"More than I thought you did?"

"Much--much more."

"Well, so do I; so that makes it even."

Conscious that he had never in his life so given himself away, he felt
a sudden reaction to the manliness of Sir Lamorac, Dick Needham, Huck
Finn, and other heroes.

"Shall I show you a thing or two?" he said; and slipping out of her
arms, he stood on his head. Then, fired by her obvious admiration, he
mounted the bed, and threw himself head foremost from his feet on to
his back, without touching anything with his hands. He did this several
times.

That evening, having inspected what they had brought, he stayed up to
dinner, sitting between them at the little round table they used when
they were alone. He was extremely excited. His mother wore a French-grey
dress, with creamy lace made out of little scriggly roses, round her
neck, which was browner than the lace. He kept looking at her, till at
last his father's funny smile made him suddenly attentive to his slice
of pineapple. It was later than he had ever stayed up, when he went to
bed. His mother went up with him, and he undressed very slowly so as to
keep her there. When at last he had nothing on but his pyjamas, he said:

"Promise you won't go while I say my prayers!"

"I promise."