Delays in such matters, Alaric had often been
told, were unwise. A clear understanding at the beginning saved
endless complications afterwards.
"Just a few little things," he went on, "such as a little OBEDIENCE-
-that's most essential. A modicum of care about ORDINARY things,--
for instance, about dress, speech, hair, et ectera--and NO
'Michael.'" "Oh!" cried Peg dejectedly, while her eyes beamed
playfully:
"Sure, couldn't I have 'Michael'?"
"No," he said firmly. It was well she should understand that once
and for all. He had never in a long experience, seen a dog he
disliked more.
"Oh!" ejaculated Peg, plaintively.
Prepared to, at any rate, compromise, rather than have an open
rupture, he hastened to modify his attitude:
"At least NOT in the HOUSE."
"In the STABLES?" queried Peg.
"We'd give him a jolly little kennel somewhere, if you really wanted
him, and you could see him--say TWICE a day"
He felt a thrill of generosity as he thus unbent from his former
rigid attitude.
"Then it wouldn't be 'love me love my dog'?" quizzed Peg.
"Well, really, you know, one cannot regulate one's life by proverbs,
cousin. Can one?" he reasoned.
"But 'Michael' is all I have in the wurrld, except me father. Now,
what could ye give me instead of him?"
Here was where a little humour would save the whole situation.
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