“Well, I wish you would all make haste and finish tea,” said Maude, taking out her watch, “whatever way you do it. Oh, dear, I must make haste, or I shall not be ready in time for dinner. Arnold, you must go. What will papa say if we are not ready when the bell rings?”
Arnold got up as if with an immense effort. “I dare say I shall be ready quite as soon as you are, Maudie. You always get into such a fluster about every thing.”
When the two eldest were gone, the younger ones became still more lively. One of the little girls was more quiet than the rest, and she seemed to think it would be nice and polite to talk to their visitor.
“Do you always have your meals by yourselves?” asked Arthur.
“All except breakfast,” said Minnie. “You see, mamma hardly ever comes out of her dressing-room; she is ill, and papa is away all the day, and he only comes home to dinner at seven.”
“Does he have dinner alone?”
“Oh, no; you know that was the reason Maude was in such a hurry. She and Arnold dine with papa.” Then they were both silent for a little while. Presently Arthur said, “I wonder when I shall be able to see Edgar.”
Minnie hesitated, and then said, “I was just thinking about that. You see, Edgar does not know you have come; and, besides, I think he is asleep; he was just now, and I cannot go and ask Maude.”
“Why not?” said Arthur.
“Oh, because dinner is going on. Papa would not like it.”