He raised his hand wearily to his brow.
“I am not likely to,” he said. “Things wrapped up in brown-paper do not interest me.”
“Oh father! they interest most people. But you must—you really must—rouse yourself for a minute or two, for I have to thank you so greatly, darling father.”
“What for?” he muttered.
“The money—the money.”
“I am unaware, child, that I have given you any money.”
What could he mean? I felt a curious damp sensation round my spirits, which were quite high at the moment. Then I remembered that Mrs Grant had told me that I was not to worry father on the subject.
“She said,” I continued, with great eagerness, “that you were not to be worried, but that you had arranged it. I am to have an allowance in future, and she gave me the first quarter’s allowance to-day—ten pounds.”
“Goodness!” said father. “What wilful waste! Ten pounds! Why, it would have bought—it would have bought that new—”
He mentioned a volume which had a long Latin name.