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reflected　from　the　world　whence　she　was　passing。

Yet　her　home　was　not　sad。　　When　Dr。　Spencer　came　in　the　evening；　and
old　Edinburgh　stories　were　discussed；　Dr。　May　talked　with　spirit；　and
laughed　with　the　merry　note　that　Mrs。　Amott　so　well　remembered；　and
Meta　Rivers　chimed　in　with　her　gay；　saucy　repartees；　nor；　though
Richard　was　always　silent；　and　Ethel's　brow　seemed　to　bear　a　weight
of　thought；　did　it　seem　as　if　their　spirits　were　depressed；　while
there　was　certainly　no　restraint　on　the　glee　of　Blanche；　Aubrey；　and
Gertrude；　who　were　running　into　Margaret's　room；　and　making　as　much
noise　there　as　they　chose。

Mrs。　Arnott　was　at　home　with　the　whole　family　from　the　first；　and　in
every　one's　confidence；　but　what　she　enjoyed　above　all　was；　the
sitting　in　Margaret's　room　in　the　morning；　when　there　was　no　danger
of　interruption；　the　three　children　being　all　safe　captives　to　their
lessons；　and　Meta；　in　Richard's　workshop；　illuminating　texts　on　zinc
scrolls　for　the　church。

Margaret　came　out　more　in　these　interviews。　　It　had　been　a　kind　of
shyness　that　made　her　talk　so　exclusively　of　the　church　at　the　first
meeting；　she　had　now　felt　her　way；　and　knew　againand　realisedthe
same　kind　aunt　with　whom　she　had　parted　in　her　childhood；　and　now　far
dearer；　since　she　herself　was　better　able　to　appreciate　her；　and　with
a　certain　resemblance　to　her　mother；　that　was　unspeakably　precious
and　soothing　to　one　deprived；　as　Margaret　had　been；　at　the
commencement　of　her　illness　and　anxiety。

She　could　hardly　see　her　aunt　come　near　her；　without　thanking　her　for
having　come　home；　and　saying　how　every　time　she　awoke　it　was　with　the
sense　that　something　was　comfortable；　then　remembering　it　was　Aunt
Flora's　being　in　the　house。　　She　seemed　to　have　a　feeling；　as　if
telling　everything　to　her　aunt　were　like　rendering　up　her　account　to
her　mother；　and；　at　different　times；　she　related　the　whole；　looking
back　on　the　various　decisions　she　had　had　to　make　or　to　influence；
and　reviewing　her　own　judgments；　though　often　with　self…blame；　not
with　acuteness　of　distress；　but　rather　with　a　humble　trust　in　the
Infinite　Mercy　that　would　atone　for　all　shortcomings　and　infirmities；
truly　sorrowed　for。

On　the　whole　it　was　a　peaceful　and　grateful　retrospect；　the　brothers
all　doing　so　well　in　their　several　ways；　and　such　a　comfort　to　their
father。　　Tom；　concerning　whom　she　had　made　the　greatest　mistake；
might　be　looked　upon　as　rescued　by　Norman。　　Aubrey；　Margaret　said；
smiling；　was　Ethel's　child；　and　had　long　been　off　her　mind；　Hector；
to　her　quite　a　brother；　would　miss　her　almost　more　than　her　own
brothers；　but　good　honest　fellow；　he　had　a　home　here；　and；　whispered
Margaret；　smiling　and　glowing　a　little；　〃don't　tell　any　one；　for　it
is　a　secret　of　secrets。　　Hector　told　me　one　evening　that；　if　he　could
be　very　steady；　he　hoped　he　might　yet　have　Blanche　at　Maplewood。
Poor　little　White　Mayflower；　it　won't　be　for　want　of　liking　on　her
part；　and　she　so　blushes　and　watches　when　Hector　comes　near；　that　I
sometimes　think　that　he　might　have　said　something　like　it　to　her。〃

