"
They were standing over the doll's grave, side by side, and chanting
in antiphon the fourth proposition of the First Book of Euclid, when
Captain Runacles came round the corner of the house and halted to rub
his eyes.
At the sound of his footstep on the gravel Sophia snatched the
book from Tristram and looked desperately round. It was too late.
Her father was glaring down upon them both, with his hands behind him
and his chin stuck forward.
"You miserable child!"
He pronounced it deliberately, syllable by syllable, and turned upon
Tristram.
"Will you kindly explain, sir, to what I owe the honour of your
presence in my garden?"
Tristram, who had never before been addressed with harshness, failed
to understand the tone of this speech, and answered with amiable
directness--
"I tumbled in, off a flower-pot."
"Indeed!"
"Yes; and I stayed because I liked the girl here."
"You do her infinite honour."
"I'm going away now because I'm hungry. But I'll come back again
after dinner, all right."
"No," said Captain Runacles grimly; "on that point you must allow me
to correct you. You infernal young cub, if I catch you here again--"
"Hi! Captain!" interrupted a voice at the foot of the garden.
Doctor Beckerleg stood beside the blue gate and held it open to admit
another visitor, whose dress and appearance were unfamiliar to the
Captain.
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