Leagues Under the Sea, where he remained for two mortal hours,
to the general satisfaction of his relatives.
Bereft both of her unexpected playfellow and the much desired
book, Rose went into the parlor, there to discover a French novel
which Kitty had taken from a library and left in the carriage among
the bundles. Settling herself in her favorite lounging chair, she
read as diligently as Jamie while the wind howled and snow fell
fast without.
For an hour nothing disturbed the cozy quiet of the house for Aunt
Plenty was napping upstairs and Dr. Alec writing in his own
sanctum; at least Rose thought so, till his step made her hastily
drop the book and look up with very much the expression she used
to wear when caught in mischief years ago.
“Did I startle you? Have a screen you are burning your face before
this hot fire.” And Dr. Alec pulled one forward.
“Thank you, Uncle. I didn’t feel it.” And the color seemed to
deepen in spite of the screen while the uneasy eyes fell upon the
book in her lap.
“Have you got the Quarterly there? I want to glance at an article in
it if you can spare it for a moment,” he said, leaning toward her
with an inquiring glance.
“No, sir, I am reading ” And, without mentioning the name, Rose
put the book into his hand.
The instant his eye fell on the title he understood the look she wore
and knew what “mischief” she had been in. He knit his brows, then
smiled, because it was impossible to help it Rose looked so
conscience-stricken in spite of her twenty years.
“How do you find it? Interesting??
“Oh, very! I felt as if I was in another world and forgot all about
this.?
“Not a very good world, I fancy, if you were afraid or ashamed to
be found in it. Where did this come from?” asked Dr. Alec,
surveying the book with great disfavor. Rose told him, and added
slowly, “I particularly wanted to read it, and fancied I might,
because you did when it was so much talked about the winter we
were in Rome.?
“I did read it to see if it was fit for you.?
“And decided that it was not, I suppose, since you never gave it to
me!?
“Yes.?
“Then I won’t finish it. But, Uncle, I don’t see why I should not,”
added Rose wistfully, for she had reached the heart of the romance
and found it wonderfully fascinating.
“You may not see, but don’t you feel why not?” asked Dr. Alec
gravely.
Rose leaned her flushed cheek on her hand and thought a minute,
then looked up and answered honestly, “Yes, I do, but can’t explain
it, except that I know something must be wrong, because I blushed
and started when you came in.?
“Exactly.” And the doctor gave an emphatic nod, as if the
symptoms pleased him.
“But I really don’t see any harm in the book so far. It is by a
famous author, wonderfully well written, as you know, and the
characters so lifelike that I feel as if I should really meet them
somewhere.?
“I hope not!” ejaculated the doctor, shutting the book quickly, as if
to keep the objectionable beings from escaping.
Rose laughed, but persisted in her defense, for she did want to
finish the absorbing story, yet would not without leave.
“I have read French novels before, and you gave them to me. Not
many, to be sure, but the best, so I think I know what is good and
shouldn’t like this if it was harmful.?
Her uncle’s answer was to reopen the volume and turn the leaves
an instant as if to find a particular place. Then he put it into her
hand, saying quietly: “Read a page or two aloud, translating as you
go. You used to like that try it again.?
Rose obeyed and went glibly down a page, doing her best to give
the sense in her purest English. Presently she went more slowly,
then skipped a sentence here and there, and finally stopped short,
looking as if she needed a screen again.