inall
weathers
,
and
preparing
her
to
be
savage
with
the
children
.
”
“
Perhaps
it
refreshes
her
,
and
hinders
her
from
being
cross
.
”
“
Maybe
she
thinks
so
;
but
if
she
have
either
sense
or
ear
,
nothing
would
so
predispose
her
to
be
cross
as
the
squeaking
of
Mr.
Touchett’s
penny-whistle
choir
.
”
“
Poor
Mr.
Touchett
,
”
sighed
Mrs.
Curtis
;
“
I
wish
he
would
not
make
such
ambitious
attempts
.
”
“
But
you
like
the
choral
service
,
”
said
Fanny
,
feeling
as
if
everything
had
turned
round
.
“
When
all
the
men
of
a
regiment
chant
together
you
cannot
think
how
grand
it
is
,
almost
finer
than
the
cathedral
.
”
“
Yes
,
where
you
can
do
it
,
”
said
Rachel
,
“
but
not
where
you
can’t
.
”
“
I
wish
you
would
not
talk
about
it
,
”
said
Grace
.
“
I
must
,
or
Fanny
will
not
understand
the
state
of
parties
at
Avonmouth
.
”
“
Parties
!
Oh
,
I
hope
not
.
”
“
My
dear
child
,
party
spirit
is
another
word
for
vitality
.
So
you
thought
the
church
we
sighed
for
had
made
the
place
all
we
sighed
to
see
it
,
and
ourselves
too
.
Oh
!
Fanny
is
this
what
you
have
been
across
the
world
for
?
”
“
What
is
wrong
?
”
asked
Fanny
,
alarmed
.
“
Do
you
remember
our
axiom
?
Build
your
church
,
and
the
rest
will
take
care
of
itself
.
You
remember
our
scraping
and
begging
,
and
how
that
good
Mr.
Davison
helped
us
out
and
brought
the
endowment
up
to
the
needful
point
for
consecration
,
on
condition
the
incumbency
was
given
to
him
.
He
held
it
just
a
year
,
and
was
rich
,
and
could
help
out
his
bad
health
with
a
curate
.
But
first
he
went
to
Madeira
,
and
then
he
died
,
and
there
we
are
,
a
perpetual
curacy
of
£
70
a
year
,
no
resident
gentry
but
ourselves
,
a
fluctuating
population
mostly
sick
,
our
poor
demoralized
by
them
,
and
either
crazed
by
dissent
,
or
heathenized
by
their
former
distance
from
church
.
Who
would
take
us
?
No
more
Mr.
Davisons
!
There
was
no
more
novelty
,
and
too
much
smartness
to
invite
self-devotion
.
So
we
were
driven
from
pillar
to
post
till
we
settled
down
into
this
Mr.
Touchett
,
as
good
a
being
as
ever
lived
,
working
as
hard
as
any
two
,
and
sparing
neither
himself
nor
any
one
else
.
”
Fanny
looked
up
prepared
to
admire
.
“
But
he
has
two
misfortunes
.
He
was
not
born
a
gentleman
,
and
his
mind
does
not
measure
an
inch
across
.
”
“
Rachel
,
my
dear
,
it
is
not
fair
to
prejudice
Fanny
;
I
am
sure
the
poor
man
is
very
well-behaved
.
”
“
Mother
!
would
you
be
calling
the
ideal
Anglican
priest
,
poor
man
?
”
“
I
thought
he
was
quite
gentlemanlike
,
”
added
Fanny
.
“
Gentlemanlike
!
ay
,
that’s
it
,
”
said
Rachel
,
“
just
so
like
as
to
delight
the
born
curatolatress
,
like
Grace
and
Miss
Williams
.
”
“
Would
it
hurt
the
children
?
”
asked
Fanny
,
hardly
comprehending
the
tremendous
term
.
“
Yes
,
if
it
infected
you
,
”
said
Rachel
,
intending
some
playfullness
.
“
A
mother
of
contracted
mind
forfeits
the
allegiance
of
her
sons
.
”
“
Oh
,
Rachel
,
I
know
I
am
weak
and
silly
,
”
said
the
gentle
young
widow
,
terrified
,
“
but
the
Major
said
if
I
only
tried
to
do
my
duty
by
them
I
should
be
helped
.
”
“
And
I
will
help
you
,
Fanny
,
”
said
Rachel
.
“
All
that
is
requisite
is
good
sense
and
firmness
,
and
a
thorough
sense
of
responsibility
.
”
“
That
is
what
is
so
dreadful
.
The
responsibility
of
all
those
dear
fatherless
boys
,
and
if
—
if
I
should
do
wrong
by
them
.
”
Poor
Fanny
fell
into
an
uncontrollable
fit
of
weeping
at
the
sense
of
her
own
desolation
and
helplessness
,
and
Mrs.
Curtis
came
to
comfort
her
,
and
tell
her
affectionately
of
having
gone
through
the
like
feelings
,
and
of
the
repeated
but
most
comfortable
words
of
promise
to
the
fatherless
and
the
widow
—
words
that
had
constantly
come
before
the
sufferer
,
but
which
had
by
no
means
lost
their
virtue
by
repetition
,
and
Fanny
was
soothed
with
hearing
instances
of
the
special
Providence
over
orphaned
sons
,
and
their
love
and
deference
for
their
mother
.
Rachel
,
shocked
and
distressed
at
the
effect
of
her
sense
,
retired
out
of
the
conversation
,
till
at
the
announcement
of
the
carriage
for
Lady
Temple
,
her
gentle
cousin
cheered
up
,
and
feeling
herself
to
blame
for
having
grieved
one
who
only
meant
aid
and
kindness
,
came
to
her
and
fondly
kissed
her
forehead
,
saying
,
“
I
am
not
vexed
,
dear
Rachel
,
I
know
you
are
right
.
I
am
not
clever
enough
to
bring
them
up
properly
,
but
if
I
try
hard
,
and
pray
for
them
,
it
may
be
made
up
to
them
.
And
you
will
help
me
,
Rachel
dear
,
”
she
added
,
as
her
readiest
woe-offering
for
her
tears
,
and
it
was
the
most
effectual
,
for
Rachel
was
perfectly
contented
as
long
as
Fanny
was
dependent
on
her
,
and
allowed
her
to
assume
her
mission
,
provided
only
that
the
counter
influence
could
be
averted
,
and
this
Major
,
this
universal
referee
,
be
eradicated
from
her
foolish
clinging
habits
of
reliance
before
her
spirits
were
enough
recovered
to
lay
her
heart
open
to
danger
.
But
the
more
Rachel
saw
of
her
cousin
,
the
more
she
realized
this
peril
.
When
she
went
down
on
Monday
morning
to
complete
the
matters
of
business
that
had
been
slurred
over
on
the
Saturday
,
she
found
that
Fanny
had
not
the
slightest
notion
what
her
own
income
was
to
be
.
