with a book, hid by the
curtains from a careless glance. A few words caught his ear as he
was finding out his place; and, whether the matter of the first page
required deep consideration and digestion or not, we cannot pretend
to determine, not knowing the nature of the chosen volume, but it is
certain that that leaf was not turned over that afternoon, and the
eyes that professed to convey its meaning to the mind of the reader
not unfrequently wandered on the hills in the distant prospect, or,
on being recalled, on the nearer objects of Mrs. Paget's sofa--the
skein of silk and the pair of hands, which were the only portions
visible to him of the loquacious little visitor. That he was listening
with interest of an equivocal nature might be gathered from the
frequent, impatient knitting of the brow, biting of the lips, and
sudden laying down of the book altogether; but there he sat till Louis,
having flown off from Hamilton to the general school failings, had
finished relating the history of Frank Digby's memorable Saturday
night's exploit, and concluded by an emphatic delivery of his upright
sentiments on the heinousness of practical jokes. He paused a minute
to take breath, after a Philippic that elicited a small dose of
flattery from Mrs. Paget, and, with a face flushed with satisfaction
and excitement, stooped to pick up a fallen pair of scissors, when
Mrs. Norman, laying down her work looked again at him and uttered a
sound indicative of an intention of speaking. This time Louis was
fully aware of an expression in her countenance far from satisfactory,
but she had not time to express her sentiments, for at this moment
Reginald was announced, and a general move took place. Henry Norman
came forward and welcomed him, and then took him and Louis out on
the Crescent till dinner-time. Here they were joined by some of
Norman's acquaintances, whom he int