our tutor, Geoff?"

"I don't think I should now," said the little boy. "That was because he
was so clever. I begin to think now, perhaps it would be better not to
have such a clever one. When you are very small you don't understand."

"You are not very big still, my dear boy."

"No, but things come different." Geoff had a way of twisting his little
face, as he made an observation wiser than usual, which amused the world
in general, but not his mother. He was not a pretty boy; there was nothing
in his appearance to satisfy a pretty young woman in her ambition and
vanity for her child; but his little face was turned into a grotesque by
those queer contortions. She put her hand upon his arm hastily.

"Don't make such faces, Geoff. Why should you twist your features out of
all shape, with every word you say?"

This was perhaps too strong, and Geoff felt it so. "I don't want to make
faces," he said, "but what else have you got to do it with when you are
thinking? I'll tell you how I have found out that Theo Warrender would
be too clever. That day when he showed me how to do my Latin"--The boy
here paused, with a curious elfish gravity. "It was a long time ago."

"I remember, dear."

"Well, you were all talking, saying little speeches, as people do, you
know, that come to pay visits; and he was out of it, so he talked to me.
But now, when he comes, he makes the speeches, and you answer him, and
you two run on till I think you never will be done; and it is I who am
out of it," said Geoff, with great gravity, though without offence. His
mother pressed his clinging arms to her side, with a sudden exclamation.

"My own boy, _you_ feel out of it when I am talking!--you, my only child,
my only comfort!" Lady Markland held him close to her, and quick tears
sprang to her eyes.

"It is nothing to make any fuss about, mamma. Sometimes I like it. I
listen, and you are very funny when you talk. That is, not you, but Theo
Warrender. He talks as if nothing was right but only as you thought. I
suppose he thinks you are very clever." Geoff paused for a moment, and
gave her an investigating look; and then added in a less assured tone,
"And I suppose you are clever, ain't you, mamma?"

She was moved to a laugh, in the midst of other feelings. "Not that I
know of, Geoff. I was never thought to be clever, so far as I am aware."

"You are, though," he said, "when you don't make speeches as all the
people do. I think you are cleverer wi