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Dr。　May　put　his　arm　round　her；　turned　aside　from　him；　and　began
talking　to　Meta　about　Mr。　Rivers。

Flora　and　Norman　made　conversation　for　the　brother；　and　he　presently
asked　Norman　to　go　out　shooting　with　him；　but　looked　so　amazed　on
hearing　that　Norman　was　no　sportsman　that　Flora　tried　to　save　the
family　credit　by　mentioning　Hector's　love　of　a　gun；　which　caused
their　guest　to　make　a　general　tender　of　sporting　privileges；
〃Though；〃　added　he；　with　a　drawl；　〃shooting　is　rather　a　nuisance；
especially　alone。〃

Meta　told　Ethel；　a　little　apart；　that　he　was　so　tired　of　going　out
alone；　that　he　had　brought　her　here；　in　search　of　a　companion。

〃He　comes　in　at　eleven　o'clock；　poor　fellow；　quite　tired　with
solitude；〃　said　she；　〃and　comes　to　me　to　be　entertained。〃

〃Indeed；〃　exclaimed　Ethel。　　〃What　can　you　do？〃

〃What　I　can；〃　said　Meta；　laughing。　　〃Whatever　is　not　'a　horrid
nuisance'　to　him。〃

〃It　would　be　a　horrid　nuisance　to　me；〃　said　Ethel　bluntly；　〃if　my
brothers　wanted　me　to　amuse　them　all　the　morning。〃

〃Your　brothers；　oh！〃　said　Meta；　as　if　that　were　very　different；
〃besides；　you　have　so　much　more　to　do。　　I　am　only　too　glad　and
grateful　when　George　will　come　to　me　at　all。　　You　see　I　have　always
been　too　young　to　be　his　companion；　or　find　out　what　suited　him；　and
now　he　is　so　very　kind　and　good…natured　to　me。〃

〃But　what　becomes　of　your　business？〃

〃I　get　time；　one　way　or　another。　　There　is　the　evening；　very　often；
when　I　have　sung　both　him　and　papa　to　sleep。　　I　had　two　hours；　all　to
myself；　yesterday　night；〃　said　Meta；　with　a　look　of　congratulation；
〃and　I　had　a　famous　reading　of　Thirlwall's　'Greece。'〃

〃I　should　think　that　such　evenings　were　as　bad　as　the　mornings。〃

〃Come〃；　Ethel；　don't　make　me　naughty。　　Large　families；　like　yours；
may　have　merry；　sociable　evenings；　but；　I　do　assure　you；　ours　are
very　pleasant。　　We　are　so　pleased　to　have　George　at　home；　and　we
really　hope　that　he　is　taking　a　fancy　to　the　dear　Grange。　　You　can't
think　how　delighted　papa　is　to　have　him　content　to　stay　quietly　with
us　so　long。　　I　must　call　him　to　go　back　now；　though；　or　papa　will　be
kept　waiting。〃

When　Ethel　had　watched　the　tall；　ponderous　brother　help　the　bright
fairy　sister　to　fly　airily　into　her　saddle；　and　her　sparkling　glance；
and　wave　of　the　hand；　as　she　cantered　off；　contrasting　with　his　slow
bend；　and　immobility　of　feature；　she　could　not　help　saying　that
Meta's　life　certainly　was　not　too　charming；　with　her　fanciful；
valetudinarian　father；　and　that　stupid；　idealess　brother。

〃He　is　very　amiable　and　good…natured；〃　interposed　Norman。

〃Ha！　Norman；　you　are　quite　won　by　his　invitation　to　shoot！　　How　he
despised　you　for　refusingas　much　as　you　despised
him。〃

〃Speak　for　yourself；〃　said　Norman。　　〃You　fancy　no　sensible　man　likes
shooting；　but　you　are　all　wrong。　　Some　of　our　best　men　are　capital
sportsmen。　　Why；　there　is　Ogilvieyou　know　what　he　is。　　When　I　bring
him　down　here；　you　will　see　that　there　is　no　sort　of　sport　that　he　is
not　keen　after。〃

〃This　poor　fellow　will　never　be　keen　after　anything；〃　said　Dr。　May。
〃I　pity　him！　　Existence　seems　hard　work　to　him！〃

〃We　shall　have　baby　calling　him　'the　detestable'　next；〃　said　Ethel。
〃What　a　famous　set　down　she　gave　him。〃