All
she
knew
was
that
her
General
had
left
everything
unreservedly
to
herself
,
except
£
100
and
one
of
his
swords
to
Major
Keith
,
who
was
executor
to
the
will
,
and
had
gone
to
London
to
“
see
about
it
,
”
by
which
word
poor
Fanny
expressed
all
the
business
that
her
maintenance
depended
on
.
If
an
old
general
wished
to
put
a
major
in
temptation
,
could
he
have
found
a
better
means
of
doing
so
?
Rachel
even
thought
that
Fanny’s
incapacity
to
understand
business
had
made
her
mistake
the
terms
of
the
bequest
,
and
that
Sir
Stephen
must
have
secured
his
property
to
his
children
;
but
Fanny
was
absolutely
certain
that
this
was
not
the
case
,
for
she
said
the
Major
had
made
her
at
once
sign
a
will
dividing
the
property
among
them
,
and
appointing
himself
and
her
Aunt
Curtis
their
guardians
.
“
I
did
not
like
putting
such
a
charge
on
my
dear
aunt
,
”
said
Fanny
,
“
but
the
Major
said
I
ought
to
appoint
a
relation
,
and
I
had
no
one
else
!
And
I
knew
you
would
all
be
good
to
them
,
if
they
had
lost
me
too
,
when
baby
was
born
.
”
“
We
would
have
tried
,
”
said
Rachel
,
a
little
humbly
,
“
but
oh
!
I
am
glad
you
are
here
,
Fanny
!
”
Nothing
could
of
course
be
fixed
till
the
Major
had
“
seen
about
it
.
”
After
which
he
was
to
come
to
let
Lady
Temple
know
the
result
;
but
she
believed
he
would
first
go
to
Scotland
to
see
his
brother
.
He
and
his
brother
were
the
only
survivors
of
a
large
family
,
and
he
had
been
on
foreign
service
for
twelve
years
,
so
that
it
would
be
very
selfish
to
wish
him
not
to
take
full
time
at
home
.
“
Selfish
,
”
thought
Rachel
;
“
if
he
will
only
stay
away
long
enough
,
you
shall
learn
,
my
dear
,
how
well
you
can
do
without
him
!
”
The
boys
had
interrupted
the
conversation
less
than
the
previous
one
,
because
the
lesser
ones
were
asleep
,
or
walking
out
,
and
the
elder
ones
having
learnt
that
a
new
week
was
to
be
begun
steadily
with
lessons
,
thought
it
advisable
to
bring
themselves
as
little
into
notice
as
possible
;
but
fate
was
sure
to
pursue
them
sooner
or
later
,
for
Rachel
had
come
down
resolved
on
testing
their
acquirements
,
and
deciding
on
the
method
to
be
pursued
with
them
;
and
though
their
mamma
,
with
a
curtain
instinctive
shrinking
both
for
them
and
for
herself
,
had
put
off
the
ordeal
to
the
utmost
by
listening
to
all
the
counsel
about
her
affairs
,
it
was
not
to
be
averted
.
“
Now
,
Fanny
,
since
it
seems
that
more
cannot
be
done
at
present
,
let
us
see
about
the
children’s
education
.
Where
are
their
books
?
”
“
We
have
very
few
books
,
”
said
Fanny
,
hesitating
;
“
we
had
not
much
choice
where
we
were
.
”
“
You
should
have
written
to
me
for
a
selection
.
”
“
Why
—
so
we
would
,
but
there
was
always
a
talk
of
sending
Conrade
and
Francis
home
.
I
am
afraid
you
will
think
them
very
backward
,
dear
Rachel
,
especially
Francie
;
but
it
is
not
their
fault
,
dear
children
,
and
they
are
not
used
to
strangers
,
”
added
Fanny
,
nervously
.
“
I
do
not
mean
to
be
a
stranger
,
”
said
Rachel
.
And
while
Fanny
,
in
confusion
,
made
loving
protestations
about
not
meaning
that
,
Rachel
stepped
out
upon
the
lawn
,
and
in
her
clear
voice
called
“
Conrade
,
Francis
!
”
No
answer
.
She
called
“
Conrade
”
again
,
and
louder
,
then
turned
round
with
“
where
can
they
be
—
not
gone
down
on
the
beach
?
”
“
Oh
,
dear
no
,
I
trust
not
,
”
said
the
mother
,
flurried
,
and
coming
to
the
window
with
a
call
that
seemed
to
Rachel’s
ears
like
the
roar
of
a
sucking
dove
.
But
from
behind
the
bushes
forth
came
the
two
young
gentlemen
,
their
black
garments
considerably
streaked
with
the
green
marks
of
laurel
climbing
.
“
Oh
,
my
dears
,
what
figures
you
are
!
Go
to
Coombe
and
get
yourselves
brushed
,
and
wash
your
hands
,
and
then
come
down
,
and
bring
your
lesson
books
.
”
Rachel
prognosticated
that
these
preparations
would
be
made
the
occasion
,
of
much
waste
of
time
;
but
she
was
answered
,
and
with
rather
surprised
eyes
,
that
they
had
never
been
allowed
to
come
into
the
drawing-room
without
looking
like
little
gentlemen
.
“
But
you
are
not
living
in
state
here
,
”
said
Rachel
;
“
I
never
could
enter
into
the
cult
some
people
,
mamma
especially
,
pay
to
their
drawing-room
.
”
“
The
Major
used
to
be
very
particular
about
their
not
coming
to
sit
down
untidy
,
”
said
Fanny
.
“
He
said
it
was
not
good
for
anybody
.
”
Martinet
!
thought
Rachel
,
nearly
ready
to
advocate
the
boys
making
no
toilette
at
any
time
;
and
the
present
was
made
to
consume
so
much
time
that
,
urged
by
her
,
Fanny
once
more
was
obliged
to
summon
her
boys
and
their
books
.
It
was
not
an
extensive
school
library
—
a
Latin
grammar
an
extremely
dilapidated
spelling-book
,
and
the
fourth
volume
of
Mrs.
Marcet’s
“
Little
Willie
.
”
The
other
three
—
one
was
unaccounted
for
,
but
Cyril
had
torn
up
the
second
,
and
Francis
had
thrown
the
first
overboard
in
a
passion
.
Rachel
looked
in
dismay
.
“
I
don’t
know
what
can
be
done
with
these
!
”
she
said
.
“
Oh
,
then
we’ll
have
holidays
till
we
have
got
books
,
mamma
,
”
said
Conrade
,
putting
his
hands
on
the
sofa
,
and
imitating
a
kicking
horse
.
“
It
is
very
necessary
to
see
what
kind
of
books
you
ought
to
have
,
”
returned
Rachel
.
“
How
far
have
you
gone
in
this
?
”
“
I
say
,
mamma
,
”
reiterated
Conrade
,
“
we
can’t
do
lessons
without
books
.
