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reading； and heard Dr。 May declaiming away in the vehement manner
that always relieved him。
〃Such a cub！〃 These were the words that met her ear； and she would
have gone away； but he called her。 〃Come in； Ethel； Margaret says
you guessed at this affair！〃
〃At what affair！〃 exclaimed Ethel。 〃Oh； it is about Flora。 Poor
man； has he done it？〃
〃Poor！ He is not the one to be pitied！〃 said her father。
〃You don't mean that she likes him？〃
〃She does though！ A fellow with no more brains than a turnip
lantern！〃
〃She does not mean it？〃 said Ethel。
〃Yes； she does！ Very submissive； and proper spoken； of course； but
bent on having him； so there is nothing left for me but to consent
provided Mr。 Rivers does； and he should turn out not to have done
anything outrageous； but there's no hope of thathe has not the
energy。 What can possess her？ What can she see to admire？〃
〃He is good…natured；〃 said Margaret； 〃and rather good…looking〃
〃Flora has more sense。 What on earth can be the attraction？〃
〃I am afraid it is partly the grandeur〃 said Ethel。 She broke off
short； quite dismayed at the emotion she had xcited。 Dr。 May stepped
towards her； almost as if he could have shaken her。
〃Ethel；〃 he cried； 〃I won't have such motives ascribed to your
sister！〃
Ethel tried to recollect what she had said that was so shocking； for
the idea of Flora's worldly motives was no novelty to her。 They had
appeared in too many instances； and； though frightened at his anger；
she stood still； without unsaying her words。
Margaret began to explain away。 〃Ethel did not mean； dear papa〃
〃No；〃 said Dr。 May； his passionate manner giving way to dejection。
〃The truth is； that I have made home so dreary； that my girls are
ready to take the first means of escaping。〃
Poor Margaret's tears sprang forth； and； looking up imploringly； she
exclaimed； 〃Oh； papa； papa！ it was no want of happiness！ I could not
help it。 You know he had come before〃
Any reproach to her had been entirely remote from his thoughts； and
he was at once on his knee beside her； soothing and caressing；
begging her pardon； and recalling whatever she could thus have
interpreted。 Meanwhile； Ethel stood unnoticed and silent； making no
outward protestation； but with lips compressed； as in her heart of
hearts she passed the resolutionthat her father should never feel
this pain on her account。 Leave him who might； she would never
forsake him； nothing but the will of Heaven should part them。 It
might be hasty and venturesome。 She knew not what it might cost her；
but； where Ethel had treasured her resolve to work for Cocksmoor；
there she also laid up her secret vowthat no earthly object should
be placed between her and her father。
The ebullition of feeling seemed to have restored Dr。 May's calmness；
and he rose； saying； 〃I must go to my work； the man is coming here
this afternoon。〃
〃Where shall you see him？〃 Margaret asked。
〃In my study； I suppose。 I fear there is no chance of Flora's
changing her mind first。 Or do you think one of you could talk to
her； and get her fairly to contemplate the real bearings of the
matter？〃 And； with these words； he left the room。
Margaret and Ethel glanced at each other； and both felt the
impenetrability of Flora's nature； so smooth； that all thrusts glided
off。
〃It will be of no use；〃 said Ethel； 〃and； what is more； she will not
have it done。〃
〃Pray try； a few of your forcible words would set it in a new light。〃
〃Why！ Do you think she will attend to me； when she has not chosen to
heed papa？〃 said Ethel； with an emphasis of incredulity。 〃No；
whatever Flora does； is done deliberately； and unalterably。〃
〃Still； I don't know whether it is not our duty；〃 said Margaret。
〃More yours than mine；〃 said Ethel。
Margaret flushed up。 〃Oh； no； I cannot！〃 she said； always timid； and
slightly defective in moral courage。 She looked so nervous and
shaken by the bare idea of a remonstrance with Flora； that Ethel
could not press her； and； though convinced that her representation
would be useless； she owned that her conscience would rest better
after she had spoken。 〃But there is Flora； walking in the garden
with Norman；〃 she said。 〃No doubt he is doing it。〃
So Ethel let it rest； and attended to the children's lessons； during
which Flora came into the drawing…room； and practised her music； as
if nothing had happened。
Before the morning was over； Ethel contrived to visit Norman in the
dining…room； where he was wont to study； and asked him whether he had
made any impression on Flora。
