"Yes, a very long one," said Vera.

"It was about the exact force of the words in the Revised Version,"
added Agatha, "compared with the Greek."

"That must have been very interesting!" said Magdalen.

Vera and her neighbour looked at one another and shrugged their
shoulders; while some one else broke in with the news that another
girl had not come back because she was down with influenza; and
Magdalen, suspecting that "shop" was not talked at table, and also
that the Scripture passage could not well be discussed there, saw
that it was wise to let the conversation drift off, by Mrs. Best's
leading, into anecdotes of the influenza.

All were glad when grace was chanted, and the five sisters could
retreat into the drawing-room, which Mrs. Best let them have to
themselves for the half hour before Magdalen's train, and the young
ones' return to the High School. She was at once established with
Thekla on her lap, and the others perched round on chairs and
footstools. Of course the first question was, "And is it really
true?"

"It is true, my dears, that my old great aunt has left me a house and
some money; but you must not flatter yourselves that it is a great
estate."

"Only mayn't I have a bicycle?" began Thekla again.