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SHREWSBURY BEGINNINGS
91

that it would have been much better to send you to Queen’s to get a teacher’s license.”

“I wanted that, too,” said Emily.

“M—m.” Aunt Ruth pursed her mouth. “So you tell me. In that case I don’t see why Elizabeth didn’t send you to Queen’s. She has pampered you enough in other ways, I’m sure—I would expect her to give in about this, too, if she thought you really wanted it. You will sleep in the kitchen chamber. It is warmer in winter than the other rooms. There is no gas in it but I could not afford to let you have gas to study by in any case. You must use candles—you can burn two at a time. I shall expect you to keep your room neat and tidy and to be here at my exact hours for meals. I am very particular about that. And there is another thing you might as well understand at once. You must not bring your friends here. I do not propose to entertain them.”

“Not Ilse—or Perry—or Teddy?”

“Well, Ilse is a Burnley and a distant connection. She might come in once in a while—I can’t have her running in at all times. From all I hear of her she isn’t a very suitable companion for you. As for the boys—certainly not. I know nothing of Teddy Kent—and you ought to be too proud to associate with Perry Miller.”

“I’m too proud not to associate with him,” retorted Emily.

“Don’t be pert with me, Em’ly. You might as well understand right away that you are not going to have things all your own way, here, as you had at New Moon. You have been badly spoiled. But I will not have hired boys calling on my niece. I don’t know where you get your low tastes from, I’m sure. Even your father seemed like a gentleman. Go upstairs and unpack your trunk. Then do your lessons. We go to bed at nine o’clock!”

Emily felt very indignant. Even Aunt Elizabeth had never dreamed of forbidding Teddy to come to New Moon. She shut herself in her room and unpacked drearily. The room was such an ugly one. She hated it