She was, however, still kneeling against the window-seat, her elbows
planted on the great folio, and her head between her hands, reading
intently.
'Little Madam,' said he, 'what great book have you got there?'
'As You Like It,' said Phyllis.
'What! are you promoted to reading Shakspeare?'
'I have not read any but this,' said Phyllis. 'Ada and I have often
looked at the pictures, and I liked the poor wounded stag coming down
to the water so much, that I read about it, and then I went on. Was
it wrong, Claude? no one ever told me not.'
'You are welcome to read it,' said Claude, 'but not now--it is too
dark. Come and sit in the great chair on the other side of the fire,
and be sociable. And what do you think of 'As You Like It?''
'I like it very much,' answered Phyllis, 'only I cannot think why
Jacks did not go to the poor stag, and try to cure it, when he saw
its tears running into the water.'
To save the character of Jacks, Claude gravely suggested the
difficulty of catching the stag, and then asked Phyllis her opinion
of the heroines.
'Oh! it was very funny about Rosalind dressing like a man, and then
being ready to cry like a girl when she was tired, and then
pretending to pretend to be herself; and Celia, it was very kind of
her to go away with Rosalind; but I should have liked her better if
she had stayed at home, and persuaded her father to let Rosalind stay
too.
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