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indoors。 Miss Winter was going to stay with Margaret； and Ethel and
Flora coaxed Norman to come with them； 〃just one mile on the turnpike
road and back again； he would be much fresher for his Greek
afterwards。〃
He came； but he did not enliven his sisters。 The three plodded on；
taking a diligent constitutional walk； exchanging very few words； and
those chiefly between the girls。 Flora gathered some hoary clematis；
and red berries； and sought in the hedge…sides for some crimson
〃fairy baths〃 to carry home； and； at the sight of the amusement
Margaret derived from the placing the beauteous little Pezizas in a
saucer of damp green moss； so as to hide the brown sticks on which
they grew； Ethel took shame to herself for want of perception of
little attentions。 When she told Norman so； he answered； 〃There's no
one who does see what is the right thing。 How horrid the room looks！
Everything is nohow！〃 added he； looking round at the ornaments and
things on the tables； which had lost their air of comfort and good
taste。 It was not disorder； and Ethel could not see what he meant。
〃What's wrong？〃 said she。
〃Oh； never mindyou can't do it。 Don't tryyou'll only make it
worse。 It will never be the same as long as we live。〃
〃I wish you would not be so unhappy！〃 said Ethel。
〃Never mind；〃 again said Norman； but he put his arm round her。
〃Have you done your Euripides？ Can I help you？ Will you construe it
with me； or shall I look out your words？〃
〃Thank you； I don't mind that。 It is the verses！ I want some
sense！〃 said Norman； running his fingers through his hair till it
stood on end。 〃'Tis such a horrid subject； Coral Islands！ As if
there was anything to be said about them。〃
〃Dear me； Norman； I could say ten thousand things； only I must not
tell you what mine are； as yours are not done。〃
〃No； don't；〃 said Norman decidedly。
〃Did you read the description of them in the Quarterly？ I am sure
you might get some ideas there。 Shall I find it for you？ It is in
an old number。〃
〃Well； do； thank you。〃
He rested listlessly on the sofa while his sister rummaged in a
chiffonier。 At last she found the article； and eagerly read him the
description of the strange forms of the coral animals； and the
beauties of their flower…like feelers and branching fabrics。 It
would once have delighted him； but his first comment was； 〃Nasty
little brutes！〃 However； the next minute he thanked her； took the
book； and said he could hammer something out of it； though it was too
bad to give such an unclassical subject。 At dusk he left off； saying
he should get it done at night； his senses would come then； and he
should be glad to sit up。
〃Only three weeks to the holidays；〃 said Ethel； trying to be
cheerful； but his assent was depressing； and she began to fear that
Christmas would only make them more sad。
Mary did not keep Tom's secret so inviolably； but that； while they
were dressing for tea； she revealed to Ethel where Harry was gone。
He was not yet returned； though his father and Richard were come in；
and the sisters were at once in some anxiety on his account； and
doubt whether they ought to let papa know of his disobedience。
Flora and Ethel； who were the first in the drawing…room； had a
consultation。
〃I should have told mamma directly；〃 said Flora。
〃He never did so；〃 sighed Ethel； 〃things never went wrong then。〃
〃Oh； yes； they did； don't you remember how naughty Harry was about
climbing the wall； and making faces at Mrs。 Richardson's servants？〃
〃And how ill I behaved the first day of last Christmas holidays？〃
〃She knew； but I don't think she told papa。〃
〃Not that we knew of； but I believe she did tell him everything； and
I think； Flora； he ought to know everything； especially now。 I never
could bear the way the Mackenzies used to have of thinking their
parents must be like enemies； and keeping secrets from them。〃
〃They were always threatening each other； 'I'll tell mamma；'〃 said
Flora； 〃and calling us tell…tales because we told our own dear mamma
everything。 But it is not like that nowI neither like to worry
papa； nor to bring Harry into disgracebesides； Tom and Mary meant
it for a secret。〃
〃Papa would not be angry with him if we told him it was a secret；〃
said Ethel； 〃I wish Harry would come in。 There's the dooroh！ it is
only you。〃
〃Whom did you expect？〃 said Richard； entering。
The sisters looked at each other； and Ethel； after an interval；
explained their doubts about Harry。
〃He is come in；〃 said Richard； 〃I saw him running up to his own room；
