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say it； and〃
〃What？ about pride and temper？ It was true； and I hope it will do
her good。 Cure a piping turkey with a peppercorn sometimes。 I have
spoken to her； and told her to pluck up a little spirit； not fancy
affronts； and not to pester you with them。 Poor child！ you have been
sadly victimised to…day and yesterday。 No wonder you were bored past
patience； with that absurd rabble of women！〃
〃It was all my own selfish； distrustful temper； wanting to have
Cocksmoor taken care of in my own way； and angry at being interfered
with。 I see it nowand here this poor girl； that I thought thrown
away〃
〃Ay； Ethel； you will often see the like。 The main object may fail or
fall short； but the earnest painstaking will always be blessed some
way or other； and where we thought it most wasted； some fresh green
shoot will spring up； to show it is not we that give the increase。 I
suppose you will write to Richard with this？〃
〃That I shall。〃
〃Then you may send this with it。 Tell him my arm is tired and stiff
to…day； or I would have said more。 He must answer the clergyman's
letter。〃
Dr。 May gave Ethel his sheet not folded。 His written words were now
so few as to be cherished amongst his children。
〃Dear Richard；
〃May all your ministerial works be as blessed as this； your first
labour of love。 I give you hearty joy of this strengthening
blessing。 Mine goes with it'Only be strong and of a good courage！'
Your affectionate father；
R。 May。
〃PS。Margaret does not gain ground this summer； you must soon
come home and cheer her。〃
CHAPTER V。
As late； engaged by fancy's dream；
I lay beside a rapid stream；
I saw my first come gliding by；
Its airy form soon caught my eye；
Its texture frail； and colour various；
Like human hopes； and life precarious。
Sudden； my second caught my ear；
And filled my soul with constant fear；
I quickly rose； and home I ran；
My whole was hissing in the pan。Riddle。
Flora revised the letter to the principal； and the Ladies' Committee
approved； after having proposed seven amendments； all of which Flora
caused to topple over by their own weakness。
After interval sufficient to render the nine ladies very anxious； the
principal wrote from Scotland； where he was spending the Long
Vacation； and informed them that their request should he laid before
the next college meeting。
After the committee had sat upon this letter； the two sisters walked
home in much greater harmony than after the former meeting。
Etheldred had recovered her candour； and was willing to own that it
was not art； but good sense； that gave her sister so much ascendancy。
She began to be hopeful； and to declare that Flora might yet do
something even with the ladies。 Flora was gratified by the approval
that no one in the house could help valuing； 〃Positively；〃 said
Flora； 〃I believe I may in time。 You see there are different ways of
acting； as an authority； or as an equal。〃
〃The authority can move from without； the equal must from within；〃
said Ethel。
〃Just so。 We must circumvent their prejudices； instead of trying to
beat them down。〃
〃If you only could have the proper catechising restored！〃
〃Wait； you will see。 Let me feel my ground。〃
〃Or if we could only abdicate into the hands of the rightful power！〃
〃The rightful power would not be much obliged to you。〃
〃That is the worst of it；〃 said Ethel。 〃It is sad to hear the sick
people say that Dr。 May is more to them than any parson； it shows
that they have so entirely lost the notion of what their clergyman
should be。〃
〃Dr。 May is the man most looked up to in this town；〃 said Flora； 〃and
that gives weight to us in the committee； but it is all in the
using。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Ethel hesitatingly。
〃You see； we have the prestige of better birth； and better education；
as well as of having the chief property in the town； and of being the
largest subscribers； added to his personal character；〃 said Flora；
〃so that everything conspires to render us leaders； and our age alone
prevented us from assuming our post sooner。〃
They were at home by this time； and entering the hall； perceived that
the whole party were in the lawn。 The consolation of the children
for the departure of Hector and Tom； was a bowl of soap…suds and some
tobacco pipes； and they had collected the house to admire and assist；
even Margaret's couch being drawn close to the window。
Bubbles is one of the most fascinating of sports。 There is the soft
foamy mass； like driven snow； or like whipped cream。 Blanche bends
