occupation or society. At length Bella came out, hat in hand, and nearly
stumbled over her brother, who lay on the grass.

"You lazy man, have you been dawdling here all this time?" she said,
looking down at him.

"No, I've been very busy. Come and tell me how you've got on with the
little dragon."

"Can't stop. She bade me take a run after my French, so that I might be
ready for my drawing, and so I must."

"It's too warm to run. Sit down and amuse your deserted brother, who has
had no society but bees and lizards for an hour."

He drew her down as he spoke, and Bella obeyed; for, in spite of his
indolence, he was one to whom all submitted without dreaming of refusal.

"What have you been doing? Muddling your poor little brains with all
manner of elegant rubbish?"

"No, I've been enjoying myself immensely. Jean is _so_ interesting, so
kind and clever. She didn't bore me with stupid grammar, but just talked
to me in such pretty French that I got on capitally, and like it as I
never expected to, after Lucia's dull way of teaching it."

"What did you talk about?"

"Oh, all manner of things. She asked questions, and I answered, and she
corrected me."