"How do you think I and my brothers have been employing ourselves all day to-day and all day yesterday?
Guess what we have been about." "Congratulating yourselves in secret on my approaching departure," she answered, tapping her chin saucily with the feather-end of her pen.
I seized the opportunity of astonishing her, and forthwith told her the truth.

She started up from the table, and approached me with the eagerness of a child, her eyes sparkling, and her cheeks flushed.
"Do you really mean it ?" she said.
I assured her that I was in earnest.

She thereupon not only expressed an interest in our undertaking, which was evidently sincere, but, with characteristic impatience, wanted to begin the first evening's reading on that very night.

I disappointed her sadly by explaining that we required time to prepare ourselves, and by assuring her that we should not be ready for the next five days.

On the sixth day, I added, we should be able to begin, and to go on, without missing an evening, for probably ten days more.
"The next five days ?" she replied.