Electronic Book page

Miss Gou--ehem--come, Lucy, my dear, the short
cut through the window; you see it open, and now, Martha, your hand; but
there is old Sam's. Well done, Sam; your soldier's ever gallant. Help
Miss--help the young lady up the steps, Edward. Good! he has anticipated
me."
In a few minutes they were enjoying their lunch, during which the
conversation became very agreeable, and even animated. Young Roberts had
nothing of the military puppy about him whatsoever. On the contrary, his
deportment was modest, manly, and unassuming. Sensible of his father's
humble, but yet respectable position, he neither attempted to swagger
himself into importance by an affectation of superior breeding or
contempt for his parent, nor did he manifest any of that sullen
taciturnity which is frequently preserved, as a proof of superiority,
or a mask for conscious ignorance and bad breeding; the fact being
generally forgotten that it is an exponent of both.
"So, Edward, you like the army, then?" inquired Mr. Mainwaring.
"I do, sir," replied young Roberts; "it's a noble profession.


Pages:
587 588 589 590 591 592 593 594 595 596 597 598 599 600 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 608 609 610 611