Chapter IX.
An Excursion.
One day, about one o'clock, after Rollo had been in Paris about a fortnight, he came into the hotel from a walk which he had been taking, and there found his mother and Jennie putting on their bonnets. He asked them where they were going. They said they were going to take a ride with Mr. George.
"May I go, too?" asked Rollo.
"Why—yes," said his mother, hesitatingly. "I suppose there will be room. Or you may stay at home here with your father. He is asleep in his room."
It is generally the case with children, both boys and girls, when they are young, that if they can get any sort of consent, however reluctant, from their parents, to any of their requests, they are satisfied, and take the boon thus hesitatingly accorded to them as readily as if it had been granted to them in the freest and most cordial manner. With gentlemen and ladies, however, it is different. They generally have more delicacy, and are seldom willing to accept of any favor unless circumstances are such that it can be granted in a very free and cordial manner. They will scarcely ever, in any case, ask to be permitted to join any party that others have formed; and when they do ask, if they perceive the slightest doubt or hesitation on the part of their friends in acceding to their proposal, they infer that it would be, for some reason or other, inconvenient for them to go; and they accordingly, at once, give up all intention of going.
Rollo, though still a boy, was beginning to have some of the honorable sentiments and feelings of a man; and when he perceived that his mother hesitated a little about granting his request, he decided immediately not to go and ride. Besides, he liked the idea of staying with his father.
"Well," said he, "I will stay here. My father may wish for something when he wakes up."
"I don't suppose, however, after all," added his mother, "that it is really necessary for you to stay on his account. His bell is within reach; and Alfred will come immediately when he rings."
"But I should like to stay," said Rollo; "and besides, I can get ahead one more day in my French."