‘All spelling’s rum, I think,’ said Charles; ‘especially ie’s and ei’s.’
‘I.E., except after C,’ said Charlotte absently, ‘It says, “Government and Virtues. It is under the Moon!”’
‘What is?’
‘I don’t know. It goes on: “It is a good wound-e herb-e and the juice taken in wine helpeth the jaundice, and is ſovereign for the plague, if ſo be the ſufferer be not too far gone in it.”’
‘What does? What is?’
‘“The flowers,”’ Charlotte read on, ‘“be large and yellow in forme and in others paler and ſmaller. The ſtalk is two feet high and divideth himſelf into many ſpreading branches.’”
‘What does?’
‘Rugged wort. It’s all about plants, I think, and what they’re good for.’
‘How glorious!’ Caroline cried and clapped her hands. ‘Now we’ve got all three. The spells, and the medicine, and the Language Of. And what one won’t do, the other will. Hist! not a word!’ She had only just time to throw the book into a chair and sit down on it as the door opened, and Harriet entered with the tea-tray.