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delightful the plan was。 Oxford； of which she had heard so much； and
which she had always wished to see！ And Norman's gloryand Meta's
companynay； the very holiday； and going from home； were charms
enough for a girl of eighteen； who had never been beyond Whitford in
her life。 Besides； to crown all； papa promised that； if his patients
would behave well； and not want him too much； he would come up for
the one great day。
Mr。 and Mrs。 George Rivers came to Abbotstoke to collect their party。
They arrived by a railroad； whose station was nearer to Abbotstoke
than to Stoneborough； therefore； instead of their visiting the High
Street by the way； Dr。 May； with Ethel and Mary； were invited to dine
at the Grange； the first eveninga proposal； at least； as new and
exciting to Mary as was the journey to Oxford to her sister。
The two girls went early； as the travellers had intended to arrive
before luncheon； and； though Ethel said few words； but let Mary
rattle on with a stream of conjectures and questions； her heart was
full of longings for her sister； as well as of strange doubts and
fears； as to the change that her new life might have made in her。
〃There！ there！〃 cried Mary。 〃Yes！ it is Flora！ Only she has her
hair done in a funny way！〃
Flora and Meta were both standing on the steps before the
conservatory； and Mary made but one bound before she was hugging
Flora。 Ethel kissed her without so much violence； and then saw that
Flora was looking very well and bright； more decidedly pretty and
elegant than ever； and with certainly no diminution of affection； it
was warmer； though rather more patronising。
〃How natural you look！〃 was her first exclamation； as she held Mary's
hand； and drew Ethel's arm into hers。 〃And how is Margaret？〃
〃Pretty well…but the heat makes her languid〃
〃Is there any letter yet？〃
〃No〃
〃I do not see any cause for alarmletters are so often detained；
but； of course； she will be anxious。 Has she had pain in the back
again？〃
〃Sometimes； but summer always does her good〃
〃I shall see her to…morrowand the Daisy。 How do you all get on？
Have you broken down yet； Ethel？〃
〃Oh！ we do go on；〃 said Ethel； smiling； 〃the worst thing I have done
was expecting James to dress the salads with lamp…oil。〃
〃A Greenland salad！ But don't talk of oilI have the taste still in
my mouth after the Pyrennean cookery！ Oh！ Ethel； you would have been
wild with delight in those places！〃
〃Snowy mountains！ Are they not like a fairy…dream to you now？ You
must have felt at home； as a Scotchwoman's daughter。〃
〃Think of the peaks in the sunrise！ Oh！ I wanted you in the pass of
Roncevalles； to hear the echo of Roland's horn。 And we saw the cleft
made by Roland's sword in the rocks。〃
〃Oh！ how delightfuland Spain too！〃
〃Ay； the Isle of Pheasants； where all the conferences took place。〃
〃Where Louis XIV。 met his bride； and Francois I。 sealed his treason
with his empty flourish〃
〃Well； don't let us fight about Francois I。 now； I want to know how
Tom likes Eton。〃
〃He gets on famously。 I am so glad he is in the same house with
Hector。〃
〃Mr。 Ramsdenhow is he？〃
〃No better； he has not done any duty for weeks。 Tomkins and his set
want to sell the next presentation； but papa hopes to stave that off；
for there is a better set than usual in the Town Council this year。〃
〃Cocksmoor？ And how are our friends the muses？ I found a note from
the secretary telling me that I am elected again。 How have they
behaved？〃
〃Pretty well；〃 said Ethel。 〃Mrs。 Ledwich has been away； so we have
had few meetings； and have been pretty quiet； except for an uproar
about the mistress beating that Franklin's girland what do you
think I did； Flora？ I made bold to say the woman should show her to
papa； to see if she had done her any harm； and he found that it was
all a fabrication from one end to the other。 So it ended in the poor
girl being expelled； and Mary and I have her twice a week； to see if
there is any grace in her。〃
〃To reward her！〃 said Flora。 〃That is always your way〃
〃Why； one cannot give the poor thing quite up；〃 said Ethel。
〃You will manage the ladies at last！〃 cried Flora。
〃Not while Mrs。 Ledwich is there！〃
〃I'll cope with her！ But； come； I want you in my room〃
〃May not I come？〃 said Meta。 〃I must see when〃
Flora held up her hand； and； while signing invitation； gave an arch
look to Meta to be silent。 Ethel here bethought herself of inquiring
after Mr。 Rivers； and then for George。
Mr。 Rivers was pretty wellGeorge； quite well； and somewhere in the
