"Are they really coming to-morrow, granny?" exclaimed Fanny Vallery, a
fair, blue-eyed, sweet-looking girl, as she gazed eagerly at the face of
Mrs Leslie, who was seated in an arm-chair, near the drawing-room
window. "Oh, how I long to see papa, and mamma, and dear little Norman!
I have thought, and thought so much about them; and India is so far off
it seemed as if they would never reach England."
"Your mamma writes me word from Paris that they hope to cross the
Channel to-night, and be here early in the afternoon," answered Mrs
Leslie, looking at the open letter which she held in her hand. "I too
long to see your dear mamma; and had it not been for you, my own
darling, I should have missed her even more than I have done; but you
have ever been a good, obedient, loving child, and my greatest comfort
during her absence."
Mrs Leslie, as she spoke, drew her grandchild towards her, and kissed
her brow.
Fanny said nothing, but, pressing the hand which held hers, turned her
eyes towards her grandmamma's face, while the consciousness that the
praise was not wrongly bestowed, caused a bright gleam of pleasure to
pass over her countenance.
Mrs Leslie, who had brought up Fanny from her infancy, lived in a
pretty villa a few miles from London, surrounded by shrubberies, with a
lawn and beautifully-kept flower-garden in front. On one side was a
poultry-yard, over which Fanny presided as the reigning sovereign; and
even Trusty, the spaniel, who considered himself if not the ruler at all
events the guardian of the rest of the premises, when he ventured into
her domain always followed humbly at her heels, never presuming to
interfere with her feathered subjects. More than once he had been known
to turn tail and fly as if for his life when Phoebe, the bantam hen,
with extended neck and outspread wings had run after him, as he had by
chance approached nearer to her brood of fledglings than she had
approved of.
Fanny with her fowls, Trusty, and Kitty, the tortoiseshell cat; and her
doll, which had a house of its own fitted with furniture; and, more than
all, with the consciousness of her granny's affection, considered
herself one of the happiest little girls in existence. Everybody in the
house, indeed, loved her; and she was kind, and gentle, and loving to
every one in return.
Her mamma--Mrs Leslie's only daughter--had married Captain Vallery, an
officer in the Indian army, while he was at home on leave, and had
accompanied him to the East. She returned three or four years
afterwards, in consequence of ill health, bringing with her little
Fanny, who, when she went back to her husband, was left under charge of
her mother, Mrs Leslie.
Great as was Mrs Vallery's grief at parting from her child, she well
knew, from her own experience, with what wise and loving care she would
be brought up.
Captain Vallery was of a French Protestant family, but having been
partly educated in England, and having English relations, he had entered
the British army. He was considered an honourable and brave officer,
and was a very kind husband, but Mrs Vallery discovered that he had
certain peculiar notions which were not likely to make him bring up his
children as she would desire. One of his notions was, that boys
especially, in order to develop their character, as he said, should
always be allowed to have their own way.
"But, my dear husband," she pleaded, "suppose that way should prove to
be a bad way, what then will be the consequence?"
"Oh, but our little Norman is a perfect cherub, surely he can have
nothing bad about him, and I must insist that no one curbs his fine and
noble temper, lest his young spirit should be broken and irretrievably
ruined," answered Captain Vallery. "I say, let the boy have his own
way, and you will see what a fine fellow he will become."
Mrs Vallery sighed--she knew that it would be useless to contend with
her husband, though she feared, should his plan be persevered in, it
would entail many a severe trial on her boy in future years.
Of this Mrs Leslie had some suspicions, though Fanny, who had pictured
her little brother as all she could wish him to be, looked forward with
unmitigated pleasure to having him as her companion.
With eager interest she assisted Susan, the housemaid, in preparing the
rooms for the expected guests; for she was a notable little woman, and
she had been encouraged by her grandmamma to busy herself in household
matters. She with much taste arranged the bouquets in the vases on her
mamma's dressing-table, and then she went into the little room next her
own, in which Norman was to sleep, and placed some flowers in that also,
as well as three or four of her prettiest picture-books, which she had
carefully preserved, thinking that they might amuse him. Gently, too,
she smoothed down his pillow, and, after everything was in order, went
back delighted to make her report to granny.
How her heart beat when a carriage drove up to the door, with a
gentleman and lady in it, whom she knew must be her papa and mamma,
while on the coach box was seated a young boy. "What a fine, noble,
little fellow he is," she thought to herself, as the boy scrambled down
without waiting for the assistance of any one.