Mrs。　Arnott　gave　no　opinion　on　the　plan　for　Norman　and　Meta；　but
Margaret；　however；　took　all　for　granted；　and　expressed　warm　hopes　for
their　sakes；　that　they　would　go　out　with　Mrs。　Arnott；　then；　when　the
suggestion　seemed　to　astonish　her　aunt；　who　thought　they　were　waiting
for　his　ordination；　she　said；　〃The　fact　is；　that　he　would　like　to　be
ordained　where　he　is　to　work；　but　I　believe　they　do　not　like　to　say
anything　about　the　wedding　because　of　me。　　Now；　of　all　persons；　I
must　chiefly　rejoice　in　what　may　help　to　teach　in　those　islands。　　I
cannot　bear　to　be　a　hindrance。　　Whatever　happens；　Aunt　Flora；　will
you　take　care　that　they　know　this？〃

As　to　her　father；　Margaret　was　at　rest。　　He　had　much　more　calmness
than　when　he　was　more　new　to　grief；　and　could　bear　far　more　patiently
and　hopefully　than　at　first。　　He　lived　more　on　his　affections　above；
and　much　as　he　loved　those　below；　he　did　not　rest　in　them　as　once；
and　could　better　afford　to　have　been　removed。　　〃Besides；〃　said
Margaret　serenely；　〃it　has　been　good　for　him　to　have　been　gradually
weaned　from　depending　on　me；　so　that　it　is　Ethel　who　is　really
necessary　to　him。〃

For　herself；　Margaret　was　perfectly　content　and　happy。　　She　knew　the
temptation　of　her　character　had　been　to　be　the　ruler　and　manager　of
everything；　and　she　saw　it　had　been　well　for　her　to　have　been　thus
assigned　the　part　of　Mary　rather　than　of　Martha。　　She　remembered　with
thankful　joy　the　engagement　with　Alan　Ernescliffe；　and　though　she
still　wore　tokens　of　mourning　for　him；　it　was　with　a　kind　of　pleasure
in　them。　　There　had　been　so　little　promise　of　happiness　from　the
first；　that　there　was　far　more　peace　in　thinking　of　him　as　sinking
into　rest　in　Harry's　arms；　than　as　returning　to　grieve　over　her
decline；　and　that　last　gift　of　his；　the　church；　had　afforded　her
continual　delight；　and　above　all　other　earthly　pursuits；　smoothed
away　the　languor　and　weariness　of　disease；　as　she　slowly　sank　to　join
him。　　Now　that　her　aunt　had　come　to　bring　back　a　sunbeam　of　her
childhood；　Margaret　declared　that　she　had　no　more　grief　or　care；
except　one；　and　that　a　very　deep　and　sad　onenamely　poor　Flora。

Mrs。　Arnott　had　at　first　been　inclined　to　fear　that　her　goddaughter
was　neglecting　her　own　family；　since　she　had　not　been　at　home　this
whole　year；　but　the　slightest　betrayal　of　this　suspicion　roused
Margaret　to　an　eager　defence。　　She　had　not　a　doubt　that　Flora　would
gladly　have　been　with　her；　but　she　believed　that　she　was　not　acting
by　her　own　choice；　or　more　truly；　that　her　husband　was　so　devoted　to
her；　that　she　felt　the　more　bound　to　follow　his　slightest　wishes；
however　contrary　to　her　own。　　The　season　had　been　spent　in　the　same
whirl　that　had；　last　year；　been　almost　beyond　human　power；　even　when
stimulated　by　enjoyment　and　success；　and　now；　when　her　spirits　were
lowered；　and　her　health　weakened；　Meta　had　watched　and　trembled　for
her；　though　never　able　to　obtain　an　avowal　that　it　was　an　overstrain；
and　while　treated　most　affectionately；　never　admitted　within　her
barrier　of　reserve。

〃If　I　could　see　poor　Flora　comforted；　or　if　even　she　would　only　let
me　enter　into　her　troubles；〃　Margaret　said；　sighing；　〃I　should　be
content。〃

