or Aristophanes, eh?" asked he,
mockingly.

"No, sir; we were to begin the New Testament after the holidays; for I
had just gone over the grammar twice."

"With mamma, of course?"

"Yes, sir."

He helped himself to a cutlet, and as he poured the Harvey's sauce over
it, it was plain to see that he was not thinking of what was before him,
but employed in another and different direction. After a considerable
pause he turned his eyes full upon me, and with a tone of far more
serious import than he had yet used, said, "We 're not very long
acquainted, Digby; but I have a trick of reading people through their
faces, and I feel I can trust you." He waited for some remark from
me, but I made none, and he went on: "With an ordinary boy of your
age,--indeed, I might go farther, and say with any other boy--I 'd not
venture on the confidence I am now about to make; but a certain instinct
tells me I run no danger in trusting _you_."

"Is it a secret, sir?"

"Well, in one sense it _is_ a secret; but why do you ask?"

"Because mamma told me to avoid secrets; to have none of my own, and
know as little as I could of other people's."

"An excellent rule in general, but there are cases where it will not
apply: this is one of them, for here the secret touches your own family.
You are aware that papa and mamma do not live together? Don't flush up,
Digby; I 'm not going to say one word that could hurt you. It is for
your benefit--I might say for your absolute safety--that I speak now.
Your father has one of the noblest natures a man ever possessed; he is
a prince in generosity, and the very soul of honor, and, except pride,
I don't believe he has a fault. This same pride, however, leads him to
fancy he can never do wrong; indeed, he does not admit that he ever made
a mistake in his life, and, consequently, he does not readily forgive
those to whom he imputes any disasters that befall him. Your mother's
family are included in this condemned list,--I can't exactly say why;
and for the same reason, or no reason, your mother herself. You must,
therefore, take especial care that you never speak of one of these
people."

"And mamma?"

"_Her_ name least of all. There may come a time--indeed, it is sure to
come--when this difficulty can be got over; but any imprudence now--the
smallest mistake--would destroy this chance. Of course it's very hard on
you, my poor fellow, to be debarred from the very theme you 'd like best
to dwell on; b