"We'll see when we come to them," Mr. Wycherly answered. "Who will begin?"
Edmund elected to begin, and read Chapter I. of Genesis.
Montagu read Chapter II. and Mr. Wycherly Chapter III.; but he got interested and went on to Chapter IV. He had just reached the verse, "And Cain talked with Abel, his brother: and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and slew him," when the book was pulled down gently by a small and grubby hand, "Thank you, Guardie, dear," Edmund said sweetly, "I don't want to tire you, and you know we never did more than one chapter with Aunt Esperance. One between the three of us!"
"I always sympathise with Cain," Montagu remarked thoughtfully. "I'm perfectly certain Abel was an instructive fellow, always telling him if he'd only do things some other way how much better it would be. Younger brothers are like that," he added pointedly, looking at Edmund.
"That view of the case never struck me," said Mr. Wycherly.
"It always strikes me every time I hear it," Montagu said bitterly. "It's just what Edmund does. He makes me feel awfully Cainish sometimes, I can tell you; always telling me I ought to hold a bat this way, or I'd jump further if I took off that way, or something."
"Well, you're such an old foozle," cried Edmund with perfect good nature. "So slow."
"I do things differently from you, but I do most of 'em every bit as well."
"So you ought, you're so much older."
"All the more reason for you to shut up."