ily.
'If he was a fellow like Philip, or James Ross, I could believe it; but
he--he make a book-worm! He hates it, like poison, at the bottom of his
heart, I'll answer for it; and the worst of it is, the fellow putting
forward such a fair reason one can't--being his guardian, and all--say
what one thinks of it oneself. Eh, mamma?'

'Not exactly,' said Mrs. Edmonstone, smiling.

'Well, you take him in hand, mamma. I dare say he will tell you the
rights of it, and if it is only that Gordon, explain it rightly to him,
show him 'tis only the man's way; tell him he treats me so for ever, and
would the Lord-Lieutenant if he was in it.'

'For a' that and a' that,' said Charles, as Amy led him into the
drawing-room.

'You are sure the reading is the only reason?' said Amy.'

'He's quite absurd enough for it,' said Charles; but 'absurd' was
pronounced in a way that made its meaning far from annoying even to
Guy's little champion.

Guy came in the next moment, and running lightly up-stairs after Mrs.
Edmonstone, found her opening the dressing-room door, and asked if he
might come in.

'By all means,' she said; 'I am quite ready for one of our twilight
talks.'

'I am afraid I have vexed Mr. Edmonstone,' began Guy; 'and I am very
sorry.'

'He was only afraid that something might have occurred to vex you, which
you might not like to mention to him,' said Mrs. Edmonstone, hesitating
a little.

'Me! What could I have done to make him think so? I am angry with no one
but myself. The fact is only this, the hunting is too pleasant; it fills
up my head all day and all night; and I don't attend rightly to anything
else. If I am out in the morning and try to pay for it at night, it will
not do; I can but just keep awake and that's all; the Greek letters all
seem to be hunting each other, the simplest things grow difficult, and
at last all I can think of, is how near the minute hand of my watch is
near to the hour I have set myself. So, for the last fortnight, every
construing with Mr. Lascelles has been worse than the last; and as to my
Latin verses, they were beyond everything shocking, so you see there is
no making the two things agree, and the hunting must wait till I grow
steadier, if I ever do. Heigho! It is a great bore to be so stupid, for
I thought--But it is of no use to talk of it!'

'Mr. Edmonstone would be a very unreasonable guardian, indeed, to be
displeased,' said his friend, smiling. You say you stopped the pu