The next instant she scarcely knew what was happening--every one seemed
so full of confused delight. She felt that she was in her mother's
arms, who, still holding her, threw herself into those of granny. Then
her papa, a fine, handsome gentleman, took her up and kissed her again
and again; and next, she saw the little boy who had come in with a whip
in his hand; she sprang towards him exclaiming, "You are Norman!" and,
following the impulse of heart, covered his face with kisses.
"Yes, that's my name," answered the boy, "and you are the sister Fanny I
was told I should see; and is that old woman there granny? Will she
want to kiss me as you have done? I hope she won't, for I do not choose
to be treated as a baby."
Happily Mrs Leslie did not hear these remarks; they grieved Fanny
sorely.
"Oh but dear granny will love you as she does me, and you must come to
her as I am sure she wants to see you," she whispered gently. "Then you
shall go out with me, and I will show you my poultry and Trusty and all
sorts of things, which I am sure you will like."
"Come along then," said Norman, "I shall like to see the things you talk
of."
"Not surely till you have spoken to granny, but afterwards I will gladly
take you," said Fanny, and she led him up to Mrs Leslie.
Though his grandmamma kissed him several times, he behaved better than
might have been expected, restraining for a wonder his impatience,
somewhat awed perhaps by the dignified manner of the old lady.
"And now, Fanny, I am ready to see what you have got to show me," he
exclaimed, as Mrs Leslie taking her daughter's arm led her into the
drawing-room.
Captain Vallery cast a proud glance at his two beautiful children as
hand in hand they ran upstairs.
"Here is my doll's house," said Fanny, as she led Norman into her neat
bed-chamber; "see, it has a drawing-room, with sofas and chairs and
looking-glasses, and a dining-room, with a long table and plates and
dishes and knives and forks on it; and this is the kitchen, with its
stove and pots and pans; and here is the bedroom, where little Nancy
sleeps. She is a dear good child, and never cries, but as I have had
her for a long time, she is not as pretty as she used to be. I tell
granny that she was a poor neglected little orphan, and that she came
begging at the door one day, and as she had no one to look after her, I
took her in, and that is the reason she has so many knocks and bruises."
Fanny, as she spoke, drew out a small doll, dressed in a cotton frock,
from the doll's house, and held it up to Norman.
"It does look just like a wretched beggar child," he observed; "I wonder
you can care for such a thing. If I were you I should throw it out of
the window, and tell papa he must get another much prettier, dressed
like a fine lady, who would be fit to walk out with you, and you need
not be ashamed of, as I should think you must be of Nancy, as you call
her."
"Oh, but I love Nancy very much," said Fanny; "she and I have known each
other very many years, and I would not throw her away on any account.
If I ever get a finer doll, I can let Nancy attend on her, I am sure she
will be very glad to do that, for she is not a bit proud, and wishes, I
am sure, to be a good girl and please everybody."
"You may think more of her than I do," remarked Norman, "and now, as I
am not a baby, and do not care about dolls, won't you show me some of
the other things you talk of?"
"Oh yes!" said Fanny, "I will take you to my poultry-yard, but I must
carry Nancy with me as she has not been out all day, and she will like
to see me feed my hens. They are all very fond of me, and I hope they
will learn to know you, Norman, too, and come when you call them, and
eat out of your hand, as they do out of mine, especially Thisbe, who is
the tamest of all, and the fondest of me."
"I do not know that I care about cocks and hens and those sort of
creatures, but I will go with you," answered Norman, tucking his whip
under his arm and accompanying Fanny.
"O Miss Fanny," said Susan, whom they met on the way with a china vase
in her hand, "your grandmamma says that your papa is fond of flowers,
and that we ought to have put some on the mantelpiece of his
dressing-room. Will you come and help me to pick them, and will you
arrange them, as you can do so beautifully?"
Fanny gladly undertook to do as Susan asked her, and told Norman that
after she had picked the flowers she would take him into the
poultry-yard. Putting down her doll with her back against a clump of
box, she, with a smile at her own conceit, begged him while she was
engaged to try and amuse Nancy by telling her something about India or
his voyage home. "Stuff!" he replied in a grumpy tone, and turned away,
while his sister began to pick the flowers. One side of the yard,
composed of trellis work, it should be said, was close to the garden, so
that the fowls running about within could easily be seen through the
bars. A door, also of trellis work, opened from the garden into the
yard.
