His aunts showered kisses on him, which he did not reciprocate, and then there was an awkward pause, Eustace seemed so natural and undisturbed, yet, if he had not had astonishing experiences himself, he ought to have been all the more astonished at our extraordinary behaviour. My wife, with ready tact, endeavoured to behave as if nothing had happened.
"Well, Mr. Eustace," she said, sitting down as she spoke, to ease her foot, "how have you been amusing yourself since we have been away?"
"Thank you, Mrs. Tytler, I have been very happy."
"And where have you been?"
"Here."
"And lying down all the time, you idle boy?"
"No, not all the time."
"What were you doing before?"
"Oh; standing or sitting."
"Stood and sat doing nothing! Don't you know the poem 'Satan finds some mischief still for———'"
"Oh, my dear madam, hush! hush!" Mr. Sandbach's voice broke in; and my wife, naturally mortified by the interruption, said no more and moved away. I was surprised to see Rose
15
