Rachel prognosticated that these preparations would be made the
occasion, of much waste of time; but she was answered, and with
rather surprised eyes, that they had never been allowed to come into
the drawing-room without looking like little gentlemen.

"But you are not living in state here," said Rachel; "I never could
enter into the cult some people, mamma especially, pay to their
drawing-room."

"The Major used to be very particular about their not coming to sit
down untidy," said Fanny. "He said it was not good for anybody."

Martinet! thought Rachel, nearly ready to advocate the boys making no
toilette at any time; and the present was made to consume so much
time that, urged by her, Fanny once more was obliged to summon her
boys and their books.

It was not an extensive school library--a Latin grammar an extremely
dilapidated spelling-book, and the fourth volume of Mrs. Marcet's
"Little Willie." The other three--one was unaccounted for, but Cyril
had torn up the second, and Francis had thrown the first overboard in
a passion. Rachel looked in dismay. "I don't know what can be done
with these!" she said.

"Oh, then we'll have holidays till we have got books, mamma," said
Conrade, putting his hands on the sofa, and imitating a kicking
horse.

"It is very necessary to see what kind of books you ought to have,"
returned Rachel. "How far have you gone in this?"