Norman though he did not care much about seeing the poultry, felt vexed
and angry that Susan should venture to draw off his sister's attention
from himself, and stood with his finger in his mouth watching them as
they were engaged in picking the flowers.
The hens which had espied their young mistress, had gathered near the
side of the yard, and Thisbe, Fanny's favourite hen, was making
strenuous efforts to get out. Norman had strolled up to the door, and
finding that he could lift the latch opened it, and out ran Mistress
Thisbe. Fanny, not observing what had happened just then, called to
Norman, and asked him to hold the vase, that she might arrange the
flowers within it. He had taken it in his hands, when at that moment
Trusty, who had been snuffing about the rooms, not perfectly satisfied
as yet that the newly arrived strangers had a right to enter them,
espying Fanny in the garden came bounding towards her. He gave vent as
he saw Norman to a short bark, as much as to ask, "Who are you?" but
Norman, not accustomed to dogs in India, and already in no very amiable
mood, became alarmed, and dashing the vase at Trusty's head, seized his
whip, with which he began lashing about in all directions at everybody
and everything he saw near him.
Susan seeing his alarm rushed forward, intending to assist him, but what
between anger and fear his temper was now fairly aroused, and instead of
thanking her, he turned round and bestowed on her a lash with his whip,
which made her run off to call Mrs Vallery, thinking that his mamma
would be better able to manage him than she could.
His gentle sister came in for the next assault of his blind rage, and
she fled with her doll, which she had snatched up in her arms, feeling
that the wisest thing just then to do was to get out of his way.
Trusty, unaccustomed to the blows which Norman now liberally bestowed,
scampered off in one direction, while Thisbe the hen took to flight in
another, and the young gentleman remained as he believed himself the
victor of the field, shouting out:--
"I will have no one interfere with me, either maid-servants or dogs or
fowls: I will soon show who is master here!" and again he shouted and
bawled and waved his whip.
Poor Fanny who had never before seen a person in a passion, stood by
trembling at a little distance while Master Norman walked up and down
shouting out that he would whip any one who came in his way, and that
the ugly dog would soon learn what to expect if he dared to bark at him
again. Fanny entreated him to be quiet. "I am sure Trusty had no wish
to frighten you, Norman," she said, "if you will keep your whip quiet
and call to him he will come up wagging his tail and soon be friends
with you."
Norman, however, instead of doing as his sister advised, flourished his
whip more vehemently and shouted louder than ever, walking up and down
and trampling on the flowers which had been scattered on the ground.
In the meantime Susan had reached the drawing-room where Mrs Vallery
was reclining on the sofa to rest after the fatigue of her journey.
"Please marm," said Susan as she entered, "I am sorry to say that the
young gentleman is in such a tantrum that I do not know what to do with
him, and I am afraid he will make himself ill. He won't listen to his
sister or to me, but if you will just come and speak to him, perhaps he
will be quiet."
"If you will excuse me, mamma, I will go to the poor child," said Mrs
Vallery rising.
"Could you not let Susan bring him here? He of course will come if she
tells him that you have sent for him," observed Mrs Leslie.
"I am afraid that he might refuse," answered Mrs Vallery, "he is not
always as obedient as I could desire."
Mrs Vallery hurried out to Norman.
"My dear child, what is the matter?" she exclaimed, as she saw him still
flourishing his whip and looking very angry and red in the face.
"The hen flew at me, and the dog barked, and I threw the jar at their
heads, and Fanny has been scolding ever since, and I will not stand it,"
shouted Norman.
"Come in with me, my dear child," said Mrs Vallery soothingly. "I am
sure Fanny did not intend to scold you."
"Indeed, I did not, mamma," cried Fanny, running up and kissing Norman.
"Trusty barked only in play, and I am sure would not hurt him for the
world. You must make friends with Trusty, Norman, and he will then do
anything you tell him, and will never bark at you again."
At length Norman, becoming calmer, consented to accompany his mamma into
the house. Fanny ran upstairs and brought down one of the picture-books
with the pictures, in which she tried to amuse him by telling him
stories about them, for she found that he was unable to read the
descriptions which were placed below them, or on the opposite pages.
At last she saw that he had fallen asleep in the arm-chair on which he
was seated, so she put a cushion under his head that he might rest more
comfortably, and finding that he was not likely to awake, she stole out
that she might gather some more flowers instead of those which had been
scattered on the ground when Norman broke the vase, and which he had
trampled on while he was angrily stamping about on the gravel walk.
She watched for an opportunity while her papa was out of his room, and
placed the fresh bouquet on his mantelpiece.