”
“
Attend
to
what
your
Aunt
Rachel
says
,
my
dear
;
she
wants
to
find
out
what
books
you
should
have
.
”
“
Yes
,
let
me
examine
you
.
”
Conrade
came
most
inconveniently
close
to
her
;
she
pushed
her
chair
back
;
he
came
after
her
.
His
mother
uttered
a
remonstrating
,
“
My
dear
!
”
“
I
thought
she
wanted
to
examine
me
,
”
quoth
Conrade
.
“
When
Dr.
M’Vicar
examines
a
thing
,
he
puts
it
under
a
microscope
.
”
It
was
said
gravely
,
and
whether
it
were
malice
or
simplicity
,
Rachel
was
perfectly
unable
to
divine
,
but
she
thought
anyway
that
Fanny
had
no
business
to
laugh
,
and
explaining
the
species
of
examination
that
she
intended
,
she
went
to
work
.
In
her
younger
days
she
had
worked
much
at
schools
,
and
was
really
an
able
and
spirited
teacher
,
liking
the
occupation
;
and
laying
hold
of
the
first
book
in
her
way
,
she
requested
Conrade
to
read
.
He
obeyed
,
but
in
such
a
detestable
gabble
that
she
looked
up
appealingly
to
Fanny
,
who
suggested
,
“
My
dear
,
you
can
read
better
than
that
.
”
He
read
four
lines
,
not
badly
,
but
then
broke
off
,
“
Mamma
,
are
not
we
to
have
ponies
?
Coombe
heard
of
a
pony
this
morning
;
it
is
to
be
seen
at
the
‘Jolly
Mariner
,
’
and
he
will
take
us
to
look
at
it
.
”
“
The
‘Jolly
Mariner
!
’
It
is
a
dreadful
place
,
Fanny
,
you
never
will
let
them
go
there
?
”
“
My
dear
,
the
Major
will
see
about
your
ponies
when
he
comes
.
”
“
We
will
send
the
coachman
down
to
inquire
,
”
added
Rachel
.
“
He
is
only
a
civilian
,
and
the
Major
always
chooses
our
horses
,
”
said
Conrade
.
“
And
I
am
to
have
one
too
,
mamma
,
”
added
Francis
.
“
You
know
I
have
been
out
four
times
with
the
staff
,
and
the
Major
said
I
could
ride
as
well
as
Con
!
”
“
Reading
is
what
is
wanted
now
,
my
dear
,
go
on
.
”
Five
lines
more
;
but
Francis
and
his
mother
were
whispering
together
,
and
of
course
Conrade
stopped
to
listen
.
Rachel
saw
there
was
no
hope
but
in
getting
him
alone
,
and
at
his
mother’s
reluctant
desire
,
he
followed
her
to
the
dining-room
;
but
there
he
turned
dogged
and
indifferent
,
made
a
sort
of
feint
of
doing
what
he
was
told
,
but
whether
she
tried
him
in
arithmetic
,
Latin
,
or
dictation
,
he
made
such
ludicrous
blunders
as
to
leave
her
in
perplexity
whether
they
arose
from
ignorance
or
impertinence
.
His
spelling
was
phonetic
to
the
highest
degree
,
and
though
he
owned
to
having
done
sums
,
he
would
not
,
or
did
not
answer
the
simplest
question
in
mental
arithmetic
.
“
Five
apples
and
eight
apples
,
come
,
Conrade
,
what
will
they
make
?
”
“
A
pie
.
”
That
was
the
hopeful
way
in
which
the
examination
proceeded
,
and
when
Rachel
attempted
to
say
that
his
mother
would
be
much
displeased
,
he
proceeded
to
tumble
head
over
heels
all
round
the
room
,
as
if
he
knew
better
;
which
performance
broke
up
the
seance
,
with
a
resolve
on
her
part
that
when
she
had
the
books
she
would
not
be
so
beaten
.
She
tried
Francis
,
but
he
really
did
know
next
to
nothing
,
and
whenever
he
came
to
a
word
above
five
letters
long
stopped
short
,
and
when
told
to
spell
it
,
said
,
“
Mamma
never
made
him
spell
;
”
also
muttering
something
depreciating
about
civilians
.
Rachel
was
a
woman
of
perseverance
.
She
went
to
the
bookseller’s
,
and
obtained
a
fair
amount
of
books
,
which
she
ordered
to
be
sent
to
Lady
Temple’s
.
But
when
she
came
down
the
next
morning
,
the
parcel
was
nowhere
to
be
found
.
There
was
a
grand
interrogation
,
and
at
last
it
turned
out
to
have
been
safely
deposited
in
an
empty
dog-kennel
in
the
back
yard
.
It
was
very
hard
on
Rachel
that
Fanny
giggled
like
a
school-girl
,
and
even
though
ashamed
of
herself
and
her
sons
,
could
not
find
voice
to
scold
them
respectably
.
No
wonder
,
after
such
encouragement
,
that
Rachel
found
her
mission
no
sinecure
,
and
felt
at
the
end
of
her
morning’s
work
much
as
if
she
had
been
driving
pigs
to
market
,
though
the
repetition
was
imposing
on
the
boys
a
sort
of
sense
of
fate
and
obedience
,
and
there
was
less
active
resistance
,
though
learning
it
was
not
,
only
letting
teaching
be
thrown
at
them
.
All
the
rest
of
the
day
,
except
those
two
hours
,
they
ran
wild
about
the
house
,
garden
,
and
beach
—
the
latter
place
under
the
inspection
of
Coombe
,
whom
,
since
the
“
Jolly
Mariner
”
proposal
,
Rachel
did
not
in
the
least
trust
;
all
the
less
when
she
heard
that
Major
Keith
,
whose
soldier-servant
he
had
originally
been
,
thought
very
highly
of
him
.
A
call
at
Myrtlewood
was
formidable
from
the
bear-garden
sounds
,
and
delicate
as
Lady
Temple
was
considered
to
be
,
unable
to
walk
or
bear
fatigue
,
she
never
appeared
to
be
incommoded
by
the
uproar
in
which
she
lived
,
and
had
even
been
seen
careering
about
the
nursery
,
or
running
about
the
garden
,
in
a
way
that
Grace
and
Rachel
thought
would
tire
a
strong
woman
.
As
to
a
tete-a-tete
with
her
,
it
was
never
secured
by
anything
short
of
Rachel’s
strong
will
,
for
the
children
were
always
with
her
,
and
she
went
to
bed
,
or
at
any
rate
to
her
own
room
,
when
they
did
,
and
she
was
so
perfectly
able
to
play
and
laugh
with
them
that
her
cousins
scarcely
thought
her
sufficiently
depressed
,
and
comparing
her
with
what
their
own
mother
had
been
after
ten
months’
widowhood
,
agreed
that
after
all
“
she
had
been
very
young
,
and
Sir
Stephen
very
old
,
and
perhaps
too
much
must
not
be
expected
of
her
.