garden； and Meta said that he had such a beard that they would hardly
know him； while Flora added that he was delighted with the Oxford
scheme。 Flora's rooms had been； already； often shown to her sisters；
when Mr。 Rivers had been newly furnishing them； with every luxury and
ornament that taste could devise。 Her dressing…room； with the large
bay window； commanding a beautiful view of Stoneborough； and filled；
but not crowded； with every sort of choice article； was a perfect
exhibition to eyes unaccustomed to such varieties。
Mary could have been still amused by the hour； in studying the
devices and ornaments on the shelves and chiffonieres； and Blanche
had romanced about it to the little ones； till they were erecting it
into a mythical palace。
And Flora； in her simple； well…chosen dress； looked； and moved； as if
she had been born and bred in the like。
There were signs of unpacking about the room…Flora's dressing…case on
the table； and some dresses lying on the sofa and ottoman。
Mary ran up to them eagerly； and exclaimed at the beautiful shot blue
and white silk。
〃Paris fashions？〃 said Ethel carelessly。
〃Yes； but I don't parade my own dresses here；〃 said Flora。
〃Whose are they then？ Your commissions； Meta？〃
〃No！〃 and Meta laughed heartily。
〃Your French maid's then？〃 said Ethel。 I dare say she dresses quite
as well； and the things are too really pretty and simple for an
English maid's taste。〃
〃I am glad you like them；〃 said Flora maliciously。 〃Now； please to
be good。〃
〃Who are they for then？〃 said Ethel； beginning to be
frightened。
〃For a young lady； whose brother has got the Newdigate prize； and who
is going to Oxford。〃
〃Me！ Those！ But I have not got four backs；〃 as Ethel saw Meta in
fits of laughing； and Flora making affirmative signs。 Mary gave a
ponderous spring of ecstasy。
〃Come！〃 said Flora； 〃you may as well be quiet。 Whatever you may
like； I am not going to have the Newdigate prizeman shown as brother
to a scarecrow。 I knew what you would come to； without me to take
care of you。 Look at yourself in the glass。〃
〃I'm sure I see no harm in myself；〃 said Ethel； turning towards the
pier…glass； and surveying herselfin a white muslin； made high； a
black silk mantle； and a brown hat。 She had felt very respectable
when she set out； but she could not avoid a lurking conviction that；
beside Flora and Meta； it had a scanty； schoolgirl effect。 〃And；〃
she continued quaintly； 〃besides； I have really got a new gown on
purposea good useful silk； that papa chose at Whitfordjust the
colour of a copper tea…kettle； where it turns purple。〃
〃Ethel！ you will kill me！〃 said Meta； sinking back on the sofa。
〃And I suppose；〃 continued Flora； 〃that you have sent it to Miss
Broad's； without any directions； and she will trim it with flame…
coloured gimp； and glass buttons； and； unless Margaret catches you；
you will find yourself ready to set the Thames on fire。 No； my dear
tea…kettle； I take you to Oxford on my own terms； and you had better
submit； without a fuss； and be thankful it is no worse。 George
wanted me to buy you a white brocade； with a perfect flower…garden on
it； that you could have examined with a microscope。 I was obliged to
let him buy that lace mantle； to make up to him。 Now then； Meta； the
scene opens； and discovers〃
Meta opened the folding…doors into Flora's bedroom； and thence came
forward Bellairs and a little brisk Frenchwoman； whom Flora had
acquired at Paris。 The former； who was quite used to adorning Miss
Ethel against her will； looked as amused as her mistresses； and；
before Ethel knew what was going on； her muslin was stripped off her
back； and that instrument of torture； a half made body； was being
tried upon her。 She made one of her most wonderful grimaces of
despair； and stood still。 The dresses were not so bad after all；
they were more tasteful than costly； and neither in material nor
ornament were otherwise than suitable to the occasion and the wearer。
It was very kind and thoughtful of Florathat she could not but
feelnothing had been forgotten； but when Ethel saw the mantles； the
ribbons； the collars； the bonnet； all glistening with the French air
of freshness and grace； she began to feel doubts and hesitations；
whether she ought to let her sister go to such an expense on her
account； and privately resolved that the accepting thanks should not
be spoken till she should have consulted her father。
In the meantime； she could only endure； be laughed at by her elders；
and entertained by Mary's extreme pleasure in her array。 Good Mary
it was more than any comedy