Laura shrugged her shoulders.
"I shouldn't care to be so shallow that people could read me at a glance," she said.
"One is not necessarily shallow because transparent," said Belle.
"Margaret, how nearly done is mamma's book?" asked Laura.
"So nearly that I think I hear it ringing the doorbell now. I saw an expressman just drive up. Yes, here comes the parcel. Might we open it, think?"
Laura replied by cutting the cord and throwing it upon the floor, whence Belle picked it up and wound it around her fingers, and put it away in her mother's string-box.
"How beautifully it is got up," said Laura. "But why wasn't it out at Christmas?"
"Aunty thought it would be," said Margaret, "but there was unexpected delay. Oh, are you each going to read it to yourselves?" she added, in a disappointed tone, as she saw each take possession of a volume. "I thought we should read it aloud. Aunty, your books have come," she cried, as Mrs. Grey here entered the room.
"Indeed? Just in time for me to take one to Mrs. Grosgrain."