”
“
The
grand
passion
of
her
life
is
yet
to
come
,
”
said
Rachel
.
“
I
hope
not
,
”
said
Grace
.
“
You
may
be
certain
of
that
,
”
said
Rachel
.
“
Feminine
women
always
have
it
one
time
or
other
in
their
lives
;
only
superior
ones
are
exempt
.
But
I
hope
I
may
have
influence
enough
to
carry
her
past
it
,
and
prevent
her
taking
any
step
that
might
be
injurious
to
the
children
.
”
CHAPTER
II
.
RACHEL’S
DISCIPLINE
“
Thought
is
free
,
as
sages
tells
us
—
Free
to
rove
,
and
free
to
soar
;
But
affection
lives
in
bondage
,
That
enthrals
her
more
and
more
.
”
JEAN
INGELOW
.
An
old
friend
lived
in
the
neighbourhood
who
remembered
Fanny’s
father
,
and
was
very
anxious
to
see
her
again
,
though
not
able
to
leave
the
house
.
So
the
first
day
that
it
was
fine
enough
for
Mrs.
Curtis
to
venture
out
,
she
undertook
to
convey
Fanny
to
call
upon
her
,
and
was
off
with
a
wonderfully
moderate
allowance
of
children
,
only
the
two
youngest
boys
outside
with
their
maid
.
This
drive
brought
more
to
light
about
Fanny’s
past
way
of
life
and
feelings
than
had
ever
yet
appeared
.
Rachel
had
never
elicited
nearly
so
much
as
seemed
to
have
come
forth
spontaneously
to
the
aunt
,
who
had
never
in
old
times
been
Fanny’s
confidante
.
Fanny’s
life
had
been
almost
a
prolonged
childhood
.
From
the
moment
of
her
marriage
with
the
kind
old
General
,
he
and
her
mother
had
conspired
to
make
much
of
her
;
all
the
more
that
she
was
almost
constantly
disabled
by
her
state
of
health
,
and
was
kept
additionally
languid
and
helpless
by
the
effects
of
climate
.
Her
mother
had
managed
her
household
,
and
she
had
absolutely
had
no
care
,
no
duty
at
all
but
to
be
affectionate
and
grateful
,
and
to
be
pretty
and
gracious
at
the
dinner
parties
.
Even
in
her
mother’s
short
and
sudden
illness
,
the
one
thought
of
both
the
patient
and
the
General
had
been
to
spare
Fanny
,
and
she
had
been
scarcely
made
aware
of
the
danger
,
and
not
allowed
to
witness
the
suffering
.
The
chivalrous
old
man
who
had
taken
on
himself
the
charge
of
her
,
still
regarded
the
young
mother
of
his
children
as
almost
as
much
of
a
baby
herself
,
and
devoted
himself
all
the
more
to
sparing
her
trouble
,
and
preventing
her
from
feeling
more
thrown
upon
her
by
her
mother’s
death
.
The
notion
of
training
her
to
act
alone
never
even
occurred
to
him
,
and
when
he
was
thrown
from
his
horse
,
and
carried
into
a
wayside-hut
to
die
,
his
first
orders
were
that
no
hurried
message
might
be
sent
to
her
,
lest
she
might
be
startled
and
injured
by
the
attempt
to
come
to
him
.
All
he
could
do
for
her
was
to
leave
her
in
the
charge
of
his
military
secretary
,
who
had
long
been
as
a
son
to
him
.
Fanny
told
her
aunt
with
loving
detail
all
that
she
had
heard
from
Major
Keith
of
the
brave
old
man’s
calm
and
resigned
end
—
too
full
of
trust
even
to
be
distressed
with
alarms
for
the
helpless
young
wife
and
children
,
but
committing
them
in
full
reliance
to
the
care
of
their
Father
in
heaven
,
and
to
the
present
kindness
of
the
friend
who
stood
by
his
pillow
.
The
will
,
which
not
only
Rachel
but
her
mother
thought
strangely
unguarded
,
had
been
drawn
up
in
haste
,
because
Sir
Stephen’s
family
had
outgrown
the
provisions
of
a
former
one
,
which
had
besides
designated
her
mother
,
and
a
friend
since
dead
,
as
guardians
.
Haste
,
and
the
conscious
want
of
legal
knowledge
,
had
led
to
its
being
made
as
simple
as
possible
,
and
as
it
was
,
Sir
Stephen
had
scarcely
had
the
power
to
sign
it
.
It
was
Major
Keith
who
had
borne
the
tidings
to
the
poor
little
widow
,
and
had
taken
the
sole
care
of
the
boys
during
the
sad
weeks
of
care
utter
prostration
and
illness
.
Female
friends
were
with
her
,
and
tended
her
affectionately
,
but
if
exertion
or
thought
were
required
of
her
,
the
Major
had
to
be
called
to
her
sofa
to
awaken
her
faculties
,
and
she
always
awoke
to
attend
to
his
wishes
,
as
though
he
were
the
channel
of
her
husband’s
.
This
state
of
things
ended
with
the
birth
of
the
little
girl
,
the
daughter
that
Sir
Stephen
had
so
much
wished
for
,
coming
too
late
to
be
welcomed
by
him
,
but
awakening
her
mother
to
tearful
joy
and
renewed
powers
of
life
.
The
nine
months
of
little
Stephana’s
life
had
been
a
tone
of
continual
change
and
variety
,
of
new
interests
and
occupations
,
and
of
the
resumption
of
a
feeling
of
health
which
had
scarcely
been
tasted
since
the
first
plunge
into
warm
climates
.
Perhaps
it
was
unreasonable
to
expect
to
find
Fanny
broken
down
;
and
she
talked
in
her
own
simple
way
with
abundant
overflowing
affection
of
her
husband
;
but
even
Mrs.
Curtis
thought
it
was
to
her
more
like
the
loss
of
her
own
father
than
of
the
father
of
her
children
;
and
though
not
in
the
least
afraid
of
anything
unbecoming
in
her
gentle
,
retiring
Fanny
,
still
felt
that
it
was
more
the
charge
of
a
girl
than
of
a
widow
,
dreaded
the
boys
,
dreaded
their
fate
,
and
dreaded
the
Major
more
.
During
this
drive
,
Grace
and
Rachel
had
the
care
of
the
elder
boys
,
whom
Rachel
thought
safer
in
her
keeping
than
in
Coombe’s
.
A
walk
along
the
cliffs
was
one
resource
for
their
amusement
,
but
it
resulted
in
Conrade’s
climbing
into
the
most
break-neck
places
,
by
preference
selecting
those
that
Rachel
called
him
out
of
,
and
as
all
the
others
thought
it
necessary
to
go
after
him
,
the
jeopardy
of
Leoline
and
Hubert
became
greater
than
it
was
possible
to
permit
;
so
Grace
took
them
by
the
hands
,
and
lured
them
home
with
promises
of
an
introduction
to
certain
white
rabbits
at
the
lodge
.
After
their
departure
,
their
brothers
became
infinitely
more
obstreperous
.
Whether
it
were
that
Conrade
had
some
slight
amount
of
consideration
for
the
limbs
of
his
lesser
followers
,
or
whether
the
fact
were
—
what
Rachel
did
not
remotely
imagine
—
that
he
was
less
utterly
unmanageable
with
her
sister
than
with
herself
,
certain
it
is
that
the
brothers
went
into
still
more
intolerable
places
,
and
treated
their
guardian
as
ducklings
treat
an
old
hen
.
At
last
they
quite
disappeared
from
the
view
round
a
projecting
point
of
rock
,
and
when
she
turned
it
,
she
found
a
battle
royal
going
on
over
an
old
lobster-pot
—
Conrade
hand
to
hand
with
a
stout
fisher-boy
,
and
Francis
and
sundry
amphibious
creatures
of
both
sexes
exchanging
a
hail
of
stones
,
water-smoothed
brick-bats
,
cockle-shells
,
fishes’
backbones
,
and
other
unsavoury
missiles
.
Abstractedly
,
Rachel
had
her
theory
that
young
gentlemen
had
better
scramble
their
way
among
their
poor
neighbours
,
and
become
used
to
all
ranks
;
but
when
it
came
to
witnessing
an
actual
skirmish
when
she
was
responsible
for
Fanny’s
sons
,
it
was
needful
to
interfere
,
and
in
equal
dismay
and
indignation
she
came
round
the
point
.
The
light
artillery
fled
at
her
aspect
,
and
she
had
to
catch
Francis’s
arm
in
the
act
of
discharging
after
them
a
cuttlefish’s
white
spine
,
with
a
sharp
“
For
shame
,
they
are
running
away
!
Conrade
,
Zack
,
have
done
!
”
Zack
was
one
of
her
own
scholars
,
and
held
her
in
respect
.
He
desisted
at
once
,
and
with
a
touch
of
his
rough
forelock
,
looked
sheepish
,
and
said
,
“
Please
ma’am
,
he
was
meddling
with
our
lobster-pot
.
”
“
I
wasn’t
doing
any
harm
,
”
said
Conrade
.
“
I
was
just
looking
in
,
and
they
all
came
and
shied
stones
at
us
.
”
“
I
don’t
care
how
the
quarrel
began
,
”
said
Rachel
.
“
You
would
not
have
run
into
it
if
you
had
been
behaving
properly
.
Zack
was
quite
right
to
protect
his
father’s
property
,
but
he
might
have
been
more
civil
.
Now
shake
hands
,
and
have
done
with
it
.
”
“
Not
shake
hands
with
a
low
boy
,
”
growled
Francis
.
But
happily
Conrade
was
of
a
freer
spirit
,
and
in
spite
of
Rachel’s
interference
,
had
sense
enough
to
know
himself
in
the
wrong
.
He
held
out
his
hand
,
and
when
the
ceremony
had
been
gone
through
,
put
his
hands
in
his
pockets
,
produced
a
shilling
,
and
said
,
“
There
,
that’s
in
case
I
did
the
thing
any
harm
.
”
Rachel
would
have
preferred
Zachary’s
being
above
its
acceptance
,
but
he
was
not
,
and
she
was
thankful
that
a
wood
path
offend
itself
,
leading
through
the
Homestead
plantations
away
from
the
temptations
and
perils
of
the
shore
.
That
the
two
boys
,
instead
of
listening
to
her
remonstrance
,
took
to
punching
and
kicking
one
another
,
was
a
mitigated
form
of
evil
for
which
she
willingly
compounded
,
having
gone
through
so
much
useless
interference
already
,
that
she
felt
as
if
she
had
no
spirit
left
to
keep
the
peace
,
and
that
they
must
settle
their
little
affairs
between
themselves
.
It
was
the
most
innocent
diversion
in
which
she
could
hope
to
see
them
indulge
.
She
only
desired
that
it
might
last
them
past
a
thrush’s
nest
,
in
the
hedge
between
the
park
and
plantation
,
a
somewhat
treasured
discovery
of
Grace’s
.
No
such
good
luck
.
Either
the
thrush’s
imprudence
or
Grace’s
visits
had
made
the
nest
dangerously
visible
,
and
it
was
proclaimed
with
a
shout
.
Rachel
,
in
hot
haste
,
warned
them
against
taking
birds’-nests
in
general
,
and
that
in
particular
.
“
Nests
are
made
to
be
taken
,
”
said
Francis
.
“
I’ve
got
an
egg
of
all
the
Australian
birds
the
Major
could
get
me
,
”
said
Conrade
,
“
and
I
mean
to
have
all
the
English
ones
.
”
“
Oh
,
one
egg
;
there’s
no
harm
in
taking
that
;
but
this
nest
has
young
birds
.
”
The
young
birds
must
of
course
be
seen
,
and
Rachel
stood
by
with
despairing
frowns
,
commands
,
and
assurances
of
their
mother’s
displeasure
,
while
they
peeped
in
,
tantalized
the
gaping
yellow
throats
,
by
holding
up
their
fingers
,
and
laid
hands
on
the
side
of
the
nest
,
peeping
at
her
with
laughing
,
mischievous
eyes
,
enjoying
her
distress
.
She
was
glad
at
last
to
find
them
coming
away
without
the
nest
,
and
after
crossing
the
park
,
arrived
at
the
house
,
tired
out
,
but
with
two
hours
of
the
boys
still
on
her
hands
.
They
,
however
,
were
a
little
tired
,
too
;
and
,
further
,
Grace
had
hunted
out
the
old
bowls
,
much
to
the
delight
of
the
younger
ones
.
This
sport
lasted
a
good
while
,
but
at
last
the
sisters
,
who
had
relaxed
their
attention
a
little
,
perceived
that
Conrade
and
Hubert
were
both
missing
,
and
on
Rachel’s
inquiry
where
they
were
,
she
received
from
Francis
that
elegant
stock
answer
,
“
in
their
skins
.
”
However
,
they
came
to
light
in
process
of
time
,
the
two
mothers
returned
home
,
and
Mrs.
Curtis
and
Grace
had
the
conversation
almost
in
their
own
hands
.
Rachel
was
too
much
tired
to
do
anything
but
read
the
new
number
of
her
favourite
“
Traveller’s
Magazine
,
”
listening
to
her
mother
with
one
ear
,
and
gathering
additional
impressions
of
Sir
Stephen
Temple’s
imprudence
,
and
the
need
of
their
own
vigilance
.
To
make
Fanny
feel
that
she
could
lean
upon
some
one
besides
the
military
secretary
,
seemed
to
be
the
great
object
,
and
she
was
so
confiding
and
affectionate
with
her
own
kin
,
that
there
were
great
hopes
.