The day passed away without any other adventure, and as Norman having
slept but little on board the steamer was very tired, Mrs Vallery
carried him up to bed at an early hour.
"Now, my dear child, kneel down and say your prayers," she said when she
had undressed him.
"No, I won't!" answered Norman, "I am too tired, I want to go to sleep."
His mamma knew that it would be useless to argue with him, so with a
sigh she placed him in his bed, and kneeling down, prayed that God would
change him, for her love did not prevent her from seeing that his
present heart was hard and bad, and that none of the qualities she
desired him to possess could spring out of it.
She sat by his bedside till he was asleep, and then went back to Mrs
Leslie.
Sweet Fanny felt sadly hurt and disappointed at the behaviour of her
young brother, whom she had naturally expected to find as loving, and
gentle, and ready to be pleased as she was. She consoled herself,
however, with the thought that he was tired and out of sorts after his
long journey, and hoped that the next day he would become more amiable
and more like what she had fancied him to be.
Sleep soon visited her eyelids and as she was a brisk active little
girl, she was awake betimes.
She had said her prayers and read a chapter in the Bible, which she did
every morning to herself, and was waiting for Susan to assist her in
putting on her frock when her mamma came into her room.
"My dear Fanny, I shall be so much obliged to you if you will assist
Norman to dress; I am afraid that I shall be late for breakfast if I
attempt to do so, as he is apt to dawdle over the business when I go to
him," said Mrs Vallery, giving her a kiss and admiring her fresh and
blooming countenance. "He has been awake for some time, and as he does
not know how to amuse himself he may perhaps be doing some mischief,"
she continued. "He misses his ayah, his native nurse, who declined
accompanying us farther than Alexandria, so you must be prepared to find
him a little troublesome, but I hope he will improve."
"Oh, I shall be delighted, mamma, to help Norman, and I daresay I shall
have nothing to complain of," answered Fanny, and without waiting to put
on her frock she accompanied her mamma to the door of Norman's room.
"You will be a good boy, and let Fanny help you dress, my dear," said
Mrs Vallery, putting in her head.
Fanny entered as her mamma withdrew, and having kissed Norman, arranged
his clothes in readiness to put them on. She then poured out some water
for him to wash his face.
"Shall I help you?" she asked, getting a towel ready.
"No, I can do it myself," he answered, snatching the towel from her
hand. "I don't like to have my nose rubbed up the wrong way, and my
eyes filled with soapsuds. I can wash my face as much as it wants. It
isn't dirty, I should think," and dipping a corner of the towel in the
water he began to dab himself all over with it cautiously as if he was
afraid of rubbing off his skin.
"There, that will do," he said, drying himself much in the same fashion.
"I am ready to put on my clothes."
"But you have not washed your neck or shoulders at all," said Fanny,
"and if you will let me, and bend down your head over the basin, I will
pour the water upon it and give you a pleasant shower-bath this warm
morning."
"I have washed enough, and do not intend to wash any more," answered
Norman in a determined tone. "Where is my vest?"
Fanny, seeing that it would be useless to contend further on that point,
assisted him to dress, and buttoned or tied the clothes which required
buttoning or tying. When, however, she brought him his stockings, he
took it into his head that he would not put them on.
"I can do very well without them," he exclaimed, throwing himself into
an arm-chair.
"There, you stand by my side, and wait till I want you to help me, just
as my ayah used to do--the wicked old thing would not come on with us
because I one day spit at her and called her a name she did not like. I
can talk Hindostanee as well as English, I suppose you can't," and
Master Norman uttered some words which sounded in Fanny's ears very much
like gibberish.
She waited patiently for some minutes, hoping that her brother would let
her finish his toilet. At last, knowing that it was nearly time for her
to go down and make the tea, she brought his stockings and attempted to
put one of them on.
"I told you to wait till I was ready," he exclaimed, and as she
determined if possible on this occasion not to be defeated, stooped down
to draw on one of his stockings. He seized her by her hair, and began
belabouring her with the other which he had snatched out of her hand.
Fanny, supposing him to be in play, persevered in her efforts, but he
continued to pull and pull at her hair, and to beat her about the
shoulders so vehemently that he began to hurt her very much. She at
first only laughed and cried out--
"Pray be quiet, Norman, I shall have the stocking on in a moment."
But as her brother pulled more savagely, she could with difficulty help
shrieking from the pain he inflicted.
