" 'Sep. 16. Milner's Church History!' What the deuce! 'Vol. 2. Fairy Queen.' Why, this must have been a favourite book, too."
"That's one of the books Fleda loves best," said Hugh; "she went through that very fast."
"Over it, you mean, I reckon; how much did you skip, Fleda?"
"I didn't skip at all," said Fleda; "I read every word of it."
" ' Sep. 20. 2 Mém. de Sully.' Well, you're an industrious mouse, I'll say that for you. What's this? 'Don Quixote!' 'Life of Howard.' 'Nov. 17. 3 Fairy Queen.' 'Nov. 29. 4 Fairy Queen.' 'Dec. 8. 1 Goldsmith's England.' Well, if this list of books is a fair exhibit of your taste and capacity, you have a most happily proportioned set of intellectuals. Let us see history, fun, facts, nature, theology, poetry and divinity! upon my soul! and poetry and history the leading features! a little fun as much as you could lay your hand on, I'll warrant, by that pinch in the corner of your eye. And here, the eleventh of December, you finished the Fairy Queen; and ever since, I suppose, you have been imagining yourself the 'faire Una,' with Hugh standing for Prince Arthur or the Red-cross Knight haven't you?"
"No, Sir. I didn't imagine anything about it."
"Don't tell me. What did you read it for?"
"Only because I liked it, Sir. I liked it better than any other book I read last year."
"You did! Well, the year ends, I see, with another volume of Sully. I wont enter upon this year's list. Pray, how much of all these volumes do you suppose you remember? I'll try and find out next time I come to see you. I can give a guess, if you study with that little pug in your lap."
"He is not a pug!" said Fleda, in whose arms King was lying luxuriously "and he never gets into my lap, besides."