“I don’t care for those sort of things,” observed Norman, as he heard their plans discussed at dinner.
“Shall we have elephants to ride on, or tiger shooting?” he asked, “that would suit papa and me best.”
Fanny burst into a fit of merry laughter, at which Norman got very angry.
“Don’t you know that there are no elephants or tigers in this part of the world?” inquired Fanny. “The only wild animals are deer, and I always think how cruel it is to shoot such beautiful creatures, when I hear of people hunting them.”
“Perhaps papa and I will go out and shoot them, only women and girls think shooting cruel,” said Norman scornfully.
“A little boy should not speak disrespectfully of the tender feelings of women and girls,” observed Mrs Leslie. “Fanny is very right when she expresses her sorrow, at hearing of deer being killed merely for sport, though if they were allowed to live in great numbers they would prevent other more useful animals from finding pasture.”
“I say it is very good fun, shooting animals of all sorts,” exclaimed Norman.
“You should not speak to your grandmamma in that tone,” said Mrs Vallery.
Norman always grew angry when rebuked, and muttered something to himself, of which no one took notice.
After dinner Fanny remained with her granny and mamma to do some work, while Norman stole out of the room. He stood in the hall for some minutes, and then creeping upstairs, went into Fanny’s bed-chamber. There on the bed lay Miss Lucy. Taking her up he silently came downstairs, and made his way by the back door into the garden, hoping that no one observed him.