"My dear Norman, do let go my hair," she exclaimed, "you are really
hurting me very much."
"I know I am, and I intend to do so. I want to show you the way I
treated my ayah when she dared to do anything I did not like, and I do
not choose to let you meddle with my feet. When I want to put on my
stockings I will put them on myself," and Norman pulled and kicked and
struggled so much that Fanny thought it would be wiser to give up
attempting to draw on the stocking in the hopes that he would then
release her hair from the grasp of his fingers. He was, however, in one
of his evil moods, and, believing that he had gained a victory, instead
of acting the part of a generous conqueror, he cruelly continued to tug
at her hair till poor Fanny could no longer help shrieking out, "Let me
go! let me go, Norman!"
She might, to be sure, have grasped his arms, and holding them have
released herself by force, but the idea of doing so did not enter her
gentle heart, for in the attempt she must have inflicted pain, and she
was ready to suffer anything rather than do that.
Her shrieks brought Susan, who had come up to fasten her frock, into the
room, and she, not at all approving of the way her favourite, Miss
Fanny, was being treated, quickly grasped the young gentleman's wrists,
and made him open his fingers and release his sister's hair.
"You naughty boy, how dare you behave in this way?" she exclaimed
indignantly, "I will take you to your mamma this moment if you do not
behave better, and do as you are told."
"You had better not, or I will pull your hair, and make you wish you had
let me alone," exclaimed Norman, throwing himself back in the chair, and
holding on to its arms to prevent Susan from lifting him up.
"Pray allow him to remain here, Susan, and I daresay he will let me
finish dressing him. He did not hurt me so very much, but I was
frightened, not expecting him to behave in that way, and so I could not
help crying out for a moment," said Fanny. "You will be good now,
Norman, won't you? and finish dressing, and be ready to go down to
breakfast."
The young gentleman made no answer, but sat as if rooted in the chair,
looking defiantly at Susan and his sister.
"I see what we must do, young gentleman," said Susan, who was a sensible
woman, possessing herself of the stockings which had fallen on the
ground, "we must put an end to this nonsense."
Suddenly jerking up Master Norman, she seated herself in the chair, and
pressing down his arms so that he could not reach her, she quickly drew
on first one stocking and then the other.
"Now, Miss Fanny, please hand me the shoes," and though Norman tried to
kick she held his little legs and put them on.
"Now your hair must be put to rights, young gentleman. It is in a
pretty mess with your struggles. Hand me the brush please, Miss Fanny!"
and while she held down his arms, though he moved his head from side to
side, she managed dexterously to arrange his rich curly locks.
"Has he washed his hands?" asked Susan.
Fanny shook her head.
"No, I have not, and I don't intend to do so," growled Norman.
"We shall soon see that," cried Susan, dragging him to the basin;
"there, take care you don't upset it," and forcing his hands into the
water, she covered them well with soap.
Norman was so astonished at the whole proceeding, that he forgot to
struggle, and only looked very red and angry. Susan made him rub his
hands together till all the soap was washed off, and then dried them
briskly with the towel.
"There, we have finished the business for you, young gentleman," she
said, as she released the boy, of whom she had kept a firm hold all the
time.
"Now, we will put on your jacket and handkerchief, and you will be ready
to go downstairs, but before you go just let me advise you not again to
beat your sister in the way you did just now, or I will not let you off
so easily."
"Oh, pray do not be angry with him, Susan," said Fanny, "he will I hope
let me help him to dress to-morrow, and behave like a good boy."
"No, I won't," growled Norman, "as soon as I see my papa I will tell him
how that horrid woman has treated me, and he will soon send her about
her business."
Susan wisely did not reply to the last observation, but quietly made the
young gentleman put on his jacket, and then fastened his collar, and
tied his handkerchief round his neck.
"There, you will do now," she said, surveying him with an expression in
which pity was mingled with admiration, for he was indeed a handsome
child, and she thought how grievous it would be that he should be spoilt
by being allowed to have his own way. She then, lifting him up,
suddenly placed him again in the chair and said, "Sit quiet, young
gentleman, and try and get cool and nice to go down, and see your
grandmamma. We are not accustomed to have angry faces in this house,
and what is more we won't have them."
"Now come, Miss Fanny, I will help you to finish dressing."
Saying this she signed to Fanny to go out of the room, and, closing the
door, locked the young gentleman in.
As soon as she had put on Fanny's frock and shoes, and arranged her
hair, she went back to release Norman, whom she found still seated in
the chair, in sullen dignity, with the angry frown yet on his
countenance.
