James stopped.  Louis’s eyes were shut, and he appeared to be completely asleep.  If silence were acquiescence, it was at least gained; and so he went away, and on returning, intended to impress his lessons of reserve on Clara and her grandmother, but was prevented by finding Mrs. Ponsonby and her daughter already in the library, consulting over some letters, while Clara sat at her grandmother’s knee in the full felicity of hearing all the Northwold news.

The tea was brought in, and there was an inquiry for Louis.  He came slowly forward from the sofa at the dark end of the room, but disclaimed, of course, the accusation of fatigue.

‘A very bad sign,’ said James, ’that you have been there all this time without our finding it out.  Decidedly, you have taken me in.  You don’t look half as well as you promised.  You are not the same colour ten minutes together, just now white, and now—­how you redden!’

‘Don’t, Jem!’ cried Louis, as each observation renewed the tide of burning crimson in his cheek.  ’It is like whistling to a turkey-cock.  If I had but the blue variety, it might be more comfortable, as well as more interesting.’

Clara went into a choking paroxysm of laughter, which her brother tried to moderate by a look, and Louis rendered more convulsive by quoting

     ‘Marked you his cheek of heavenly blue,’

and looked with a mischievous amusement at James’s ill-suppressed displeasure at the merriment that knew no bounds, till even Mrs. Frost, who had laughed at first as much at James’s distress as at Louis’s travestie or Clara’s fun, thought it time to check it by saying, ’You are right, Jem, he is not half so strong as he thinks himself.  You must keep him in good order.’

‘Take care, Aunt Kitty,’ said Louis; ’you’ll make me restive.  A tutor and governess both!  I appeal!  Shall we endure it, Clara?’

‘Britons never shall be slaves!’ was the eager response.

‘Worthy of the daughter of the Pendragons,’ said Louis; ’but it lost half its effect from being stifled with laughing.  You should command yourself, Clara, when you utter a sentiment.  I beg to repeat Miss Frost Dynevor’s novel and striking speech, and declare my adhesion, ‘Britons never shall be slaves!’ Liberty, fraternity, and equality!  Tyrants, beware!’

‘You ungrateful boy!’ said Mrs. Frost; ’that’s the way you use your good governess!’

’Only the way the nineteenth century treats all its good governesses,’ said Louis.

‘When it gets past them,’ said Mary, smiling.  ’I hope you did not think I was not ready to give you up to your tutor?’