underwent a strange punishment from my mother, who was getting about
again by that time, namely, a drop of hot sealing-wax on his tongue,
to teach him practically the doom of the false tongue. It might
have done him good if there had been sufficient encouragement to him
to make him try to win a new character, but it only added a fresh
terror to his mind; and nurse grew fond of manifesting her
incredulity of his assertions by always referring to Griff or to me,
or even to little Emily. What was worse, she used to point him out
to her congeners in the Square or the Park as 'such a false child.'

He was a very pretty little fellow, with a delicately rosy face,
wistful blue eyes, and soft, light, wavy hair, and perhaps Gooch was
jealous of his attracting more notice than Griffith, and thought he
posed for admiration, for she used to tell people that no one could
guess what a child he was for slyness; so that he could not bear
going out with her, and sometimes bemoaned himself to me.

There must be a good deal of sneaking in the undeveloped nature, for
in those days I was ashamed of my preference for Clarence, the
naughty one. But there was no helping it, he was so much more
gentle than Griff, and would always give up any sport that
incommoded me, instead of calling me a stupid little ape, and
becoming more boisterous after the fashion of Griff. Moreover, he
fetched and carried for me unweariedly, and would play at
spillekins, help to put up puzzles, and enact little dramas with our
wooden animals, such as Griff scorned as only fit for babies. Even
nurse allowed Clarence's merits towards me and little Emily, but
always with the sigh: 'If he was but as good in other respects, but
them quiet ones is always sly.'