" It was
Towneley.
His face dropped as he caught sight of Ernest. "What, you here,
Pontifex! Well, upon my word!"
I cannot describe the hurried explanations that passed quickly
between the three -enough that in less than a minute Ernest,
blushing more scarlet than ever, slunk off, Bible and all, deeply
humiliated as he contrasted himself and Towneley. Before he had
reached the bottom of the staircase leading to his own room he heard
Towneley's hearty laugh through Miss Snow's door, and cursed the
hour that he was born.
Then it flashed upon him that if he could not see Miss Snow he could
at any rate see Miss Maitland. He knew well enough what he wanted now,
and as for the Bible, he pushed it from him to the other end of his
table. It fell over onto the floor, and he kicked it into a corner. It
was the Bible given him at his christening by his affectionate aunt,
Elizabeth Allaby. True, he knew very little of Miss Maitland, but
ignorant young fools in Ernest's state do not reflect or reason
closely. Mrs. Baxter had said that Miss Maitland and Miss Snow were
birds of a feather, and Mrs. Baxter probably knew better than that old
liar, Mrs. Jupp.
Pages:
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455