Susan said nothing, but taking his hand led him down after Fanny, to the
door of the breakfast-room. He went in willingly enough, for he was
very hungry and wanted his breakfast, but the angry frown on his brow
had not vanished.
"Good morning, my dear," said his grandmamma, who was already there, and
had just kissed Fanny, who sprang forward to meet her.
Norman did not answer, but stood near the door, pouting his lips, while
he kept his fists doubled by his side.
"What is the matter with him, my dear Fanny?" asked Mrs Leslie.
His sister did not like to tell their grandmamma of his behaviour, so
instead of replying, she ran to him and tried to lead him forward.
"I want my breakfast," muttered Norman.
"You will have it directly your mamma comes down, and prayers are over,"
said Mrs Leslie quietly. "Come my dear, and give me a kiss, as your
sister does every morning, you know that you are my grandchild as well
as she is, and that I wish to love you as I do her."
"I don't care about that, I want my breakfast," exclaimed Norman,
breaking away from Fanny, and going towards the table, to help himself
to some rolls he saw on it.
Fanny greatly ashamed at his behaviour, again endeavoured to lead him up
to his grandmamma, but he, tearing his hands from hers, kicked out at
her, and ran back to the table.
Just then Mrs Vallery entered the room and affectionately embracing her
mother, drew her attention for a moment away from her grandchild.
Norman took the opportunity of seizing one of the rolls, which he began
stuffing into his mouth. His mother, though she saw him, and felt
somewhat ashamed of his behaviour made no remark, for she knew what the
consequences would be should she interfere.
"I am so much obliged to you, Fanny," she said, "for dressing your
brother. I hope he behaved well."
Fanny would not tell an untruth, but she did not wish to complain of
Norman, so she hung down her head, as if she herself had done something
wrong.
Mrs Leslie suspected that Norman had not behaved well, but she remained
silent on the subject as Mrs Vallery did not repeat the question.
Fanny, having made the tea, rang the bell and the servants, as usual,
came in to prayers. Norman not being interfered with, kept munching
away at the hot roll, and did not relinquish it when his mamma took him
up, and placed him on a chair by her side. All the time Mrs Leslie was
reading the sound of his biting the crisp crust was heard, while he sat
casting a look of defiance at Susan, whose eye he saw was resting on
him.
When they were seated at the table, Mrs Vallery apologised to his
grandmamma for his conduct, observing that he was very hungry, as he was
accustomed to have his breakfast as soon as he was up.
"We must let Susan give it him, then, another morning," observed Mrs
Leslie; "she will, I am sure, be very glad to attend to him in her
room."
"I won't eat anything that woman gives me," growled Norman, looking up
from the roll and pat of fresh butter which his mamma had given him;
"she is a nasty old thing; and if she tries to put on my stockings and
wash my hands again, I will beat her as I did my ayah, and will soon
show her who is master."
"I thought you dressed your brother this morning, Fanny," observed Mrs
Vallery.
"So I did, mamma, but Susan came in to help me, though I hope to-morrow
Norman will let me dress him entirely," answered Fanny, determined if
possible not to speak of her brother's misconduct, and hoping by
loving-kindness to overcome his evil temper.
Mrs Leslie wondered how a child of her gentle daughter's could behave
as Norman was doing.
"You will arrange about his breakfast as you think best, Mary," she
said; "but I hope that if Susan is kind enough to attend to him, he will
be grateful to her. She is a faithful and excellent servant, and, of
course, will expect to be obeyed and treated with respect by a little
boy."
A peculiar shake of the head which Norman gave, showed that he had no
intention of following his grandmamma's wishes.
Captain Vallery coming in, no further remark on the subject was made.
Having saluted his mother-in-law and daughter, and given Norman an
affectionate pat on the head, he sat down to breakfast. Fanny having
given him a cup of tea, and helped him to an egg and toast, and offered
him other things on the table, he began to talk in his usual animated
way, so that Norman, who wanted to make a complaint against Susan in his
presence, was unable to get in a word. Fanny, who, guessing his
intentions, was on the watch, whenever she saw that he was about to
speak offered him a little more bread, or honey, or milk, anxiously
endeavouring to prevent him saying anything which she considered would
bring disgrace upon himself, by making his misconduct known. Happily
for her affectionate design, Captain Vallery had to go up to London, and
as soon as breakfast was over, kissing her and Norman, without listening
to the mutterings of the latter, he hurried off to catch the train.