You are surprised to see me again, Miss Tulliver; I ought to apologize for coming upon you by surprise, but I wanted to come into the town, and I got our man to row me; so I thought I would bring these things from the 鈥楳aid of Artois鈥� for your cousin; I forgot them this morning. Will you give them to her?鈥�

Should you like me to kiss you, as I do Tom? I will, if you like.鈥�

Well, I鈥檒l go and fetch 鈥檈m, sister,鈥� said Mrs. Tulliver, resignedly. She was quite crushed now, and thought of the treasures in the storeroom with no other feeling than blank despair.

In the afternoon the boys were at their books in the study, preparing the morrow鈥檚 lesson鈥檚 that they might have a holiday in the evening in honor of Maggie鈥檚 arrival. Tom was hanging over his Latin grammar, moving his lips inaudibly like a strict but impatient Catholic repeating his tale of paternosters; and Philip, at the other end of the room, was busy with two volumes, with a look of contented diligence that excited Maggie鈥檚 curiosity; he did not look at all as if he were learning a lesson. She sat on a low stool at nearly a right angle with the two boys, watching first one and then the other; and Philip, looking off his book once toward the fire-place, caught the pair of questioning dark eyes fixed upon him. He thought this sister of Tulliver鈥檚 seemed a nice little thing, quite unlike her brother; he wished he had a little sister. What was it, he wondered, that made Maggie鈥檚 dark eyes remind him of the stories about princesses being turned into animals? I think it was that her eyes were full of unsatisfied intelligence, and unsatisfied beseeching affection.

How dare you?鈥� She spoke in a deeply shaken, half-smothered voice. What right have I given you to insult me?鈥�

Find a single person in St. Ogg鈥檚 who will not tell you that a beautiful creature like her would be throwing herself away on a pitiable object like me.鈥