Nor did our lady visitors' ways reassure him, though they meant to
be kind. They could not help being formal and stiff, not as they
were with Griff and me. The two gentlemen were thoroughly friendly
and hearty; Parson Frank could hardly have helped being so towards
any one in the same house with himself; and as to little Anne, she
found in the new-comer a carpenter and upholsterer superior even to
Martyn; but her candour revealed a great deal which I overheard one
afternoon, when the two children were sitting together on the
hearth-rug in the bookroom in the twilight.
'I want to see Mr. Clarence's white feather,' observed Anne.
'Griff has a white plume in his Yeomanry helmet,' replied Martyn;
'Clarence hasn't one.'
'Oh, I saw Mr. Griffith's!' she answered; 'but Cousin Horace said
Mr. Clarence showed the white feather.'
'Cousin Horace is an ape!' cried Martyn.
'I don't think he is so nice as an ape,' said Anne. 'He is more
like a monkey. He tries the dolls by court-martial, and he shot
Arabella with a pea-shooter, and broke her eye; only grandpapa made
him have it put in again with his own money, and then he said I was
a little sneak, and if I ever did it again he would shoot me.'
'Mind you don't tell Clarence what he said,' said Martyn.
'Oh, no! I think Mr. Clarence very nice indeed; but Horace did
tease so about that day when he carried poor Amos Bell home.
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