When they had finished, attention was drawn away from
her by Edward, who was eagerly assuring Lady Merton that the Bible
and Prayer-book which Uncle Edward, his godfather, had given him,
were quite safe, and he was to use them himself when Lizzie thought
he could read well enough. This Dora explained as meaning when he
had for a week abstained from guessing words instead of spelling
them; and Elizabeth proposed to him to try whether he could read to-
day without one mistake. Edward objected to reading at that time, as
he was to go out at half-past twelve, and there would be no time for
lessons. Elizabeth demonstrated that it was now only half-past ten,
and that it was impossible that he could spend two hours in putting
on his best frock and trowsers, and in settling what to buy with the
bright half-crown which Uncle Edward had given him; and Winifred
assured him that she meant to do all her lessons to-day. Edward
looked round to appeal to his mother, but both she and Lady Merton
had left the room, and he was forced to content himself with asking
Anne whether she thought there was time.
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