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Mary　had　partaken　of　some　of　Mrs。　Elwood's　tea；　which；　though
extremely　bitter；　seemed　a　great　cordial；　and　was　sitting；　quite
revived；　in　the　arbour　at　the　door；　when　the　gig　stopped；　and　Dr。
Spencer　walked　in。

〃Well；　and　how　are　you？〃

〃Quite　well　now；　thank　you。　　Was　Margaret　frightened？　　Why　did　you
come？〃

〃I　thought　it　would　make　her　happier；　as　your　father　was　not　at　home。
Here；　let　me　feel　your　pulse。　　Do　you　think　no　one　is　a　doctor　but
your　papa？　　There's　not　much　the　matter　with　you；　however。　　Where　is
Ethel？〃

〃In　the　school；〃　and　Mary　opened　the　door。　　Dr。　Spencer　looked　in；　as
Ethel　came　out；　and　his　face　put　her　in　mind　of　Norman's　look。

〃No　wonder！〃　was　all　he　said。

Ethel　was　soon　satisfied　that　he　did　not　think　Mary　ill。　　In　fact；　he
said　fainting　was　the　most　natural　and　justifiable　measure；　under　the
circumstances。　　〃How　many　human　creatures　do　you　keep　there？〃　he
asked。

〃Forty…seven　to…day；〃　said　Mary　proudly。

〃I　shall　indict　you　for　cruelty　to　animals！　　I　think　I　have　known　it
hotter　at　Poonshedagore；　but　there　we　had　punkahs！〃

〃It　was　very　wrong　of　me；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃I　should　have　thought　of
poor　Mary；　in　that　sunny　walk；　but　Mary　never　complains。〃

〃Oh；　never　mind；〃　said　Mary；　〃it　did　not　hurt。〃

〃I'm　not　thinking　of　Mary；〃　said　Dr。　Spencer；　〃but　of　the　wretched
beings　you　are　leaving　shut　up　there。　　I　wonder　what　the　mercury
would　be　there。〃

〃We　cannot　help　it；〃　said　Mary。　　〃We　cannot　get　the　ground。〃

And　Mary；　having　been　voted　into　the　seat　of　honour　and　comfort　by
his　side　in　the　carriage；　told　her　version　of　Cocksmoor　and　the
Committee；　while　Ethel　sat　up　in　the　little　narrow　seat　behind；
severely　reproaching　herself　for　her　want　of　consideration　towards
one　so　good　and　patient　as　Mary；　who　proved　to　have　been　suffering
far　more　on　Harry's　account　than　they　had　guessed；　and　who　was　so
simple　and　thorough…going　in　doing　her　duty。　　This　was　not　being　a
good　elder　sister；　and；　when　they　came　home；　she　confessed　it；　and
showed　so　much　remorse　that　poor　Mary　was　quite　shocked；　and　cried　so
bitterly　that　it　was　necessary　to　quit　the　subject。

〃Ethel；　dearest；〃　said　Margaret　that　night；　after　they　were　in　bed；
〃is　there　anything　the　matter？〃

〃No；　nothing；　but　that　Oxford　has　spoiled　me；〃　said　Ethel；
resolutely。　　〃I　am　very　cross　and　selfish！〃

〃It　will　be　better　by…and…by；〃　said　Margaret；　〃if　only　you　are　sure
you　have　nothing　to　make　you　unhappy。〃

〃Nothing；〃　said　Ethel。　　She　was　becoming　too　much　ashamed　of　her
fancy　to　breathe　one　word　about　it；　and　she　had　spoken　the　truth。
Pleasure　had　spoiled　her。

〃If　only　we　could　do　something　for　Cocksmoor！〃　she　sighed；　presently；
〃with　that　one　hundred　and　fifty　pounds　lying　idle。〃

Margaret　was　very　glad　that　her　thoughts　were　taking　this　channel；
but　it　was　not　a　promising　one；　for　there　seemed　to　be　nothing
practicable；　present　or　future。　　The　ground　could　not　be　hadthe　pig
would　not　get　over　the　stilethe　old　woman　could　not　get　home　to…
night。　　Cocksmoor　must　put　up　with　its　present　school；　and　Mary　must
not　be　walked　to　death。

