His cousins were all excitement and affectionate interest, all, that is to say, except Marion, who continued to maintain her air of haughty disdain, and once or twice when the others were talking of the concert, she even yawned perceptibly, and at last left the room.
Philip, try as he would not to care, was deeply wounded by her behavior, and in his humility he felt that he must be in some way deserving of her scorn.
“She is so clever,” he thought, “and so perfectly at her ease in a drawing-room! I suppose that in comparison I must appear very green and awkward; and yet Rose and Lillie seem to like me. I wonder if they are only kind to me because they fear to hurt my feelings?”
And thus the poor sensitive boy tormented himself up to the moment when the carriage appeared at the door to take them to the concert; then, fortunately for his peace of mind, he began to think of the music which he was about to play, and this soon drove all other thoughts from his mind.
Dash had spent the day close at Philip’s heels, and as the evening approached he seemed to feel that something unusual was to occur; and when at last the party assembled in the hall, ready to start for the concert, the little creature’s excitement increased, and he went from one to the other, begging so earnestly to be taken along that Philip at last said laughingly:
“I believe that Dash thinks I am going away on another journey, for he whines precisely as he did when we started for Italy three years ago. Be a good dog! Down, Dash! You know you cannot go, and, after all, I will soon be back, you foolish dog!”
But Dash only barked and fidgeted the more, and at last when they were all in the carriage, he broke away from the servant who was trying to hold him in the hall, and springing into the coach attempted to creep under the seat. Philip, however, was too quick for him, and dragging him forth again carried him back into the house. As they drove down the street they could hear him howling dismally, and Dr. Norton remarked laughingly:
“It is fortunate we don’t believe in signs, Philip, or Dash’s howling would certainly be looked upon as a bad omen.”
They remembered this afterwards, and also that Philip replied in his clear, sweet voice: