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ecstasy。 〃Oppossum； opottis； opposse； or oh…pottery！〃
〃Harry；〃 said Richard； in a gentle reasonable voice； 〃I wish you
would be so kind as not to stay； if you cannot help distracting him。〃
And Harry； who really had a tolerable share of forbearance and
consideration； actually obeyed； contenting himself with tossing his
book into the air and catching it again； while he paused at the door
to give his last unsolicited assistance。 〃Decline oppossum you say。
I'll tell you how： 0…possum re…poses up a gum tree。 0…pot…you…I
will； says the 0…posse of Yankees； come out to ketch him。 Opossum
poses them and declines in 0…pot…esse by any manner of means of o…
potting…di…do…dum； was quite oppositum…oppotitu； in fact； quite
contrairy。〃
Richard； with the gravity of a victim； heard this sally of schoolboy
wit； which threw Ethel back on the sofa in fits of laughing； and
declaring that the Opossum declined； not that he was declined； but；
in the midst of the disturbance thus created； Tom stepped up to her；
and whispered； 〃Do tell me； Ethel！〃
〃Indeed I shan't；〃 said she。 〃Why don't you say fairly if you don't
know？〃
He was obliged to confess his ignorance； and Richard made him
conjugate the whole verb opponor from beginning to end； in which he
wanted a good deal of help。
Ethel could not help saying； 〃How did you find out the meaning of
that word； Tom； if you didn't look out the verb？〃
〃Idon't know；〃 drawled Tom； in the voice； half sullen； half
piteous； which he always assumed when out of sorts。
〃It is very odd；〃 she said decidedly； but Richard took no notice； and
proceeded to the other lessons； which went off tolerably well； except
the arithmetic； where there was some great misunderstanding； into
which Ethel did not enter for some time。 When she did attend； she
perceived that Tom had brought a right answer； without understanding
the working of the sum； and that Richard was putting him through it。
She began to be worked into a state of dismay and indignation at
Tom's behaviour； and Richard's calm indifference； which made her
almost forget 'Jane Sparks'； and long to be alone with Richard； but
all the world kept coming into the room； and going out； and she could
not say what was in her mind till after dinner； when； seeing Richard
go up into Margaret's room； she ran after him； and entering it；
surprised Margaret； by not beginning on her books； but saying at
once； 〃Ritchie； I wanted to speak to you about Tom。 I am sure he
shuffled about those lessons。〃
〃I am afraid he does；〃 said Richard； much concerned。
〃What； do you mean that it is often so？〃
〃Much too often；〃 said Richard； 〃but I have never been able to detect
him； he is very sharp； and has some underhand way of preparing his
lessons that I cannot make out。〃
〃Did you know it； Margaret？〃 said Ethel； astonished not to see her
sister looked shocked as well as sorry。
〃Yes；〃 said Margaret； 〃Ritchie and I have often talked it over； and
tried to think what was to be done。〃
〃Dear me！ why don't you tell papa？ It is such a terrible thing！〃
〃So it is；〃 said Margaret； 〃but we have nothing positive or tangible
to accuse Tom of； we don't know what he does； and have never caught
him out。〃
〃I am sure he must have found out the meaning of that oppositum in
some wrong wayif he had looked it out； he would only have found
opposite。 Nothing but opponor could have shown him the rendering
which he made。〃
〃That's like what I have said almost every day；〃 said Richard； 〃but
there we areI can't get any further。〃
〃Perhaps he guesses by the context；〃 said Margaret。
〃It would be impossible to do so always；〃 said both the Latin
scholars at once。
〃Well； I can't think how you can take it so quietly；〃 said Ethel。 〃I
would have told papa the first moment； and put a stop to it。 I have
a great mind to do so； if you won't。
〃Ethel； Ethel； that would never do！〃 exclaimed Margaret； 〃pray don't。
Papa would be so dreadfully grieved and angry with poor Tom。〃
〃Well； so he deserves；〃 said Ethel。
〃You don't know what it is to see papa angry；〃 said Richard。
〃Dear me； Richard！〃 cried Ethel； who thought she knew pretty well
what his sharp words were。 〃I'm sure papa never was angry with me；
without making me love him more； and； at least； want to be better。〃
〃You are a girl；〃 said Richard。
〃You are higher spirited； and shake off things faster；〃 said
Margaret。
〃Why； what do you think he would do to Tom？〃
〃I think he would be so very angry； that Tom； who； you know； is timid
and meek； would be dreadfully frightened；〃 said Richard。
