But refinement in such matters is easily blunted if one lives much with people who think any little meanness fair that is not found out.

I really saw no harm in trying to overhear all that I could of the conversation between my father and Mr.Andrewes, though I was aware, from their manner, that I was not meant to hear it.

I lingered near my father, therefore, and pretended to be watching the pheasants, for a certain instinct made me feel that I should not like my father to see me listening.

He was one of those highly, scrupulously honourable gentlemen, before whose face it was impossible to do or say anything unworthy or mean.
He spoke in low tones, so that I lost most of what he said; but the parson's voice was a peculiarly clear one, and though he lowered it, I heard a good deal.
"I saw him yesterday," was Mr.Andrewes' first remark.
("That's the tutor," thought I.) My father's answer I lost; but I caught fragments of Mr.Andrewes' next remarks, which were full of information on this important matter.
"Quite young, good-tempered--little boy so fond of him, nothing would have induced them to part with him; but they were going abroad." Which sounded well; but I suspected the parson of a good deal of officious advice in a long sentence, of which I only caught the words, "Can't begin too early." I felt convinced, too, that I heard something about the "use of the whip," which put me into a fever of indignation.

Just as Mr.Andrewes was riding off, my father asked some question, to which the reply was--"Gray." My head was so full of the tutor that I could not enjoy the stroll with my father as usual, and was not sorry to get back to Nurse Bundle, to whom I confided all that I had heard about my future teacher.
"He's a nasty little man," said I, "not a nice tall gentleman like Papa or Mr.Andrewes.And Mr.Andrewes saw him yesterday.