She left the room. Her brother remained sitting in the same attitude, a little bent forward, abstractedly gazing at the fire. Then all at once he saw and noticed me, as I sat apart quiet and silent. He beckoned; I approached.
"What shall I give you?"
"Nothing," was my laconic reply.
"But I want to give you something."
I hated the idea of my being paid for my secrecy and my punishment. I felt myself reddening as I answered--
"But I don't want anything, Cornelius."
"Don't you?" he replied, smiling, and before I knew what he was about, I found myself on the knee and in the arms of Cornelius, who was kissing me merrily. He had never done half as much since I was with him and his sister. My face burned with surprise and delight; he laughed, kissed me again, and said, with the secure smile of conscious power, "Well, what am I to give you?"
I was completely subdued; I replied, submissively, "Anything you like, Cornelius."
"No, it must be anything you like, and in my power to give. A book, a plaything, a doll, etc."
"Anything! may I really ask for anything?" I exclaimed, with sudden animation.
"Yes, you may."
"Do you really mean it?"
"I always mean what I say. Why, child, what can it be? Your eyes sparkle and your cheeks flush. What is it? Speak out."
"Let me be with you in the morning when you are drawing."
"Is that it?" he said, looking annoyed and surprised.
"Yes, Cornelius."
"You will have to stay very quiet."
"I don't mind that, Cornelius."
"You must not speak."
"I don't mind that either."
"Have something else: a book with pictures."
I did not answer.
"And I will let you come in now and then."
I remained mute. Cornelius saw that what I had asked for, and nothing else, I would have. Again he warned me.
"Daisy, you will find it very dull to sit without speaking or moving. I pity you, my poor child."
I was shrewd enough to see through his pity. I looked up into his face, and said demurely--
"I shall not mind it, Cornelius."
"You will mind nothing to have your way--obstinate little thing!--but I warn you: you must come in without knocking, without saying good morning; you must not move, speak, or go in and out; if you break the agreement once, you lose the privilege for ever."
"I shall not break the agreement, Cornelius."
"Of course you won't," he said, looking both provoked and amused, "catch me again passing my word to you, Miss Bums."
I half feared he was vexed, but he was not, for when Deborah brought in the tea-tray, with the addition of fried ham and eggs, Cornelius, instead of putting me away, kept me on his knee.
"The O'Reillys always had good appetites," observed Miss O'Reilly, who stood looking on, enjoying the vigour with which her brother attacked her good-cheer. "Daisy, what are you perched up there for? Come down directly."
"Stay, Daisy," said Cornelius, "you are not in my way." And indeed, from the fashion in which everything vanished before him, I do not think I was. But Miss O'Reilly was of a different opinion, for she resumed impatiently--
"Now, Cornelius, you need not feed that child from your plate; she left half her own tea, and she drinks yours, because it is yours."
Cornelius was holding his cup to my lips. He smiled, and kissed me.
"Yes, pet her now," said Kate, "after getting her unjustly punished."
"It was thoughtless of me--I beg her pardon."
"I don't want you to beg my pardon," I replied, looking a little indignantly at his sister.
"I think if he were to beat you, you would enjoy it," was her short answer.
His meal was over; he had removed from the table to the sofa; but he had not put me away. Miss O'Reilly looked at us from her place, and evidently could not make it out.
"Are there to be no lessons?" she asked at length.
"No, this is a holiday."
"Shall there be no singing?"
"I am tired."
He was not too tired to talk to me, and make me talk, to an extent that induced Miss O'Reilly to exclaim--
"I thought the child was a mouse, and she turns out to be a magpie."
She spoke shortly, but he kept me still.
"Decidedly," said Kate, after vainly waiting for me to be put away, "decidedly, if one were to meet you in China or Japan, that little pale face would be somewhere about you."
He said it was a little pale face, but that it had fine eyes, and he caressed her who owned it, very kindly.
"Nonsense!" observed his sister, frowning.