Those
boys
were
an
infliction
,
no
doubt
,
but
,
thought
Rachel
,
“
there
is
always
an
ordeal
at
the
beginning
of
one’s
mission
.
I
am
mastering
them
by
degrees
,
and
should
do
so
sooner
if
I
had
them
in
my
own
hands
,
and
no
more
worthy
task
can
be
done
than
training
human
beings
for
their
work
in
this
world
,
so
I
must
be
willing
to
go
through
a
little
while
I
bring
them
into
order
,
and
fit
their
mother
for
managing
them
.
”
She
spent
the
time
before
breakfast
the
next
morning
in
a
search
among
the
back
numbers
of
the
“
Traveller’s
Magazine
”
for
a
paper
upon
“
Educational
Laws
,
”
which
she
thought
would
be
very
good
reading
for
Fanny
.
Her
search
had
been
just
completed
when
Grace
returned
home
from
church
,
looking
a
good
deal
distressed
.
“
My
poor
thrushes
have
not
escaped
,
Rachel
,
”
she
said
;
“
I
came
home
that
way
to
see
how
they
were
going
on
,
and
the
nest
is
torn
out
,
one
poor
little
fellow
lying
dead
below
it
.
”
“
Well
,
that
is
much
worse
than
I
expected
!
”
burst
out
Rachel
.
“
I
did
think
that
boy
Conrade
would
at
least
keep
his
promises
.
”
And
she
detailed
the
adventure
of
the
previous
day
,
whence
the
conclusion
was
but
too
evident
.
Grace
,
however
,
said
in
her
own
sweet
manner
that
she
believed
boys
could
not
resist
a
nest
,
and
thought
it
mere
womanhood
to
intercede
for
such
lawful
game
.
She
thought
it
would
be
best
to
take
no
notice
,
it
would
only
distress
Fanny
and
make
“
the
mother
”
more
afraid
of
the
boys
than
she
was
already
,
and
she
doubted
the
possibility
of
bringing
it
home
to
the
puerile
conscience
.
“
That
is
weak
!
”
said
Rachel
.
“
I
received
the
boy’s
word
,
and
it
is
my
business
to
deal
with
the
breach
of
promise
.
”
So
down
went
Rachel
,
and
finding
the
boys
rushing
about
the
garden
,
according
to
their
practice
,
before
her
arrival
,
she
summoned
Conrade
,
and
addressed
him
with
,
“
Well
,
Conrade
,
I
knew
that
you
were
violent
and
disobedient
,
but
I
never
expected
you
to
fail
in
your
honour
as
a
gentleman
.
”
“
I’ll
thrash
any
one
who
says
I
have
,
”
hotly
exclaimed
Conrade
.
“
Then
you
must
thrash
me
.
You
gave
your
word
to
me
not
to
take
your
Aunt
Grace’s
thrush’s
nest
.
”
“
And
I
didn’t
,
”
said
Conrade
,
boldly
.
But
Rachel
,
used
to
flat
denials
at
the
village-school
,
was
not
to
be
thus
set
aside
.
“
I
am
shocked
at
you
,
Conrade
,
”
she
said
.
“
I
know
your
mamma
will
be
exceedingly
grieved
.
You
must
have
fallen
into
very
sad
ways
to
be
able
to
utter
such
a
bold
untruth
.
You
had
better
confess
at
once
,
and
then
I
shall
have
something
to
tell
her
that
will
comfort
he
.
”
Conrade’s
dark
face
looked
set
as
iron
.
“
Come
;
tell
me
you
are
sorry
you
took
the
nest
,
and
have
broken
your
word
,
and
told
a
falsehood
.
”
Red
colour
flushed
into
the
brown
cheek
,
and
the
hands
were
clenched
.
“
There
is
not
the
smallest
use
in
denying
it
.
I
know
you
took
it
when
you
and
Hubert
went
away
together
.
Your
Aunt
Grace
found
it
gone
this
morning
,
and
one
of
the
poor
little
birds
dead
below
.
What
have
you
done
with
the
others
?
”
Not
a
word
.
“
Then
I
grieve
to
say
I
must
tell
all
to
your
mother
.
”
There
was
a
sort
of
smile
of
defiance
,
and
he
followed
her
.
For
a
moment
she
thought
of
preventing
this
,
and
preparing
Fanny
in
private
,
but
recollecting
that
this
would
give
him
the
opportunity
of
preparing
Hubert
to
support
his
falsehood
,
she
let
him
enter
with
her
,
and
sought
Lady
Temple
in
the
nursery
.
“
Dear
Fanny
,
I
am
very
sorry
to
bring
you
so
much
vexation
.
I
am
afraid
it
will
be
a
bitter
grief
to
you
,
but
it
is
only
for
Conrade’s
own
sake
that
I
do
it
.
It
was
a
cruel
thing
to
take
a
bird’s-nest
at
all
,
but
worse
when
he
knew
that
his
Aunt
Grace
was
particularly
fond
of
it
;
and
,
besides
,
he
had
promised
not
to
touch
it
,
and
now
,
saddest
of
all
,
he
denies
having
done
so
.
”
“
Oh
,
Conrade
,
Conrade
!
”
cried
Fanny
,
quite
confounded
,
“
You
can’t
have
done
like
this
!
”
“
So
,
I
have
not
,
”
said
Conrade
,
coming
up
to
her
,
as
she
held
out
her
hand
,
positively
encouraging
him
,
as
Rachel
thought
,
to
persist
in
the
untruth
.
“
Listen
,
Fanny
,
”
said
Rachel
.
“
I
do
not
wonder
that
you
are
unwilling
to
believe
anything
so
shocking
,
but
I
do
not
come
without
being
only
too
certain
.
”
And
she
gave
the
facts
,
to
which
Fanny
listened
with
pale
cheeks
and
tearful
eyes
,
then
turned
to
the
boy
,
whose
hand
she
had
held
all
the
time
,
and
said
,
“
Dear
Con
,
do
pray
tell
me
if
you
did
it
.
”
“
I
did
not
,
”
said
Conrade
,
wrenching
his
hand
away
,
and
putting
it
behind
his
back
.
“
Where’s
Hubert
?
”
asked
Rachel
,
looking
round
,
and
much
vexed
when
she
perceived
that
Hubert
had
been
within
hearing
all
the
time
,
though
to
be
sure
there
was
some
little
hope
to
be
founded
upon
the
simplicity
of
five
years
old
.
“
Come
here
,
Hubert
dear
,
”
said
his
mother
;
“
don’t
be
frightened
,
only
come
and
tell
me
where
you
and
Con
went
yesterday
,
when
the
others
were
playing
at
bowls
.
”
Hubert
hung
his
head
,
and
looked
at
his
brother
.
“
Tell
,
”
quoth
Conrade
.
