thought it right; but you must not say that I am a Puritan. I would
do anything in my power to make your holidays bright and pleasant.
I know that boys require so much more to amuse them than girls do.
Good night, dearest; pray don't overdo yourself with work, and do
take care of your eyes."

So saying she kissed him and went her way. In twenty minutes after
that, he had gone to sleep over his book; and when he woke up to
find the candle guttering down, he resolved that he would not begin
his measured hours till Christmas-day was fairly over.

The morning of Christmas-day passed very quietly. They all went to
church, and then sat round the fire chatting until the four o'clock
dinner was ready. The Coverdale girls thought it was rather more
dull than former Thwaite Hall festivities, and Frank was seen to
yawn. But then everybody knows that the real fun of Christmas never
begins till the day itself be passed. The beef and pudding are
ponderous, and unless there be absolute children in the party, there
is a difficulty in grafting any special afternoon amusements on the
Sunday pursuits of the morning. In the evening they were to have a
dance; that had been distinctly promised to Patty Coverdale; but the
dance would not commence till eight. The beef and pudding were
ponderous, but with due efforts they were overcome and disappeared.
The glass of port was sipped, the almonds and raisins were nibbled,
and then the ladies left the room. Ten minutes after that Elizabeth
found herself seated with Isabella Holmes over the fire in her
father's little book-room. It was not by her that this meeting was
arranged, for she dreaded such a constrained confidence; but of
course it could not be avoided, and perhaps it might be as well now
as hereafter.