"That is just what these fascinating little volumes will tell us. Kitty, read something to your suffering cousins about Donnacona,--he sounds uncommonly like an Irishman," answered the colonel, establishing himself in an easy-chair; and Kitty picked up a small sketch of the history of Quebec, and, opening it, fell into the trance which came upon her at the touch of a book, and read on for some pages to herself. "Well, upon my word," said the colonel, "I might as well be reading about Donnacona myself, for any comfort I get." "O Dick, I forgot. I was just looking. Now I'm really going to commence." "No, not yet," cried Mrs. Ellison, rising on her elbow. "Where is Mr. Arbuton?" "What has he to do with Donnacona, my dear?" "Everything. You know he's stayed on our account, and I never heard of anything so impolite, so inhospitable, as offering to read without him. Go and call him, Richard, do." "O, no," pleaded Kitty, "he won't care about it. Don't call him, Dick." "Why, Kitty, I'm surprised at you! When you read so beautifully! Yon needn't be ashamed, I'm sure." "I'm not ashamed; but, at the same time, I don't want to read to him." "Well, call him any way, colonel. He's in his room." "If you do," said Kitty, with superfluous dignity, "I must go away." "Very well, Kitty, just as you please. Only I want Richard to witness that I'm not to blame if Mr. Arbuton thinks us unfeeling or neglectful." "O, if he doesn't say what he thinks, it'll make no difference." "It seems to me that this is a good deal of fuss to make about one human being, a mere passing man and brother of a day, isn't it?" said the colonel. "Go on with Donnacona, do." There came a knock at the door. Kitty leaped nervously to her feet, and fled out of the room. But it was only the little French serving-maid upon some errand which she quickly despatched. "Well, _now_ what do you think?" asked Mrs. Ellison. "Why, I think you've a surprising knowledge of French for one who studied it at school. Do you suppose she understood you?" "O, nonsense! You know I mean Kitty and her very queer behavior. Richard, if you moon at me in that stupid way," she continued, "I shall certainly end in an insane asylum. Can't you see what's under your very nose?" "Yes, I can, Fanny," answered the colonel, "if anything's there. But I give you my word, I don't know any more than millions yet unborn what you're driving at." The colonel took up the book which Kitty had thrown down, and went to his room to try to read up Donnacona for himself, while his wife penitently turned to a pamphlet in French, which he had bought with the others. "After all," she thought, "men will be men"; and seemed not to find the fact wholly wanting in consolation.