Volume I Part 42 (2/2)
”I had it for a New Year's present,” remarked Fleda, who stood by with downcast eyes, like a person undergoing an examination.
” 'Jan. 2. Histoire de France.'
”What History of France is this?”
Fleda hesitated, and then said it was by Lacretelle.
”Lacretelle? ? what? of the Revolution?”
”No, Sir; it is before that; it is in five or six large volumes.”
”What, Louis XV.'s time,” said the doctor, muttering to himself.
” 'Jan. 27. 2 ditto, ditto.'
” 'Two' means the second volume, I suppose?”
”Yes, Sir.”
”Hum ? if you were a mouse, you would gnaw through the wall in time, at that rate. This is in the original?”
”Yes Sir.”
” 'Feb. 3. Paris. L. E. K.'
”What do these hieroglyphics mean?”
”That stands for the 'Library of Entertaining Knowledge,' ”
said Fleda.
”But how is this? do you go hop, skip, and jump through these books, or read a little, and then throw them away'? Here it is only seven days since you began the second volume of Lacretelle ? not time enough to get through it.”
”Oh no, Sir,” said Fleda, smiling: ”I like to have several books that I am reading in at once; I mean at the same time, you know; and then if I am not in the mood of one I take up another.”
”She reads them all through,” said Hugh, ”always, though she reads them very quick.”
”Hum ? I understand,” said the old doctor, with a humorous expression, going on with the list.
” 'March 3. 3 Hist. de France.'
”But you finish one of these volumes, I suppose, before you begin another; or do you dip into different parts of the same work at once?”
”Oh no, Sir; of course not!”
” 'Mar. 5. Modern Egyptians. L. E. K. Ap. 13.'
”What are these dates on the right, as well as on the left?”
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