in the vicinity to an extent which prompted them to present him, as a matter of gratitude, with services of plate and purses of gold.
Mrs. Delolme, notwithstanding this, received Aunt Eleanor with much kindness. There was not, it is true, that warmth in her reception, that delightful cordiality, by which guests are at once inspired with the conviction that their presence is pleasing; still, the reception was kind, and as Aunt Eleanor knew of the change which had been wrought, she felt herself perfectly at home.
This, however, was not the case with Sylvester. He did not feel comfortable at all. He admired the doctor—he always had admired him—he was also much pleased with the doctor's son, Tom—a youth about twenty, whom the doctor called Tob, in consequence of Tom having acquired the habit of invariably pronouncing the b for the m, and the d for the n—but he did not at all admire Mrs. Delolme: he felt chilled by her presence; he never did attempt to say much, but her very look seemed to forbid him to speak.
It was therefore with pleasure, when Tom drew him aside and asked him if he would like to go out for an hour, that he replied, "I should indeed:" and when Tom added, "Take doe dotice, I'll cobbudicate with the goverdor," he felt delighted with the prospect of escaping for a time from the apparently severe look of Mrs. Delolme.
"Well," said Tom, embracing the earliest opportunity, "I bust be off dow to by lecture, add as Sylvester beads to be a bedical swell too, he bay as well cub with be."
"Are you not too much fatigued, my dear?" suggested Aunt Eleanor.
"Oh! not at all," replied Sylvester.
"You will be late," said the doctor, "will you not?"
"Oh, they dever cobbedce before a quarter or twedty bidites past."
"It is now more than half-past," said Mrs. Delolme. "It will therefore be useless for you to go now."
"Oh! we shall be id tibe to hear the barrow of it."
"But, my dear, I wish you to remain at home this evening."
"What for? Do you thidk it likely I shall ever pass? do you thidk it possible, if I dod't attedd lectures?"
"I offered no opinion on that point, my dear. I merely said that I wished you to remain at home this evening."
"Very well! I shall be plucked!—I see how it will be!—I'll bet ted to wud that I'b plucked, add if I ab, dod't blabe be."
"Do you think it necessary for him to go?" inquired Mrs. Delolme of the doctor.
"Why, my dear," he replied, "it certainly is necessary for him to attend lectures!"
"Of course it is," interposed Tom.
"Then I have no desire to interfere."
Tom winked at Sylvester, in token of his triumph; and, as Sylvester understood it, they rose and left the room.
"What's the use of our sittidg there?" said Tom, on quitting the house. "I see do fud id it, do you?"
"There is certainly no fun in it," said Sylvester, smiling.
