Then miss Letty says again 'Are you my papa from foreign parts?'
and he laughs and says: 'No, little one, I'm your brother. Did you
never hear of your brother Amyas?' and Miss Fay stood off a little
and clapped her little hands, and says: 'O brother Amyas, how beautiful
you are!'"
Aurelia could not help longing to know whether she had been mentioned,
but she did not like to inquire, and she was obliged to rest satisfied
with the assurance that her little girls had comported themselves like
jewels, like lambs, like darling lumps of sugar, or whatever metaphors
were suggested by the imagination of Molly, who had, apparently, usurped
the entire credit of their good manners. It was impossible to help
feeling a little aggrieved, or, maugre [in spite of--D.L.] all
inconvenient properties to avoid wishing to have been under the horse-
chestnut tree, even though she might have shown herself just such a
bashful little speechless fool as she had been when Sir Amyas had
danced with her at Carminster.
She was destined to hear a good deal more of the visitor the next day.
The children met her with the cry of "Cousin Aura, our brother"--"our
big beautiful brother--Brother Amyas."--They were with difficulty
calmed into saying their prayers, and Amoret startled the little
congregation by adding to "bless by father, my mother, my brothers
and sisters," "and pray bless big brother Amyas best of all, for I
love him very much indeed!"
All day little facts about "brother Amyas" kept breaking out.
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