He was glad that the children were not with him ; for their lively spirits and tumble-about activity would quite have chased away his higher and graver mood , so that he would merely have been merry -LRB- as he had already been , the whole day long -RRB- , and would not have known the loveliness of the winter sunset among the hills . When the sun was fairly down , our friend Eustace went home to eat his supper . After the meal was over , he betook himself to the study , with a purpose , I rather imagine , to write an ode , or two or three sonnets , or verses of some kind or other , in praise of the purple and golden clouds which he had seen around the setting sun . But , before he had hammered out the very first rhyme , the door opened , and Primrose and Periwinkle made their appearance . `` Go away , children ! I ca n't be troubled with you now ! '' cried the student , looking over his shoulder , with the pen between his fingers . `` What in the world do you want here ? I thought you were all in bed ! '' `` Hear him , Periwinkle , trying to talk like a grown man ! '' said Primrose . `` And he seems to forget that I am now thirteen years old , and may sit up almost as late as I please . But , Cousin Eustace , you must put off your airs , and come with us to the drawing-room . The children have talked so much about your stories , that my father wishes to hear one of them , in order to judge whether they are likely to do any mischief . '' `` Poh , poh , Primrose ! '' exclaimed the student , rather vexed . `` I do n't believe I can tell one of my stories in the presence of grown people . Besides , your father is a classical scholar ; not that I am much afraid of his scholarship , neither , for I doubt not it is as rusty as an old case-knife , by this time . But then he will be sure to quarrel with the admirable nonsense that I put into these stories , out of my own head , and which makes the great charm of the matter for children , like yourself . No man of fifty , who has read the classical myths in his youth , can possibly understand my merit as a re-inventor and improver of them . ''
`` All this may be very true , '' said XXXXX , `` but come you must !
Eustace Periwinkle Primrose case-knife first improver ode old poh re-inventor