〃She　is　a　thorough　lady；　and　allows　no　liberties；〃　said　Dr。　May。

〃Ah！〃　said　Margaret；　〃it　is　a　proof　of　what　I　want　to　impression　you。
We　really　must　leave　off　calling　her　Daisy　when　strangers　are　there。〃

〃It　is　so　much　nicer；〃　pleaded　Mary。

〃The　very　reason；〃　said　Margaret；　〃fondling　names　should　be　kept　for
our　innermost　selves；　not　spread　abroad；　and　made　common。　　I　remember
when　I　used　to　be　called　Peg…topand　Flora；　Flossywe　were　never
allowed　to　use　the　names　when　any　visitor　was　near；　and　we　were　asked
if　we　could　not　be　as　fond　of　each　other　by　our　proper　names。　　I
think　it　was　felt　that　there　was　a　want　of　reserve　in　publishing　our
pet　words　to　other　people。〃

〃Quite　true；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃baby…names　never　ought　to　go　beyond
home。　　It　is　the　fashion　to　use　them　now；　and；　besides　the　folly；　it
seems；　to　me；　an　absolute　injury　to　a　girl；　to　let　her　grow　up；　with
a　nickname　attached　to　her。〃

〃Ay！〃　chimed　in　Norman；　〃I　hear　men　talking　of　Henny；　and　Loo；　and
the　like；　and　you　can't　think　how　glad　I　have　been　that　my　sisters
could　not　be　known　by　any　absurd　word！〃

〃It　is　a　case　where　self…respect　would　make　others　behave　properly；〃
said　Flora。

〃True；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃but　if　girls　won't　keep　up　their　own　dignity；
their　friends'　duty　is　to　do　it　for　them。　　The　mischief　is　in　the
intimate　friends；　who　blazon　the　words　to　every　one。〃

〃And　then　they　call　one　formal；　for　trying　to　protect　the　right
name；〃　said　Flora。　　〃It　is；　one…half　of　it；　silliness；　and；　the
other；　affectation　of　intimacy。〃

〃Now；　I　know；〃　said　Mary；　〃why　you　are　so　careful　to　call　Meta　Miss
Rivers；　to　all　the　people　here。〃

〃I　should　hope　so！〃　cried　Norman　indignantly。

〃Why；　yes；　Mary；〃　said　Margaret；　〃I　should　hope　lady…like　feelings
would　prevent　you　from　calling　her　Meta　before〃

〃The　Andersons！〃　cried　Ethel；　laughing。　　〃Margaret　was　just　going　to
say　it。　　We　only　want　Harry；　to　exact　the　forfeit！　　Poor　dear　little
humming…bird！　　It　gives　one　an　oppression　on　the　chest；　to　think　of
her　having　that　great　do…nothing　brother　on　her　hands　all　day。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Norman；　〃I　shall　know　where　I　am　not　to　look　when　I
want　a　sister。〃

〃Ay；〃　said　Ethel；　〃when　you　come　yawning　to　me　to　find　amusement　for
you；　you　will　see　what　I　shall　do！〃

〃Stand　over　me　with　a　stick　while　I　print　A　B　C　for　Cocksmoor；　I
suppose；〃　said　Norman。

〃Well！　why　not？　　People　are　much　better　doing　something　than
nothing。〃

〃What；　you　won't　even　let　me　blow　bubbles！〃　said　Norman。

〃That　is　too　intellectual；　as　papa　makes　it；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃By　the
bye；　Norman；〃　she　added；　as　she　had　now　walked　with　him　a　little
apart；　〃it　always　was　a　bubble　of　mine　that　you　should　try　for　the
Newdigate　prize。　　Ha！〃　as　the　colour　rushed　into　his　cheeks；　〃you
really　have　begun！〃

〃I　could　not　help　it；　when　I　heard　the　subject　given　out　for　next
year。　　Our　old　friend；　Decius　Mus。〃

〃Have　you　finished？〃

〃By　no　means；　but　it　brought　a　world　of　notions　into　my　head；　such　as
I　could　not　but　set　down。　　Now；　Ethel；　do　oblige　me；　do　write
another；　as　we　used　in　old　times。〃

〃I　had　better　not；〃　said　Ethel；　standing　thoughtful。　　〃If　I　throw
myself　into　it；　I　shall　hate　everything　else；　and　my　wits　will　be
woolgathering。　　I　have　neither　time　nor　poetry　enough。〃

