Grant, I think I could be questioned upon it
now."
Less than a minute sufficed to show Donal that she thoroughly
understood what she had been learning, and he set her then a little
more. By the time their work was over he had not a doubt left that
suchlike intellectual occupation would greatly subserve all phases
of her health. With entireness she gave herself to the thing she had
to do; and Donal thought how strong must be her nature, to work so
calmly, and think so clearly, after what she had gone through that
morning.
School over, and Davie gone to his rabbits.
"Mistress Brookes invites us to supper with her," said lady Arctura.
"I asked her to ask us. I don't want to go to bed till I am quite
sleepy. You don't mind, do you?"
"I am very glad, my lady," responded Donal.
"Don't you think we had better tell her all about it?"
"As you think fit. The secret is in no sense mine; it is only yours;
and the sooner it ceases to be a secret the better for all of us!"
"I have but one reason for keeping it," she returned.
"Your uncle?"
"Yes; I know he will be annoyed. But there may be other reasons why
I should reveal the thing."
"There may indeed!" said Donal.
"Still, I should be sorry to offend him more than I cannot help. If
he were a man like my father, I should never dream of going against
him; I should in fact leave everything to him he cared to attend to.
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