“Unknown to her aunts?”
“Yes, Mr Montaigne; but please don’t be angry with her.”
“No, my child, I will not.”
“Clotilde did not like it, and threw it aside, and I happened to see it; but I have not read much.”
“They get novels, then?” said Mr Montaigne.
“They will be very angry with me for telling you, Mr Montaigne.”
“I shall not tell them, dear child; perhaps it is natural. What is Clotilde reading now?”
“A French story, ‘Annette’.”
“In-deed!” said Montaigne softly; and he drew his breath between his teeth. “And have you read it, child?”
“No, Mr Montaigne. Miss Philippa expressly forbade our ever reading French novels; she said they were bad.”