during which his pen went, or pretended to go, as cleverly as ever.

I made several attempts to get out of their way — such as standing on a chair to look at a map on the other side of the room, and poring over the columns of a Kentish newspaper — but they always attracted me back again; and whenever I looked towards those two red suns, I was sure to find them, either just rising or just setting.

At length, much to my relief, my aunt and Mr. Wickfield came back, after a pretty long absence. They were not so successful as I could have wished; for though the advantages of the school were undeniable, my aunt had not approved of any of the boarding-houses proposed for me.

‘It’s very unfortunate,’ said my aunt. ‘I don’t know what to do, Trot.’