〃What impression do you mean？〃
〃Why； about this concern；〃 said Ethel； 〃this terrible man； that makes
papa so unhappy。〃
〃Papa unhappy！ Why； what does he know against him？ I thought the
Riverses were his peculiar pets。〃
〃The Riverses！ As if； because one liked the sparkling stream； one
must like a muddy ditch。〃
〃What harm do you know of him？〃 said Norman； with much surprise and
anxiety； as if he feared that he had been doing wrong； in ignorance。
〃Harm！ Is he not a regular oaf？〃
〃My dear Ethel； if you wait to marry till you find some one as clever
as yourself； you will wait long enough。〃
〃I don't think it right for a woman to marry a man decidedly her
inferior。〃
〃We have all learned to think much too highly of talent；〃 said Norman
gravely。
〃I don't care for mere talentpeople are generally more sensible
without it； but； one way or other； there ought to be superiority on
the man's side。〃
〃Well； who says there is not？〃
〃My dear Norman！ Why； this George Rivers is really below the
average！ you cannot deny that！ Did you ever meet any one so stupid？〃
〃Really！〃 said Norman； considering； and； speaking very innocently； 〃I
cannot see why you think so。 I do not see that he is at all less
capable of sustaining a conversation than Richard。〃
Ethel sat down； perfectly breathless with amazement and indignation。
Norman saw that he had shocked her very much。 〃I do not mean；〃 he
said； 〃that we have not much more to say to Richard； all I meant to
say was； merely as to the intellect。〃
〃I tell you；〃 said Ethel； 〃it is not the intellect。 Richard！ why；
you know how we respect； and look up to him。 Dear old Ritchie！ with
his goodness； and earnestness； and right judgmentto compare him to
that man！ Norman； Norman； I never thought it of you！〃
〃You do not understand me； Ethel。 I only cited Richard； as a person
who proves how little cleverness is needed to insure respect。〃
〃And； I tell you； that cleverness is not the point。〃
〃It is the only objection you have put forward。〃
〃I did wrong；〃 said Ethel。 〃It is not the real one。 It is earnest
goodness that one honours in Richard。 Where do we find it in this
man； who has never done anything but yawn over his self indulgence？〃
〃Now； Ethel； you are working yourself up into a state of foolish
prejudice。 You and papa have taken a dislike to him； and you are
overlooking a great deal of good safe sense and right thinking。 I
know his opinions are sound； and his motives right。 He has been
undereducated； we all see； and is not very brilliant or talkative；
but I respect Flora for perceiving his solid qualities。〃
〃Very solid and weighty； indeed！〃 said Ethel ironically。 〃I wonder if
she would have seen them in a poor curate。〃
〃Ethel； you are allowing yourself to be carried； by prejudice； a
great deal too far。 Are such imputations to be made； wherever there
is inequality of means？ It is very wrong！ very unjust！〃
〃So papa said；〃 replied Ethel； as she looked sorrowfully down。 〃He
was very angry with me for saying so。 I wish I could help feeling as
if that were the temptation。〃
〃You ought；〃 said Norman。 〃You will be sorry； if you set yourself；
and him； against it。〃
〃I only wish you to know what I feel； and； I think； Margaret and papa
do；〃 said Ethel humbly； 〃and then you will not think us more unjust
than we are。 We cannot see anything so agreeable or suitable in this
man as to account for Flora's liking； and we do not feel convinced of
his being good for much。 That makes papa greatly averse to it；
though he does not know any positive reason for refusing； and we
cannot feel certain that she is doing quite right； or for her own
happiness。〃
〃You will be convinced；〃 said Norman cheerfully。 〃You will find out
the good that is under the surface when you have seen more of him。 I
have had a good deal of talk with him。〃
A good deal of talk to him would have been more correct； if Norman
had but been aware of it。 He had been at the chief expense of the
conversation with George Rivers； and had taken the sounds of assent；
which he obtained； as evidences of his appreciation of all his views。
Norman had been struggling so long against his old habit of looking
down on Richard； and exalting intellect； and had seen； in his Oxford
life； so many ill…effects of the knowledge that puffeth up； that he
had come to have a certain respect for dullness； per se； of which
George Rivers easily reaped the benefit； when surrounded by the halo；
which everything at Abbotstoke Grange bore in the eyes of Norman。
He was heartily delighted at the proposed connection； and his