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Chapter 16
“AsI’vetoldyou,however,itdoesn’tmatter.”
“Becauseyou’vemadeupyourmind?Buttowhat?”
“Toeverything.”
“Andwhatdoyoucall‘everything’?”
“Why,sendingfortheiruncle.”
“Oh,miss,inpitydo,”myfriendbrokeout.“ah,butIwill,Iwill!Iseeit’stheonlyway.What’s‘out,’asItoldyou,withMilesisthatifhethinksI’mafraidto—andhasideasofwhathegainsbythat—heshallseehe’smistaken.Yes,yes;hisuncleshallhaveitherefrommeonthespot(andbeforetheboyhimself,ifnecessary)thatifI’mtobereproachedwithhavingdonenothingagainaboutmoreschool—”
“Yes,miss—”mycompanionpressedme.
“Well,there’sthatawfulreason.”
Therewerenowclearlysomanyoftheseformypoorcolleaguethatshewasexcusableforbeingvague.“But—a—which?”
“Why,theletterfromhisoldplace.”
“You’llshowittothemaster?”
“Ioughttohavedonesoontheinstant.”
“Oh,no!”saidMrs.Grosewithdecision.
“I’llputitbeforehim,”Iwentoninexorably,“thatIcan’tundertaketoworkthequestiononbehalfofachildwhohasbeenexpelled—”
“Forwe’veneverintheleastknownwhat!”Mrs.Grosedeclared.
“Forwickedness.Forwhatelse—whenhe’ssocleverandbeautifulandperfect?Ishestupid?Isheuntidy?Isheinfirm?Isheill-natured?He’sexquisite—soitcanbeonlythat;andthatwouldopenupthewholething.Afterall,”Isaid,“it’stheiruncle’sfault