Then he took my chin between his finger and thumb and kissed me lightly, gaily even, on each cheek, and then, letting me go, he rubbed his hands and briskly approached the table, all the warm things on which were swathed as usual when I am late either in napkins or in portions of Mrs. Barnes's clothing. 'Come along--come along, now,--breakfast, breakfast,' cried my uncle. '_For these and all Thy mercies Lord_--' he continued with hardly a break, his eyes shut, his hands outspread over Mrs. Barnes's white woollen shawl in benediction. We were overwhelmed. The male had arrived and taken us in hand. But we were happily overwhelmed, judging from Mrs. Barnes's face. For the first time since she has been with me the blessing of heaven had been implored and presumably obtained for her egg, and I realised from her expression as she ate it how much she had felt the daily enforced consumption, owing to my graceless habits, of eggs unsanctified. And Dolly too looked pleased, as she always does when her poor Kitty is happy. I alone wasn't. Behind the coffee pot I sat pensive. I knew too well what was before me. I distrusted my uncle's gaiety. He had thought it all out in the night, and had decided that the best line of approach to the painful subject he had come to discuss would be one of cheerful affection. Certainly I had never seen him in such spirits; but then I haven't seen him since my aunt's death. 'Dear child,' he said, when the table had been picked up and carried off bodily by the Antoines from our midst, leaving us sitting round nothing with the surprised feeling of sudden nakedness that, as I have already explained, this way of clearing away produces--my uncle was actually surprised for a moment into silence,--'dear child, I would like to take you for a little run before lunch.' 'Yes, Uncle Rudolph?' 'That we may get rid of our cobwebs.' 'Yes, Uncle Rudolph.' 'I know you are a quick-limbed little lady--' 'Yes, Uncle Rudolph?' 'So you shall take the edge off my appetite for exercise.' 'Yes, Uncle Rudolph.' 'Then perhaps this afternoon one or other of these ladies--' I noted his caution in not suggesting both. 'Oh, delightful,' Mrs. Barnes hastened to assure him. 'We shall be only too pleased to accompany you. We are great walkers. We think a very great deal of the benefits to be derived from regular exercise. Our father brought us up to a keen appreciation of its necessity. If it were not that we so strongly feel that the greater part of each day should be employed in some useful pursuit, we would spend it, I believe, almost altogether in outdoor exercise.' 'Why not go with my uncle this morning, then?' I asked, catching at a straw. 'I've got to order dinner--' 'Oh no, no--not on _any_ account. The Dean's wishes--'