"I have a very large family," answered the squire, and after enjoying for a moment the surprise he saw in Mrs. Ambrose's face, he added with a laugh, "I have a library of ten thousand volumes—a very large family indeed. Otherwise I have no encumbrances, thank heaven."
"You are a scholar?" asked Mr. Ambrose eagerly.
"A book fancier, only a book fancier," returned the squire modestly. "But
I am very fond of the fancy."
"What is a book fancier, mamma?" asked little Eleanor in a whisper. But
Mr. Juxon heard the child's question.
"If your mamma will bring you up to the Hall one of these days, Miss Goddard, I will show you. A book fancier is a terrible fellow who has lots of books, and is pursued by a large evil genius telling him he must buy every book he sees, and that he will never by any possibility read half of them before he dies."
Little Eleanor stared for a moment with her great violet eyes, and then turning again to her mother, whispered in her ear.
"Mamma, he called me Miss Goddard!"
"Run out and play in the garden, darling," said her mother with a smile. But the child would not go and sat down on a stool and stared at the squire, who was immensely delighted.
"So you are going to bring all your library, Mr. Juxon?" asked the vicar returning to the charge.
"Yes—and I beg you will make any use of it you please," answered the visitor. "I have a great fondness for books and I think I have some valuable volumes. But I am no great scholar, as you are, though I read a great deal. I have always noticed that the men who accumulate great libraries do not know much, and the men who know a great deal have very few books. Now I will wager that you have not a thousand volumes in your house, Mr. Ambrose."