Teddy Drake received this epistle at breakfast, and its contents threw him into a state of profound astonishment. He had not had the slightest idea of Frank's feelings towards Katie, and when he recovered from his astonishment was most delighted. He had given one long whistle of surprise when he had arrived at the second line, but had read on to the end in silence without heeding the questions of the girls as to what was the matter with him.
“Now, Teddy, what is it?” Sarah asked as he finished. “What does Frank say, to surprise you so?” for Teddy had apprised them who his correspondent was before he had begun to read.
“Is it what does he say?” Teddy repeated, in order to gain time to invent an answer.
“Yes, of course, Teddy, how tiresome you are.”
“Frank is thinking of becoming a monk and joining a holy community.”
“No, don't be talking nonsense, Teddy.”
“Well, Sarah, he's talking of going out to Arabia and becoming a dancing dervish.”
“Don't ask him, Sarah,” Katie said indignantly; “if he doesn't choose to tell us, sure and we don't want to know. Come along, we will go and practise our duet.”
When they had left the room Teddy turned to his father and mother: “Frank has written to ask me to ask you to let him run down again, to make love to Katie.”