〃You　used　to　write　English　verse。〃

〃I　was　cured　of　it。〃

〃How？〃

〃I　wanted　money　for　Cocksmoor；　and　after　persuading　papa；　I　got　leave
to　send　a　ballad　about　a　little　girl　and　a　white　rose　to　that　school
magazine。　　I　don't　think　papa　liked　it；　but　there　were　some　verses
that　touched　him；　and　one　had　seen　worse。　　It　was　actually　inserted；
and　I　was　in　high　feather；　till；　oh；　Norman！　imagine　Richard　getting
hold　of　this　unlucky　thing；　without　a　notion　where　it　came　from！
Margaret　put　it　before　him；　to　see　what　he　would　say　to　it。〃

〃I　am　afraid　it　was　not　like　a　young　lady's　anonymous　composition　in
a　story。〃

〃By　no　means。　　Imagine　Ritchie　picking　my　poor　metaphors　to　pieces；
and　weighing　every　sentimental　line！　　And　all　in　his　dear　old
simplicity；　because　he　wanted　to　understand　it；　seeing　that　Margaret
liked　it。　　He　had　not　the　least　intention　of　hurting　my　feelings；　but
never　was　I　so　annihilated！　　I　thought　he　was　doing　it　on　purpose；
till　I　saw　how　distressed　he　was　when　he　found　it　out；　and　worse　than
all　was；　his　saying　at　the　end　that　he　supposed　it　was　very　fine；　but
he　could　not　understand　it。〃

〃Let　me　see　it。〃

〃Some　time　or　other；　but　let　me　see　Decius。〃

〃Did　you　give　up　verses　because　Richard　could　not　understand　them？〃

〃No；　because　I　had　other　fish　to　fry。　　And　I　have　not　given　them　up
altogether。　　I　do　scrabble　down　things　that　tease　me　by　running　in　my
head；　when　I　want　to　clear　my　brains；　and　know　what　I　mean；　but　I
can't　do　it　without　sitting　up　at　night；　and　that　stupefies　me　before
breakfast。　　And　as　to　making　bubbles　of　them；　Ritchie　has　cured　me　of
that！〃

〃It　is　a　pity！　〃　said　Norman。

〃Nonsense；　let　me　see　Decius。　　I　know　he　is　splendid。〃

〃I　wish　you　would　have　tried；　for　all　my　best　ideas　are　stolen　from
you。〃

Ethel　prevailed　by　following　her　brother　to　his　room；　and　perching
herself　on　the　window…sill；　while　he　read　his　performance　from　many
slips　of　paper。　　The　visions　of　those　boyish　days　had　not　been
forgotten；　the　Vesuvius　scenery　was　much　as　Ethel　had　once　described
it；　but　with　far　more　force　and　beauty；　there　was　Decius's
impassioned　address　to　the　beauteous　land　he　was　about　to　leave；　and
the　remembrances　of　his　Roman　hearth；　his　farm；　his　children；　whom　he
quitted　for　the　pale　shadows　of　an　uncertain　Elysium。　　There　was　a
great　hiatus　in　the　middle；　and　Norman　had　many　more　authorities　to
consult；　but　the　summing…up　was　nearly　complete；　and　Ethel　thought
the　last　lines　grand；　as　they　spoke　of　the　noble　consul's　name　living
for　evermore；　added　to　the　examples　that　nerve　ardent　souls　to　devote
life；　and　all　that　is　precious；　to　the　call　of　duty。　　Fame　is　not
their　object。　　She　may　crown　their　pale　brows；　but　for　the　good　of
others；　not　their　own；　a　beacon　light　to　the　world。　　Self　is　no
object　of　theirs；　and　it　is　the　casting　self　behind　that　winsnot
always　the　visible　earthly　strife；　but　the　combat　between　good　and
evil。　　They　are　the　true　victors；　and；　whether　chronicled　or
forgotten；　true　glory　rests　on　their　heads；　the　sole　true　glory　that
man　can　attain；　namely；　the　reflected　beams　that　crown　them　as
shadowy　types　of　Him　whom　Decius　knew　notthe　Prince　who　gave
Himself　for　His　people；　and　thus　rendered　death；　for　Truth's　sake；
the　highest　boon　to　mortal　man。

〃Norman；　you　must　finish　it！　　When　will　it　be　given　in？〃

〃Next　spring；　if　at　all；　but　keep　the　secret；　Ethel。　　I　cannot　have
my　father's　hopes　raised。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　of　a　motto；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Do　you　remember　Mrs。
Hemans'　mention　of　a　saying　of　Sir　Walter　Scott　'Never　let　me　hear
that　brave　blood　has　been　shed　in　vain。　　It　sends　a　roaring　voice
down　through　all　time。'〃

〃If；〃　said　Norman；　rather