Page:The Lark - E Nesbit, 1922.djvu/98

Rh "There's no reason why you should," said Jane.

"On the other hand, there's no reason why I shouldn't," said he. "Don't be so stony. Only those who have spent lonely weeks waiting for an uncle who fails to return from Madrid can begin to estimate all the possibilities of boredom which life has to offer. Don't be so bristly, Miss Quested."

"There's no reason why you should do this for us, or anything else for that matter," said Jane. Lucilla had gone out into the garden, and Mr. Simmons was whistlingly at work in the room's farthest corner.

"I am not doing it for you, if I may say so," Mr. Rochester said coolly. "I am doing it for Mr. Simmons, whose faith in my omnipotence you surely would not have me lightly shatter. Besides, this is the day for balancing the books. I thought I ought to be here in good time."

"It's nine o'clock in the morning," said Jane. "We balance the books when we've shut the shop. At seven to-night."

"Well, then, I am in good time. I thought I was."

"You're talking nonsense!" said Jane.

"How you read me! Concealment is at an end. I am talking nonsense. Is that forbidden in the Temple of the Muses?"

"We aren't Muses," said Jane.

"I know you aren't. But if I said the Graces you'd have been cross."

"I'm cross now," said Jane. "For goodness' sake go home and do your inventing and let Mr. Simmons do the paint-scraping."

"You're not really cross," he said; "you only think you are. It's much too fine a day to be really cross on. You're not cross. You're disappointed."

"Disappointed?"

"Yes. You are the princess setting out to seek her fortune, and you want to kill all the giants and ogres yourself—with your own hand and your own trusty sword. Do let me help Simmons to kill this very little green dragon for