very muddy。〃
〃Oh； I'm glad！ But do you think papa ought to hear it？ I don't know
what's to be done。 'Tis the children's secret；〃 said Flora。
〃It will never do to have him going out with those boys continually；〃
said Ethel〃Harvey Anderson close by all the holidays！〃
〃I'll try what I can do with him；〃 said Richard。 〃Papa had better
not hear it now； at any rate。 He is very tired and sad this evening！
and his arm is painful again； so we must not worry him with histories
of naughtiness among the children。〃
〃No；〃 said Ethel decidedly； 〃I am glad you were there； Ritchie； I
never should have thought of one time being better than another。〃
〃Just like Ethel！〃 said Flora； smiling。
〃Why should not you learn？〃 said Richard gently。
〃I can't；〃 said Ethel； in a desponding way。
〃Why not？ You are much sharper than most people； and； if you tried；
you would know those things much better than I do； as you know how to
learn history。〃
〃It is quite a different sort of cleverness；〃 said Flora。 〃Recollect
Sir Isaac Newton； or Archimedes。〃
〃Then you must have both sorts；〃 said Ethel； 〃for you can do things
nicely； and yet you learn very fast。〃
〃Take care； Ethel； you are singeing your frock！ Well； I really don't
think you can help those things！〃 said Flora。 〃Your short sight is
the reason of it； and it is of no use to try to mend it。〃
〃Don't tell her so；〃 said Richard。 〃It can't be all short sightit
is the not thinking。 I do believe that if Ethel would think； no one
would do things so well。 Don't you remember the beautiful
perspective drawing she made of this room for me to take to Oxford？
That was very difficult； and wanted a great deal of neatness and
accuracy； so why should she not be neat and accurate in other things？
And I know you can read faces； Ethelwhy don't you look there before
you speak？〃
〃Ah！ before instead of after； when I only see I have said something
malapropos；〃 said Ethel。
〃I must go and see about the children；〃 said Flora； 〃if the tea comes
while I am gone； will you make it； Ritchie？〃
〃Flora despairs of me；〃 said Ethel。
〃I don't；〃 said Richard。 〃Have you forgotten how to put in a pin
yet？〃
〃No； I hope not。〃
〃Well； then； see if you can't learn to make tea； and； by…the…bye；
Ethel； which is the next christening Sunday？〃
〃The one after next； surely。 The first of December is Mondayyes；
to…morrow week is the next。〃
〃Then I have thought of something； it would cost eighteenpence to
hire Joliffe's spring…cart； and we might have Mrs。 Taylor and the
twins brought to church in it。 Should you like to walk to Cocksmoor
and settle it？〃
〃Oh yes； very much indeed。 What a capital thought。 Margaret said
you would know how to manage。〃
〃Then we will go the first fine day papa does not want me。〃
〃I wonder if I could finish my purple frocks。 But here's the tea。
Now； Richard； don't tell me to make it。 I should do something wrong；
and Flora will never forgive you。〃
Richard would not let her off。 He stood over her； counted her
shovelfuls of tea； and watched the water into the teapothe
superintended her warming the cups； and putting a drop into each
saucer。 〃Ah！〃 said Ethel； with a concluding sigh； 〃it makes one
hotter than double equations！〃
It was all right； as Flora allowed with a slightly superior smile。
She thought Richard would never succeed in making a notable or
elegant woman of Ethel； and it was best that the two sisters should
take different lines。 Flora knew that； though clever and with more
accomplishments； she could not surpass Ethel in intellectual
attainments； but she was certainly far more valuable in the house；
and had been proved to have just the qualities in which her sister
was most deficient。 She did not relish hearing that Ethel wanted
nothing but attention to be more than her equal； and she thought
Richard mistaken。 Flora's remembrance of their time of distress was
less unmixedly wretched than it was with the others； for she knew she
had done wonders。
The next day Norman told Ethel that he had got on very well with the
verses； and finished them off late at night。 He showed them to her
before taking them to school on Monday morning； and Ethel thought
they were the best he had ever written。 There was too much spirit
and poetical beauty for a mere schoolboy task； and she begged for the
foul copy to show it to her father。 〃I have not got it；〃 said
Norman。 〃The foul copy was not like these； but when I was writing
them out quite late； it was all I don't know how。 Flora's music was
in my ears； and the room seemed to get larger； and like an ocean
cave； and when the c