“Angry with you, Leila?—oh, no! how can you think so?”
“Yes, because I know I deserve it; it was so foolish of me to wish you to admire me, and to think you would.”
“And do you think that would be so difficult, Leila?” he asked.
“I don’t know; I don’t understand about that; but I know you should not—you should not admire any thing vain, and I should not wish it; and if you are to be a clergyman, you know, you should teach me to be meek and lowly in heart. I am sure my papa will be so glad when I tell him you are to be a clergyman; for he will think, as you grow taller and older, you will help him to make me better. But if you are not angry with me, Charles, why are you so grave?—you have not told me that; what can you be thinking about?—do tell us!”
“I am thinking,” he answered, “how delightful all this is!” he continued; “and on Monday how the scene will be changed!”
“And why changed?” she inquired.
“Because on Monday I return to school, and there, instead of having you and Mina to talk to, I shall be surrounded by a parcel of such noisy fellows.”
“And you don’t like them, then?”
“O yes, I do; that is to say, some of them—some of them are excellent fellows and I like them very much; but don’t let us talk of them now, let us enjoy the present; Easter will come in time, and then I shall be home again. You won’t forget me, Leila? will you promise me that?”
“To be sure I will not, but it is needless to promise; do you think I could forget the only brother I have in the world? You know I have already told you, that now I do not think you too tall to be my brother; so you may grow as tall as ever you choose, and you will still always be my brother.”