'
'You idle boy!' returned Mr. Mohun, 'you do not mean to have the
impertinence to come of age next year.'
'As much as having been born on the 30th of July, 1825, can make me.'
'But what good will your coming of age do us?' said Lilias, 'you will
be in London or Brighton, or some such stupid place.'
'Do not be senseless, Lily,' returned her cousin. 'Devereux Castle
is to be in splendour--Hetherington in amazement--the county's hair
shall stand on end--illuminations, bonfires, feasts, balls, colours
flying, bands playing, tenants dining, fireworks--'
'Hurrah! jolly! jolly!' shouted Reginald, dancing on the ottoman,
'and mind there are lots of squibs.'
'And that Master Reginald Mohun has a new cap and bells for the
occasion,' said Lord Rotherwood.
'Let me make some fireworks,' said Maurice.
'You will begin like a noble baron of the hospitable olden time,'
said Lily.
'It will be like the old days, when every birthday of yours was a
happy day for the people at Hetherington,' said Emily.
'Ah! those were happy old days,' said Lord Rotherwood, in a graver
tone.
'These are happy days, are not they?' said Lily, smiling.
Her cousin answered with a sigh, 'Yes, but you do not remember the
old ones, Lily;' then, after a pause, he added, 'It was a grievous
mistake to shut up the castle all these years.
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