“
Never
mind
her
,
she’s
only
a
civilian
.
”
“
Where
did
you
go
,
Hubert
?
”
“
Con
showed
me
the
little
birds
in
their
nest
.
”
“
That
is
right
,
Hubert
,
good
little
boy
.
Did
you
or
he
touch
the
nest
?
”
“
Yes
.
”
Then
,
as
Conrade
started
,
and
looked
fiercely
at
him
,
“
Yes
you
did
,
Con
,
you
touched
the
inside
to
see
what
it
was
made
of
.
”
“
But
what
did
you
do
with
it
?
”
asked
Rachel
.
“
Left
it
there
,
up
in
the
tree
,
”
said
the
little
boy
.
“
There
,
Rachel
!
”
said
the
mother
,
triumphantly
.
“
I
don’t
know
what
you
mean
,
”
said
Rachel
,
angrily
,
“
only
that
Conrade
is
a
worse
boy
than
I
had
thought
him
,
end
has
been
teaching
his
little
brother
falsehood
.
”
The
angry
voice
set
Hubert
crying
,
and
little
Cyril
,
who
was
very
soft-hearted
,
joined
in
chorus
,
followed
by
the
baby
,
who
was
conscious
of
something
very
disagreeable
going
on
in
her
nursery
.
Thereupon
,
after
the
apparently
most
important
business
of
comforting
Miss
Temple
had
been
gone
through
,
the
court
of
justice
adjourned
,
Rachel
opening
the
door
of
Conrade’s
little
room
,
and
recommending
solitary
imprisonment
there
till
he
should
be
brought
to
confession
.
She
did
not
at
all
reckon
on
his
mother
going
in
with
him
,
and
shutting
the
door
after
her
.
It
was
not
the
popular
notion
of
solitary
confinement
,
and
Rachel
was
obliged
to
retire
,
and
wait
in
the
drawing-room
for
a
quarter
of
an
hour
before
Fanny
came
down
,
and
then
it
was
to
say
—
“
Do
you
know
,
Rachel
dear
,
I
am
convinced
that
it
must
be
a
mistake
.
Conrade
assures
me
he
never
touched
the
nest
.
”
“
So
he
persists
in
it
?
”
“
And
indeed
,
Rachel
dear
,
I
cannot
help
believing
him
.
If
it
had
been
Francie
,
now
;
but
I
never
knew
Conrade
tell
an
untruth
in
his
life
.
”
“
You
never
knew
,
because
you
always
believe
him
.
”
“
And
it
is
not
only
me
,
but
I
have
often
heard
the
Major
say
he
could
always
depend
on
Conrade’s
word
.
”
Rachel’s
next
endeavour
was
at
gentle
argument
.
“
It
must
be
dreadful
to
make
such
a
discovery
,
but
it
was
far
worse
to
let
deceit
go
on
undetected
;
and
if
only
they
were
firm
—
”
At
that
moment
she
beheld
two
knickerbocker
boys
prancing
on
the
lawn
.
“
Didn’t
you
lock
the
door
?
Has
he
broken
out
?
How
audacious
!
”
“
I
let
him
come
out
,
”
said
Fanny
;
“
there
was
nothing
to
shut
him
up
for
.
I
beg
your
pardon
,
dear
Rachel
;
I
am
very
sony
for
the
poor
little
birds
and
for
Grace
,
but
I
am
sure
Conrade
did
not
take
it
.
”
“
How
can
you
be
so
unreasonable
,
Fanny
—
the
evidence
,
”
and
Rachel
went
over
it
all
again
.
“
Don’t
you
think
,
”
said
Fanny
,
“
that
some
boy
may
have
got
into
the
park
?
”
“
My
dear
Fanny
,
I
am
sorry
for
you
,
it
is
quite
out
of
the
question
to
think
so
;
the
place
is
not
a
stone’s-throw
from
Randall’s
lodge
.
It
will
be
the
most
fatal
thing
in
the
world
to
let
your
weakness
be
imposed
on
in
this
way
.
Now
that
the
case
is
clear
,
the
boy
must
be
forced
to
confession
,
and
severely
punished
.
”
Fanny
burst
into
tears
.
“
I
am
very
sorry
for
you
,
Fanny
.
I
know
it
is
very
painful
;
I
assure
you
it
is
so
to
me
.
Perhaps
it
would
be
best
if
I
were
to
lock
him
up
,
and
go
from
time
to
time
to
see
if
he
is
come
to
a
better
mind
.
”
She
rose
up
.
“
No
,
no
,
Rachel
!
”
absolutely
screamed
Fanny
,
starting
up
,
“
my
boy
hasn’t
done
anything
wrong
,
and
I
won’t
have
him
locked
up
!
Go
away
!
If
anything
is
to
be
done
to
my
boys
,
I’ll
do
it
myself
:
they
haven’t
got
any
one
but
me
.
Oh
,
I
wish
the
Major
would
come
!
”
“
Fanny
,
how
can
you
be
so
foolish
?
—
as
if
I
would
hurt
your
boys
!
”
“
But
you
won’t
believe
Conrade
—
my
Conrade
,
that
never
told
a
falsehood
in
his
life
!
”
cried
the
mother
,
with
a
flush
in
her
cheeks
and
a
bright
glance
in
her
soft
eyes
.
“
You
want
me
to
punish
him
for
what
he
hasn’t
done
.
”
“
How
much
alike
mothers
are
in
all
classes
of
life
,
”
thought
Rachel
,
and
much
in
the
way
in
which
she
would
have
brought
Zack’s
mother
to
reason
by
threats
of
expulsion
from
the
shoe-club
,
she
observed
,
“
Well
Fanny
,
one
thing
is
clear
,
while
you
are
so
weak
as
to
let
that
boy
go
on
in
his
deceit
,
unrepentant
and
unpunished
,
I
can
have
no
more
to
do
with
his
education
.
”
“
Indeed
,
”
softly
said
Fanny
,
“
I
am
afraid
so
,
Rachel
.
You
have
taken
a
great
deal
of
trouble
,
but
Conrade
declares
he
will
never
say
a
lesson
to
you
again
,
and
I
don’t
quite
see
how
to
make
him
after
this
.
”
“
Oh
,
very
well
;
then
there’s
an
end
of
it
.
I
am
sorry
for
you
,
Fanny
.
”
And
away
walked
Rachel
,
and
as
she
went
towards
the
gate
two
artificial
jets
d’eau
,
making
a
considerable
curve
in
the
air
,
alighted
,
the
one
just
before
her
,
the
other
,
better
aimed
,
in
the
back
of
her
neck
.
She
had
too
much
dignity
to
charge
back
upon
the
offenders
,
but
she
went
home
full
of
the
story
of
Fanny’s
lamentable
weakness
,
and
prognostications
of
the
misery
she
was
entailing
on
herself
.
Her
mother
and
sister
were
both
much
concerned
,
and
thought
Fanny
extremely
foolish
;
Mrs.