The　consecration　day　came　near；　and　the　travellers　began　to　return。
Meta　was　in　a　state　of　restlessness；　which　in　her　was　very　pretty；
under　the　disguise　of　a　great　desire　to　be　useful。　　She　fluttered
about　the　house；　visited　Margaret；　played　with　Gertrude；　set　the
drawing…room　ornaments　to　rightsa　task　which　Ethel　was　very　glad　to
depute　to　her；　and　made　a　great　many　expeditions　into　the　garden　to
put　together　autumn　nosegays　for　the　vasesfinally　discovering　that
Ethel's　potichomanie　vases　on　the　staircase　window　must　have　some　red
and　brown　leaves。

She　did　not　come　back　quite　so　soon　with　them；　and　Mrs。　Arnott；　slyly
looking　out　of　window；　reported；　〃Ha！　he　is　come　then！　　At　least；　I
see　the　little　thing　has　found〃

〃Something　extremely　unlike　itself；〃　said　Dr。　May；　laughing。
〃Something　I　could　easily　set　down　as　a　student　at　Edinburgh；　thirty
years　ago。　　That's　the　very　smile！　　I　remember　dear　Maggie　being　more
angry　than　I　ever　saw　her　before；　because　Mr。　Fleet　said　that　you
smiled　to　show　your　white　teeth。〃

〃That　is　the　best　shadow　of　Maggie　I　ever　saw；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃She
has　taught　the　lad　to　smile。　　That　is　what　I　call　a　pretty　sight！〃

〃Come；　Richard；　it　is　a　shame　for　old　folks　like　us　to　stand　spying
them！〃

〃They　care　very　little　for　me；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃but　I　shall　have　them
in。　　Cold　winds　blowing　about　that　little　head！　　Ah！　here　they　are。
Fine　leaves　you　gather；　miss！　　Very　red　and　brown。〃

Meta　rather　liked；　than　otherwise；　those　pretty　teasings　of　Dr。　May；
but　they　always　made　Norman　colour　extremely；　and　he　parried　them　by
announcing　news。　　〃No；　not　the　Bucephalus；　a　marriage　in　high　life；　a
relation。〃

〃Not　poor　Mary！〃　cried　Ethel。

〃Mary！　what　could　make　you　think　of　her？〃

〃As　a　hen　thinks　of　her　ducklings　when　they　go　into　waters　beyond　her
ken；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Well；　as　long　as　it　is　not　Mary；　I　don't　care！〃

〃High　life！〃　repeated　Meta。　　〃Oh；　it　can　be　only　Agatha　Langdale。〃

〃There's　only　Lord　Cosham　further　to　guess；〃　said　Ethel。

〃Eh！　why　not　young　Ogilvie？〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃I　am　right；　I　see。
Well；　who　is　the　lady？〃

〃A　Miss　Dunbara　nice　girl　that　I　met　at　Glenbracken。　　Her　property
fits　in　with　theirs；　and　I　believe　his　father　has　been　wishing　it　for
a　long　time。〃

〃It　does　not　sound　too　romantic；〃　said　Meta。

〃He　writes　as　if　he　had　the　sense　of　having　been　extremely　dutiful；〃
said　Norman。

〃No　doubt　thinking　it　needful　in　addressing　a　namesake；　who　has　had
an　eye　to　the　main　chance；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃Don't　throw　stones；
young　people。〃

〃Well！〃　exclaimed　Meta；　〃he　did　not　look　as　if　he　would　go　and　do
such　a　stupid　thing　as　that！〃

〃Probably；　it　is　anything　but　a　stupid　thing；〃　said　Dr。　May。

〃You　are　using　him　very　ill　among　you；〃　said　Norman　eagerly。　　〃I
believe　her　to　be　excellent　in　every　way；　he　has　known　her　from
childhood；　he　writes　as　if　he　were　perfectly　contented；　and　saw　every
chance　of　happin