"'You can leave him with me, Denise, for an hour.'
"Then he would take the child into the study, and lock the door, and nurse and sing to him. I was in the habit of seeing him thus engaged as I walked backwards and forwards in the grounds in front of the study, waiting for his summons to carry master Christian to his mother.
"His was not a happy childhood, for when he began ta speak and think, the estrangement between his parents puzzled him deeply, and made him sad. He was continually asking questions to which he received replies which perplexed him more and more. With childlike, innocent cunning he strove to draw them to each other. When he was with my lady, it was:
"'Mamma, why do you not go and speak to papa? There he is walking in the garden. Come out with me, mamma--come quickly, or papa will be gone.'
"And when he was with his father he would say:
"'Papa, I have a message for you.'
"'Yes, Christian,' my master would say.
"'You are to take hold of my hand, and come with me immediately to mamma. Yes, papa, indeed, immediately! She wants to speak to you.'
"Mr. Almer knew that this was nothing but invention on the child's part.
"What they learnt of each other's health and doings came through Master Christian; it is very hard, my lady, to stop a child's innocent prattle.