Or；　as　Ethel　drew　her　own　moral；　sacrifice　must　not　be　selfish。　　One
great　resolution　that　has　been　costly；　must　not　blunt　us　in　the　daily
details　of　life。




CHAPTER　XI。



If　to　do　were　as　easy　as　to　know　what　were　good　to　do；　Chapels　had
been　Churches；　and　poor　men's　cottages；　princes'　palaces。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MERCHANT　OF　VENICE。


〃Dick；〃　said　Dr。　Spencer；　as　the　friends　sat　together　in　the　evening；
after　Mary's　swoon；　〃you　seem　to　have　found　an　expedient　for　making
havoc　among　your　daughters。〃

〃It　does　not　hurt　them；〃　said　Dr。　May　carelessly。

〃Pretty　well；　after　the　specimen　of　to…day。〃

〃That　was　chance。〃

〃If　you　like　it；　I　have　no　more　to　say；　but　I　should　like　to　make　you
sit　for　two　hours　in　such　a　temperature。　　If　they　were　mine〃

〃Very　fine　talking；　but　I　would　not　take　the　responsibility　of
hindering　the　only　pains　that　have　ever　been　taken　with　that　unlucky
place。　　You　don't　know　that　girl　Ethel。　　She　began　at　fifteen；
entirely　of　her　own　accord；　and　has　never　faltered。　　If　any　of　the
children　there　are　saved　from　perdition；　it　is　owing　to　her；　and　I　am
not　going　to　be　the　man　to　stop　her。　　They　are　strong；　healthy　girls；
and　I　cannot　see　that　it　does　them　any　harmrather　good。〃

〃Have　you　any　special　predilection　for　a　room　eight　feet　by　nine？〃

〃Can't　be　helped。　　What　would　you　have　said　if　you　had　seen　the
last？〃

〃What　is　this　about　one　hundred　and　fifty　pounds　in　hand？〃

〃The　ladies　here　chose　to　have　a　fancy　fair；　the　only　result　of
which；　hitherto；　has　been　the　taking　away　my　Flora。　　There　is　the
money；　but　the　land　can't　be　had。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Tied　up　between　the　Drydale　Estate　and　　College；　and　in　the　hands
of　the　quarry　master；　Nicolson。　　There　was　an　application　made　to　the
College；　but　they　did　not　begin　at　the　right　end。〃

〃Upon　my　word；　Dick；　you　take　it　easy！〃　cried　his　friend；　rather
indignantly。

〃I　own　I　have　not　stirred　in　the　matter；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃I　knew
nothing　would　come　to　good　under　the　pack　of　silly　women　that　our
schools　are　ridden　with〃　and；　as　he　heard　a　sound　a　little　like
〃pish！〃　he　continued；　〃and　that　old　Ramsden；　it　is　absolutely　useless
to　work　with　such　a　heador　no　head。　　There's　nothing　for　it　but　to
wait　for　better　times；　instead　of　setting　up　independent；
insubordinate　action。〃

〃You　are　the　man　to　leave　venerable　abuses　undisturbed！〃

〃The　cure　is　worse　than　the　disease！〃

〃There　spoke　the　Corporation！〃

〃Ah！　it　was　not　the　way　you　set　to　work　in　Poonshedagore。〃

〃Why；　really；　when　the　venerable　abuses　consisted　of　Hindoos　praying
to　their　own　three…legged　stools；　and　keeping　sacred　monkeys　in
honour　of　the　ape　Hanyuman；　it　was　a　question　whether　one　could　be　a
Christian　oneself；　and　suffer　it　undisturbed。　　It　was　coming　it　too
strong；　when　I　was　requested　to　lend　my　own　step…ladder　for　the
convenience　of　an　exhibition　of　a　devotee　swinging　on　hooks　in　his
sides。〃

Dr。　Spencer　had；　in　fact；　never　rested　till　he　had　established　a
mission　in　his　former　remote　station；　and　his　brown　godson；　once　a
Brahmin；　now　an　exemplary　clergyman；　traced　his　conversion　to　the
friendship　and　example　of　the　English　physician。