〃That's just what he ought to be； frightened out of these tricks。〃
〃I am afraid it would frighten him into them still more；〃 said
Richard； 〃and perhaps give him such a dread of my father as would
prevent him from ever being open with him。〃
〃Besides； it would make papa so very unhappy；〃 added Margaret。 〃Of
course； if poor dear Tom had been found out in any positive deceit；
we ought to mention it at once； and let him be punished； but while it
is all vague suspicion； and of what papa has such a horror of； it
would only grieve him； and make him constantly anxious； without；
perhaps； doing Tom any good。〃
〃I think all that is expediency；〃 said Ethel； in her bluff； abrupt
way。
〃Besides；〃 said Richard； 〃we have nothing positive to accuse him of；
and if we had； it would be of no use。 He will be at school in three
weeks； and there he would be sure to shirk； even if he left it off
here。 Every one does； and thinks nothing of it。〃
〃Richard！〃 cried both sisters； shocked。 〃You never did？〃
〃No； we didn't； but most others do； and not bad fellows either。 It
is not the way of boys to think much of those things。〃
〃It is meanit is dishonourableit is deceitful！〃 cried Ethel。
〃I know it is very wrong； but you'll never get the general run of
boys to think so；〃 said Richard。
〃Then Tom ought not to go to school at all till he is well armed
against it；〃 said Ethel。
〃That can't be helped；〃 said Richard。 〃He will get clear of it in
time； when he knows better。〃
〃I will talk to him；〃 said Margaret； 〃and； indeed； I think it would
be better than worrying papa。〃
〃Well；〃 said Ethel； 〃of course I shan't tell； because it is not my
business； but I think papa ought to know everything about us； and I
don't like your keeping anything back。 It is being almost as bad as
Tom himself。〃
With which words； as Flora entered； Ethel marched out of the room in
displeasure； and went down； resolved to settle Jane Sparks by
herself。
〃Ethel is out of sorts to…day；〃 said Flora。 〃What's the matter？〃
〃We have had a discussion；〃 said Margaret。 〃She has been terribly
shocked by finding out what we have often thought about poor little
Tom； and she thinks we ought to tell papa。 Her principle is quite
right； but I doubt〃
〃I know exactly how Ethel would do it！〃 cried Flora； 〃blurt out all
on a sudden； 'Papa； Tom cheats at his lessons！' then there would be a
tremendous uproar； papa would scold Tom till he almost frightened him
out of his wits； and then find out it was only suspicion。〃
〃And never have any comfort again；〃 said Margaret。 〃He would always
dread that Tom was deceiving him； and then think it was all for want
of Oh； no； it will never do to speak of it； unless we find out some
positive piece of misbehaviour。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Flora。
〃And it would do Tom no good to make him afraid of papa；〃 said
Richard。
〃Ethel's rule is right in principle；〃 said Margaret thoughtfully；
〃that papa ought to know all without reserve； and yet it will hardly
do in practice。 One must use discretion； and not tease him about
every little thing。 He takes them so much to heart； that he would be
almost distracted； and； with so much business abroad； I think at home
he should have nothing but rest； and； as far as we can； freedom from
care and worry。 Anything wrong about the children brings on the
grief so much； that I cannot bear to mention it。〃
Richard and Flora agreed with her； admiring the spirit which made
her； in her weakness and helplessness； bear the whole burden of
family cares alone； and devote herself entirely to spare her father。
He was； indeed； her first object； and she would have sacrificed
anything to give him ease of mind； but； perhaps； she regarded him
more as a charge of her own； than as； in very truth； the head of the
family。 She had the government in her hands； and had never been used
to see him exercise it much in detail （she did not know how much her
mother had referred to him in private）； and had succeeded to her
authority at a time when his health and spirits were in such a state
as to make it doubly needful to spare him。 It was no wonder that she
sometimes carried her consideration beyond what was strictly right；
and forgot that he was the real authority； more especially as his
impulsive nature sometimes carried him away； and his sound judgment
was not certain to come into play at the first moment； so that it
required some moral courage to excite displeasure； so easy of
manifestation； and of such courage there was； perhaps； a deficiency
in her character。 Nor had she yet detected her own satisfaction in
being the first with e