The gentlemen having fully determined upon his being sent, it was proposed to bring him in immediately and talk to him relative to it. He was accordingly sent for, and came into the room, placing himself beside the chair of Mr. Walters.
Clarence had altered very much since the death of his parents. His face had grown thin and pale, and he was much taller than when he came to Philadelphia: a shade of melancholy had overspread his face; there was now in his eyes that expression of intense sadness that characterized his mother's. "You sent for me?" he remarked, inquiringly, to Mr. Walters.
"Yes, my boy," he rejoined, "we sent for you to have a little talk about school. Would you like to go to school again?"
"Oh, yes!" answered Clarence, his face lighting up with pleasure; "I should like it of all things; it would be much better than staying at home all day, doing nothing; the days are so long," concluded he, with a sigh.
"Ah! we will soon remedy that," rejoined Mr. Balch, "when you go to
Sudbury."
"Sudbury!" repeated Clarence, with surprise; "where is that? I thought you meant, to go to school here."
"Oh, no, my dear," said Mr. Balch, "I don't know of any good school here, such as you would like; we wish to send you to a place where you will enjoy yourself finely,—where you will have a number of boys for companions in your studies and pleasures."
"And is Em going with me?" he asked.
"Oh, no, that is not possible; it is a school for boys exclusively; you can't take your sister there," rejoined Mr. Walters.
"Then I don't want to go," said Clarence, decidedly; "I don't want to go where I can't take Em with me."