Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 1.djvu/237

Rh "Why your strange temper. You don't know how it spoils you. I'm sure a finer disposition than yours, by nature, could not be, if you'd let it have fair play; so you've no excuse that way."

While she thus remonstrated, I took up a book, and laying it open on the table before me, pretended to be deeply absorbed in its perusal; for I was equally unable to justify myself, and unwilling to acknowledge my errors; and I wished to have nothing to say on the matter. But my excellent parent went on lecturing, and then came to coaxing, and began to stroke my hair; and I was getting to feel quite a good boy, but my mischievous brother who was idling about the room, revived my corruption by suddenly calling out:—

"Don't touch him mother! he'll bite! He's a very tiger in human form. I've given him up, for my part—fairly disowned him—cast him off, root and branch. It's as much as my life is worth to come within six yards of himhim. [sic]