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Page 23
"Oh, I didn't mean that," she said, laughing, as she observed her
mistake. "I was only thinking more of my receipt than of your bittern,
Fred."
"I'm glad you don't really think that birds lay flour and lemon-peel,"
said Fred, and went on:--
"'The flesh tastes of--'"
But the description was interrupted. Oscar and Emma came bursting into
the kitchen together, and while Oscar stood as close to his aunt, as he
could, on the right, Emma pulled her head down on the left and began
whispering into her ear. Between the two, she had hard work to keep on
with her pudding.
"Only think, aunty," began Oscar, "Feklitus says now that he won't have
our motto on the banner, that he has heard another that he likes a great
deal better. What do you say, aunty? What shall we do about it? You know
how cross he is when he is opposed, and he'll break off altogether."
"Emma, do be still a moment; I will listen to you presently. Now, Oscar,
what is this verse that Feklitus proposes; let us hear it and see if it
is a good one."
"Liberty, Equality, Fraternity;
With song and the juice of the vine,"
repeated Oscar.
"Is that all?"
Oscar nodded.
"Well, we cannot put that on the banner, at any rate," said his aunt
decidedly. "Tell Feklitus that there isn't even a verb in that motto,
and it won't do. I advise you to ask him to make the speech at the
festival, and then perhaps he'll drop the question of the motto."
"What a splendid idea! We never even thought of a speech! that's just
the thing!" and Oscar rushed away in a state of great enthusiasm.
"Now, aunty," cried Emma, in a tone of relief as he disappeared, "it's
my turn now. Don't you think I am right?"
"I didn't hear exactly what you said, Emma," said her aunt; "I haven't
the gift of hearing different things with different ears at the same
time."
"What I say is that it's a shame for Fani to have to go to work in that
factory, and not have any time to paint and draw. I am sure he ought to
be a painter, right away; and if he goes into the factory he can't get
out till it's too late."
"But, Emma, it's not such an easy thing to become a painter as you seem
to think. And, then, who knows whether Fani has really talent enough;
it needs much more than merely to be able to copy nicely at school, you
know."
"But, aunty, I only want you to say that it would be much better for
Fani to be a painter, if he can, than to go into the factory. Now, don't
you really and truly think so, aunty?"
Emma was so pressing that her aunt could not avoid answering her; so she
said kindly, "If Fani had any real prospect of becoming a painter, I
should certainly think well of it; but I do not see that he has any."
"May I go on now, aunty?" asked Fred; "it seems to me that Emma is
talking a vast deal of nonsense, as usual."
But Emma was not to be put off so.
"Aunty," she said, "what is a decorator?"
"A person who decorates; that is, adorns or beautifies. Why do you ask,
my child?"
"It means a scene-painter too; a man who paints scenery for the stage,"
said Fred.
"Yes, that's it," said Emma, and she scampered away.
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