It will put you out of humor."
"No," said Marco.
"I will have one invariable answer to give you," said Forester. "It
shall be this,--Act according to your own judgment. That will be a
little more civil than to take no notice of your question at all,
and yet it will preserve our principle,--that I am to give you no
assistance except in my half-hour. Then, besides, I will keep an
account of the number of questions you ask me, and see if they do not
amount to ten."
By this time Forester's half-hour was out, and Marco went to his desk.
"There's one thing," said Marco, "before I begin:--may I have the
window open?"
"Act according to your own judgment," said Forester, "and there is one
question asked." So Forester made one mark upon a paper which he had
upon the table.
"But, cousin Forester, it is not right to count that, for I had not
begun."
Forester made no reply, but began arranging his note-books, as if he
was about commencing his own studies. Marco looked at him a moment,
and then he rose and gently opened the window and began his work.
[Illustration: MARCO'S DESK.]
Marco was but little accustomed to solitary study, and, after
performing one of the examples which Forester had given him, he
thought he was tired, and he began to look out the window and to play
with his pencil.
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