And Phyllis, whose love was so constant and tried, Was a widow the year she was Maurice’s bride; Yet the path of the noble and true-hearted knight, Was brilliant with honour, and glory, and light, And still his descendants shall sing of the fame Of Sir Maurice de Mohun, the pride of his name.’ ‘It is a pity they should sing of it in such lines as those last four,’ said Claude. ‘Let me see, I like your bringing in the real names, though I doubt whether any but Greenwood could have been found here.’ ‘Oh! here come Emily and Jane,’ said Lily, ‘let me put it away.’ ‘You are very much afraid of Jane,’ said Claude. ‘Yes, Jane has no feeling for poetry,’ said Lily, with simplicity, which made her brother smile. Jane and Emily now came up, the former with her work, the latter with a camp-stool and a book. ‘I wonder,’ said she, ‘where those boys are! By the bye, what character did they bring home from school?’ ‘The same as usual,’ said Claude. ‘Maurice’s mind only half given to his work, and Redgie’s whole mind to his play.’ ‘Maurice’s talent does not lie in the direction of Latin and Greek,’ said Emily. ‘No,’ said Jane, ‘it is nonsense to make him learn it, and so he says.’ ‘Perhaps he would say the same of mathematics and mechanics, if as great a point were made of them,’ said Lily. ‘I think not,’ said Claude; ‘he has more notion of them than of Latin verses.’ ‘Then you are on my side,’ said Jane, triumphantly. ‘Did I say so?’ said Claude. ‘Why not?’ said Jane. ‘What is the use of his knowing those stupid languages? I am sure it is wasting time not to improve such a genius as he has for mechanics and natural history. Now, Claude, I wish you would answer.’ ‘I was waiting till you had done,’ said Claude. ‘Why do you not think it nonsense?’ persisted Jane. ‘Because I respect my father’s opinion,’ said Claude, letting himself fall on the grass, as if he had done with the subject. ‘Pooh!’ said Jane, ‘that sounds like a good little boy of five years old!’ ‘Very likely,’ said Claude. ‘But you have some opinion of your own,’ said Lily. ‘Certainly.’ ‘Then I wish you would give it,’ said Jane. ‘Come, Emily,’ said Claude, ‘have you brought anything to read?’ ‘But your opinion, Claude,’ said Jane. ‘I am sure you think with me, only you are too grand, and too correct to say so.’ Claude made no answer, but Jane saw she was wrong by his countenance; before she could say anything more, however, they were interrupted by a great outcry from the Old Court regions. ‘Oh,’ said Emily, ‘I thought it was a long time since we had heard anything of those uproarious mortals.’ ‘I hope there is nothing the matter,’ said Lily. ‘Oh no,’ said Jane, ‘I hear Redgie’s laugh.’ ‘Aye, but among that party,’ said Emily, ‘Redgie’s laugh is not always a proof of peace: they are too much in the habit of acting the boys and the frogs.’ ‘We were better off,’ said Lily, ‘with the gentle Claude, as Miss Middleton used to call him.’