'
'They have not been rude to you, I hope.'
Dolores was too much afraid of Wilfred to mention the bouncing, so she
allowed that no one had been rude to her, but she hated romping, which
she managed to say in the tone of a rebuke to her aunt for suffering
it.
However, Aunt Lily only smiled and said--
'Ah! you have not been used to wholesome exercise in large families. I
dare say it seems formidable; but, my dear, you are looking quite pale.
I can't allow you to stay stuffed up there, poking over a book all the
afternoon. It is very bad for you. We are going to have some
historical tableaux. They are to have one set, and I thought perhaps
you and I would get up some for them to guess in turn.'
Dolores was not in a mood to be pleased, but she did not quite dare to
say she did not choose to make herself ridiculous, and she knew there
was authority in the tone, so she followed and endured.
So they beheld Alfred watching the cakes before the bright grate in the
dining-room, and having his ears beautifully boxed. Also Knut and the
waves, which were graphically represented by letting the wind in under
the drugget, and pulling it up gradually over his feet, but these,
Mysie explained, were only for the little ones. Rollo and his
substitute doing homage to Charles the Simple, were much more
effective; as Gillian in that old military cloak of her father's, which
had seen as much service in the play-room as in the field, stood and
scowled at Wilfred in the crown and mamma's ermine mantle, being
overthrown by Harry at his full height.
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