"Why not?" asked William.
"It is a nuisance to change one's things: and my side's not over clever to-day: and the ungrateful delinquency of you two has put me out-of-sorts altogether," answered Henry, making up his catalogue. "Condemning one to vain expectation, and to fretting and fuming over it! I shan't show up. William must represent me."
"Yes, you will show up," replied William. "For you know that your not doing so would vex Mr. Ashley."
"A nice lot you are to talk about vexing! You don't care how you vex me."
William gently took him by the arm. "Come along to your room now, and I will help you with your things. Once ready, you can do as you like about appearing."
"You treat me just as a child," grumbled Henry. "I say, do the judges come in their wigs?"
Mary broke into a laugh.
"Because that case of stuffed owls had better be ordered out of the hall. The animals may be looked upon as personal."
"I hope there's a good fire in your room, Henry."
"There had better be, unless the genius that presides over the fires in this household would like to feel the weight of my displeasure."