down to blow 〃a honeycomb；〃 holding the bowl of the pipe in the
water； at her gurgling blasts there slowly heaves upwards the pile of
larger； clearer bubbles； each reflecting the whole scene； and
sparkling with rainbow tints； until Aubrey ruthlessly dashes all into
fragments with his hand； and Mary pronounces it stiff enough； and
presents a pipe to little Daisy； who； drawing the liquid into her
mouth； throws it away with a grimace； and declares that she does not
like bubbles！ But Aubrey stands with swelled cheeks； gravely puffing
at the sealing…waxed extremity。 Out pours a confused assemblage of
froth； but the glassy globe slowly expands the little branching
veins； flowing down on either side； bearing an enlarging miniature of
the sky； the clouds； the tulip…tree。 Aubrey pauses to exclaim！ but
where is it？ Try again！ A proud bubble； as Mary calls it； a
peacock； in blended pink and green； is this transparent sphere；
reflecting and embellishing house； wall； and shrubs！ It is too
beautiful！ It is gone！ Mary undertakes to give a lesson； and blows
deliberately without the slightest result。 Again！ She waves her
disengaged hand in silent exultation as the airy balls detach
themselves； and float off on the summer breeze； with a tardy；
graceful； uncertain motion。 Daisy rushes after them； catches at
them； and looks at her empty fingers with a puzzled 〃All gone！〃 as
plainly expressed by Toby； who snaps at them； and shakes his head
with offended dignity at the shock of his meeting teeth； while the
kitten frisks after them； striking at them with her paw； amazed at
meeting vacancy。
Even the grave Norman is drawn in。 He agrees with Mary that bubbles
used to fly over the wall； and that one once went into Mrs。
Richardson's garret window； when her housemaid tried to catch it with
a pair of tongs； and then ran downstairs screaming that there was a
ghost in her room； but that was in Harry's time； the heroic age of
the May nursery。
He accepts a pipe； and his greater height raises it into a favourable
current of airthe glistening balloon sails off。 It flies； it
soars； no； it is coming down！ The children shout at it； as if to
drive it up； but it wilfully descendsthey rush beneath； they try to
waft it on high with their breaththere is a collision between Mary
and BlancheAubrey perceives a taste of soapy waterthe bubble is
no moreit is vanished in his open mouth！
Papa himself has taken a pipe； and the little ones are mounted on
chairs； to be on a level with their tall elders。 A painted globe is
swimming along； hesitating at first； but the dancing motion is
tending upwards； the rainbow tints glisten in the sunlightall rush
to assist it； if breath of the lips can uphold it； it should rise；
indeed！ Up！ above the wall！ over Mrs。 Richardson's elm； over the
topmost branchhurrah！ out of sight！ Margaret adds her voice to the
acclamations。 Beat that if you can； Mary！ That doubtful wind keeps
yours suspended in a graceful minuet； its pace is acceleratedbut
earthwards！ it has committed self…destruction by running foul of a
rose…bush。 A general blank！
〃You here； Ethel？〃 said Norman； as the elders laughed at each other's
baffled faces。
〃I am more surprised to find you here；〃 she answered。
〃Excitement！〃 said Norman； smiling； 〃one cause is as good as another
for it。〃
〃Very pretty sport；〃 said Dr。 May。 〃You should write a poem on it；
Norman。〃
〃It is an exhausted subject；〃 said Norman； 〃bubble and trouble are
too obvious a rhyme。〃
〃Ha！ there it goes！ It will be over the house！ That's right！〃
Every one joined in the outcry。
〃Whose is it？〃
〃Blanche's〃
〃Hurrah for Blanche！ Well done； white Mayflower； there！〃 said the
doctor； 〃that is what I meant。 See the applause gained by a proud
bubble that flies！ Don't we all bow down to it； and waft it up with
the whole force of our lungs； air as it is； and when it fairly goes
out of sight； is there any exhilaration or applause that surpasses
ours？〃
〃The whole world being bent on making painted bubbles fly over the
house；〃 said Norman； far more thoughtfully than his father。 〃It is a
fair pattern of life and fame。〃
〃I was thinking；〃 continued Dr。 May； 〃what was the most unalloyed
exultation I remember。〃
〃Harry's； when you were made dux；〃 whispered Ethel to her brother。
〃Not mine；〃 said Norman briefly。
〃I believe；〃 said Dr。 May； 〃I never knew such glorification as when
Aubrey Spencer climbed the poor old market…cross。 We all felt
ourselves made illustrious for ever in his person。〃
〃Nay； papa； when you got that gold medal must have been the g