He turned to Miranda, who nodded.
'I know. Beasts. I hate them.'
Mrs. Venables was stirred.
'So vestiges of paganism really do linger. That is extremely striking.'
Tommy, pluming himself, happened to look across and meet Miss Varley's eyes fastened consideringly upon him. He returned the regard with his melancholy gaze.
'Not only Pan, either—Venus, Jupiter, Mars——'
'Don't!' Miranda interrupted. 'You're going on just like my astronomy mistress. She was a beast. I hated her. And I hate stars. And you do talk rot, you two. You both tell the most awful——'
But Tommy was looking at Miss Varley with his sad regard from under quick black brows.
She turned to her aunt and started a new subject.
Tommy remarked to her as he said good-bye: