"I don't see how that can be," he said. "Any boy of spirit would object to being taught with two sisters younger than himself, and by a sister," Giles laid great stress on the by,—"a very little older."
Edgar could have laughed outright, but he restrained himself.
"I don't know your idea of a boy of spirit, but I know what your Sunday-school teacher and mother would think the best kind of spirit to have," he said.
"What?" asked Giles.
For a moment Edgar hesitated. He was naturally reserved and it was not easy for him to speak openly of sacred subjects at any time. To do so now was still harder. Giles might think he was preaching, and that was what he abhorred.
"The spirit of Christ," he replied, and though he spoke with much difficulty the words were uttered slowly and reverently. "That is the best and most truly manly spirit we can any of us have. You know what it would have you do?"
Giles shook his head. But the answer that his heart made was: "Learn of Dora and try to make good progress."
"The spirit of Christ," said Edgar in the same low voice, "would have you willing to learn of your sister, and anxious to do her credit as her pupil. He did not seek to please Himself, you know, and neither must we. Then by putting aside your own wishes and saying nothing about them, you will be fulfilling your part of the trust father left us."
"I don't see how," said Giles briefly, but without any sullenness or complaint in his voice.
"I don't think there's any need for me to tell you mother is not at all strong, and attending to the house and teaching so much as she did all last year has tried her greatly. Now Dora is not only willing, but very eager to take the work from her. But if you grumble and make a fuss and give Dora trouble, then mother will feel obliged to teach you again herself, and besides that, she will be so grieved that she cannot send you to school. It bothers her now. She was talking about it only last night. 'If I could anyhow spare another sovereign, he should go,' she said, and there were tears in her eyes as she spoke. Giles, old fellow, you won't add to her troubles, will you?"