〃Well；　I　have　lashed　about　me　at　abuses；　in　my　time；〃　said　Dr。　May。

〃I　dare　say　you　have；　Dick！〃　and　they　both　laughedthe　inconsiderate
way　was　so　well　delineated。

〃Just　so；〃　replied　Dr。　May；　〃and　I　made　enemies　enough　to　fetter　me
now。　　I　do　not　mean　that　I　have　done　rightI　have　not；　but　there　is
a　good　deal　on　my　hands；　and　I　don't　write　easily。　　I　have　been
slower　to　take　up　new　matters　than　I　ought　to　have　been。〃

〃I　see；　I　see！〃　said　Dr。　Spencer；　rather　sorry　for　his　implied
reproach；　〃but　must　Cocksmoor　be　left　to　its　fate；　and　your　gallant
daughter　to　hers？〃

〃The　vicar　won't　stir。　　He　is　indolent　enough　by　nature；　and　worse
with　gout；　and　I　do　not　see　what　good　I　could　do。　　I　once　offended
the　tenant；　Nicolson；　by　fining　him　for　cheating　his　unhappy
labourers；　on　the　abominable　truck　system；　and　he　had　rather　poison
me　than　do　anything　to　oblige　me。　　And；　as　to　the　copyholder；　he　is　a
fine　gentleman；　who　never　comes　near　the　place；　nor　does　anything　for
it。〃

〃Who　is　he？〃

〃Sir　Henry　Walkinghame。〃

〃Sir　Henry　Walkinghame！　　I　know　the　man。　　I　found　him　in　one　of　the
caves　at　Thebes；　among　the　mummies；　laid　up　with　a　fever；　nearly
ready　to　be　a　mummy　himself！　　I　remember　bleeding　himirregular；　was
not　it？　but　one　does　not　stand　on　ceremony　in　Pharaoh's　tomb。　　I　got
him　through　with　it；　we　came　up　the　Nile　together；　and　the　last　I　saw
of　him　was　at　Alexandria。　　He　is　your　man！　something　might　be　done
with　him！〃

〃I　believe　Flora　promises　to　ask　him　if　she　should　ever　meet　him　in
London；　but　he　is　always　away。　　If　ever　we　should　be　happy　enough　to
get　an　active　incumbent；　we　shall　have　a　chance。〃

Two　days　after；　Ethel　came　down　equipped　for　Cocksmoor。　　It　was　as
hot　as　ever；　and　Mary　was　ordered　to　stay　at　home；　being　somewhat
pacified　by　a　promise　that　she　should　go　again　as　soon　as　the　weather
was　fit　for　anything　but　a　salamander。

Dr。　Spencer　was　in　the　hall；　with　his　bamboo；　his　great　Panama　hat；
and　gray　loose　coat；　for　he　entirely　avoided；　except　on　Sundays；　the
medical　suit　of　black。　　He　offered　to　relieve　Ethel　of　her　bag　of
books。

〃No　thank　you。〃　　（He　had　them　by　this　time）。　　〃But　I　am　going　to
Cocksmoor。〃

〃Will　you　allow　me　to　be　your　companion？〃

〃I　shall　be　very　glad　of　the　pleasure　of　your　company；　but　I　am　not
in　the　least　afraid　of　going　alone；〃　said　she；　smiling；　however；　so
as　to　show　she　was　glad　of　such　pleasant　company。　　〃I　forewarn　you
though　that　I　have　business　there。〃

〃I　will　find　occupation。〃

〃And　you　must　promise　not　to　turn　against　me。　　I　have　undergone　a
great　deal　already　about　that　place。　　Norman　was　always　preaching
against　it；　and　now　that　he　has　become　reasonable；　I　can't　have　papa
set　against　it　againbesides；　he　would　mind　you　more。〃

Dr。　Spencer　promised　to　do　nothing　but　what　was　quite　reasonable。
Ethel　believed　that　he　accompanied　her　merely　because　his　gallantry
would　not　suf