"I suppose you would; but I see you have made a great mistake."

"What mistake?" said both the children at once.

"Why is it that you are going to read at all?"

"Why, you advised us to, mother."

"Did I advise you to do it as a _duty_, or as a _pleasure_?"

"As a _duty_, mother; I recollect now." said Rollo.

"Yes: well, now the mistake you have made is, that you are looking upon
it only as a pleasure, and instead of doing it faithfully, in such a way
as will make it most useful to you, you are forgetting that altogether,
and only intent upon having it interesting and pleasant. Is it not so?"

"Why--yes," said Rollo, hesitating, and looking down; and then turning
round to Lucy, he said, "I suppose we had better go and read the story
ourselves."

"Do just as you please," said his mother. "I have not commanded you to
read, but only recommended it; and that not as a way of _interesting_
you, but as a way of spending an hour _usefully_, as a preparation for
an hour of enjoyment afterwards. You can do as you please, however; but
if you attempt to read at all, I advise you to do it not as _play_, but
as a _lesson_."

"Well, come, Rollo," said Lucy, "let us go."