aversion to being made much of."
"Yes, a family trait," interrupted Charlotte, at which everybody
laughed, no one more cordially than Miss Leighton.
"Leave off laughing at my Uncle Richard," said Benny, stoutly, with his
cheeks quite flushed.
"We have, dear, and are laughing at your Uncle Kilian. You don't object
to that, I'm sure," and Charlotte Benson leaned forward and threw him a
little kiss past the tutor, who wore a silent, abstracted look, in odd
contrast with the animated expressions of the faces all around him.
Benny did not like the joke at all, and got down from his chair and
walked away without permission. We all followed him, going into the
hall, and from thence to the piazza, as the night was fine. The tutor
walked silently through the group in the hall to a seat where lay his
book and hat, then passed through the doorway and disappeared
from sight.
CHAPTER V.
THE TUTOR.
And now above them pours a wondrous voice,
(Such as Greek reapers heard in Sicily),
With wounding rapture in it, like love's arrows.
_George Eliot_.
The next day, the first of my visit, was a very sultry one, and the rest
of the party thought it was, no doubt, a very dull one.
Kilian and Mr. Eugene Whitney went away in the early train, not to
return, alas, till the evening of the following day. Miss Leighton was
languid, and yawned incessantly, though she tried to appear interested
in things, and was very attentive to me. Charlotte Benson and Henrietta
laid strong-minded plans for the day, and carried them out faithfully.
First, they played a game of croquet, under umbrellas, for the sun was
blazing on the ground: that was for exercise; then, for mental
discipline, they read history for an hour in the library; and then, for
relaxation, under veils and sunhats, read Ruskin for two hours by
the river.
I cannot think Henrietta understood Ruskin, but I have no doubt she
thought she did, and tried to share in her friend's enthusiasm. Sophie
had a little headache, and spent much of the morning in her room. The
|