“Delight to bark and bite.”
“Oh, yes—
“How doth the little busy bee
Delight to bark and bite—
“How does it go on, Cyril?” said Frank.
“To gather honey all the day,
And eat it all the night,”
whispered the audacious brother, conjuring into memory the schoolboy version of that celebrated poem.
Frank, who was far too much engrossed in his own difficulties to think of what he was saying, artlessly repeated the words, and opened his large eyes in amazement, when he was greeted by a shout of laughter from Cyril, and a little shriek of indignation from Miss Sprong, which combined sounds started Lady Vinsear from the doze into which she had fallen, and ended in the summary ejectment of the young offenders.
The next day, to their own great relief and delight, they were sent home in disgrace; and knowing that their mother would not be angry with them for a piece of childish gaiety under such trying circumstances, they were surprised and pained to see how grave she and Violet looked when they told their story. But Mrs Home’s thoughts had reverted to Julian, and she knew Miss Sprong too well not to be aware that she had designs on Lady Vinsear’s property, and would excite against Julian any ill-will she could.
That her fears were not unfounded was proved by the fact that, in the middle of trial-week, Julian received an altogether intolerable epistle from Miss Sprong, written, she said, “at the express request and dictation of his esteemed aunt,” calling him to account for this little incident in a way that, (to use Lillyston’s expression), instantly “put him on his hind legs.” He read a part of this letter to Lillyston, and, with his own comments, it ran thus:—
“Lady Vinsear desires me to say,” (Hem! I doubt that very much), “that the rudeness of those two little boys, to say nothing of their great immorality and impiety,” (I say, that’s coming it too strong, or rather too Sprong), “is such as to reflect great discredit on the influences to which they have been lately—”