Emily's gentle manner made her instructions far more agreeable,
though she was often neither clear nor correct in her explanations;
she was contented if the lessons were droned through in any manner,
so long as she could say they were done; she disliked a disturbance,
and overlooked or half corrected mistakes rather than cause a cry.
Phyllis naturally preferred being taught by her, and Lily was vexed
and unwilling to persevere. She went to the schoolroom expecting to
be annoyed, created vexation for herself, and taught in anything but
a loving spirit. Still, however, the thought of Claude, and the wish
to do more than her duty, kept her constant to her promise, and her
love of seeing things well done was useful, though sadly
counterbalanced by her deficiency in temper and patience.
CHAPTER V--VILLAGE GOSSIP
'The deeds we do, the words we say,
Into still air they seem to fleet;
We count them past,
But they shall last.'
Soon after Easter, Claude went to Oxford. He was much missed by his
sisters, who wanted him to carve for them at luncheon, to escort them
when they rode or walked, to hear their music, talk over their books,
advise respecting their drawings, and criticise Lily's verses.
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