Curtis
consoling
herself
with
the
hope
that
the
boys
would
be
cured
and
tamed
at
school
,
and
begging
that
they
might
never
be
let
loose
in
the
park
again
.
Rachel
could
not
dwell
much
longer
on
the
matter
,
for
she
had
to
ride
to
Upper
Avon
Park
to
hold
council
on
the
books
to
be
ordered
for
the
book-club
;
for
if
she
did
got
go
herself
,
whatever
she
wanted
especially
was
always
set
aside
as
too
something
or
other
for
the
rest
of
the
subscribers
.
Mrs.
Curtis
was
tired
,
and
stayed
at
home
;
and
Grace
spent
the
afternoon
in
investigations
about
the
harrying
of
the
thrushes
,
but
,
alas
!
without
coming
a
bit
nearer
the
truth
.
Nothing
was
seen
or
heard
of
Lady
Temple
till
,
at
half-past
nine
,
one
of
the
midges
,
or
diminutive
flies
used
at
Avonmonth
,
came
to
the
door
,
and
Fanny
came
into
the
drawing-room
—
wan
,
tearful
,
agitated
.
“
Dear
Rachel
,
I
am
so
afraid
I
was
hasty
,
I
could
not
sleep
without
coming
to
tell
you
how
sorry
I
am
.
”
“
Then
you
are
convinced
?
I
knew
you
would
be
.
”
“
Oh
,
yes
,
I
have
just
been
sitting
by
him
after
he
was
gone
to
bed
.
He
never
goes
to
sleep
till
I
have
done
that
,
and
he
always
tells
me
if
anything
is
on
his
mind
.
I
could
not
ask
him
again
,
it
would
have
been
insulting
him
;
but
he
went
over
it
all
of
himself
,
and
owned
he
ought
not
to
have
put
a
finger
on
the
edge
of
the
nest
,
but
he
wanted
so
to
see
what
it
was
lined
with
;
otherwise
he
never
touched
it
.
He
says
,
poor
boy
,
that
it
was
only
your
being
a
civilian
that
made
you
not
able
to
believe
him
,
I
am
sure
you
must
believe
him
now
.
”
Mrs.
Curtis
began
,
in
her
gentle
way
,
about
the
difficulty
of
believing
one’s
children
in
fault
,
but
Lady
Temple
was
entirely
past
accepting
the
possibility
of
Conrade’s
being
to
blame
in
this
particular
instance
.
It
made
her
bristle
up
again
,
so
that
even
Rachel
saw
the
impossibility
of
pressing
it
,
and
trusted
to
some
signal
confutation
to
cure
her
of
her
infatuation
.
But
she
was
as
affectionate
as
ever
,
only
wanting
to
be
forgiven
for
the
morning’s
warmth
,
and
to
assure
dear
Aunt
Curtis
,
dear
Grace
,
and
dearest
Rachel
in
particular
,
that
there
was
no
doing
without
them
,
and
it
was
the
greatest
blessing
to
be
near
them
.
“
Oh
!
and
the
squirting
,
dear
Rachel
!
I
was
so
sorry
when
I
found
it
out
,
it
was
only
Francie
and
Leo
.
I
was
very
angry
with
them
for
it
,
and
I
should
like
to
make
them
ask
pardon
,
only
I
don’t
think
Francie
would
.
I’m
afraid
they
are
very
rude
boys
.
I
must
write
to
the
Major
to
find
me
a
governess
that
won’t
be
very
strict
with
them
,
and
if
she
could
be
an
officer’s
daughter
,
the
boys
would
respect
her
so
much
more
.
”
CHAPTER
III
.
MACKAREL
LANE
“
For
I
would
lonely
stand
Uplifting
my
white
hand
,
On
a
mission
,
on
a
mission
,
To
declare
the
coming
vision
.
”
ELIZABETH
BARRETT
BROWNING
.
“
Well
,
Grace
,
all
things
considered
,
perhaps
I
had
better
walk
down
with
you
to
Mackarel
Lane
,
and
then
I
can
form
a
judgment
on
these
Williamses
without
committing
Fanny
.
”
“
Then
you
do
not
intend
to
go
on
teaching
?
”
“
Not
while
Conrade
continues
to
brave
me
,
and
is
backed
up
by
poor
Fanny
.
”
“
I
might
speak
to
Miss
Williams
after
church
,
and
bring
her
in
to
Myrtlewood
for
Fanny
to
see
.
”
“
Yes
,
that
might
do
in
time
;
but
I
shall
make
up
my
mind
first
.
Poor
Fanny
is
so
easily
led
that
we
must
take
care
what
influences
fall
in
her
way
.
”
“
I
always
wished
you
would
call
.
”
“
Yes
,
and
I
would
not
by
way
of
patronage
to
please
Mr.
Touchett
,
but
this
is
for
a
purpose
;
and
I
hope
we
shall
find
both
sisters
at
home
.
”
Mackarel
Lane
was
at
right
angles
to
the
shore
,
running
up
the
valley
of
the
Avon
;
but
it
soon
ceased
to
be
fishy
,
and
became
agricultural
,
owning
a
few
cottages
of
very
humble
gentility
,
which
were
wont
to
hang
out
boards
to
attract
lodgers
of
small
means
.
At
one
of
these
Grace
rang
,
and
obtained
admittance
to
a
parlour
with
crazy
French
windows
opening
on
a
little
strip
of
garden
.
In
a
large
wheeled
chair
,
between
the
fire
and
the
window
,
surrounded
by
numerous
little
appliances
for
comfort
and
occupation
,
sat
the
invalid
Miss
Williams
,
holding
out
her
hand
in
welcome
to
the
guests
.
“
A
fine
countenance
!
what
one
calls
a
fine
countenance
!
”
thought
Rachel
.
“
Is
it
a
delusion
of
insipidity
as
usual
?
The
brow
is
good
,
massive
,
too
much
for
the
features
,
but
perhaps
they
were
fuller
once
;
eyes
bright
and
vigorous
,
hazel
,
the
colour
for
thought
;
complexion
meant
to
be
brilliant
brunette
,
a
pleasant
glow
still
;
hair
with
threads
of
grey
.
I
hope
she
does
not
affect
youth
;
she
can’t
be
less
than
one
or
two
and
thirty
!
Many
people
set
up
for
beauties
with
far
less
claim
.
What
is
the
matter
with
her
?
It
is
not
the
countenance
of
deformity
—
accident
,
I
should
say
.
Yes
,
it
is
all
favourable
except
the
dress
.
What
a
material
;
what
a
pattern
!
Did
she
get
it
second-hand
from
a
lady’s-maid
?
Will
there
be
an
incongruity
in
her
conversation
to
match
?
Let
us
see
.
Grace
making
inquiries
—
Quite
at
my
best
—
Ah
!
she
is
not
one
of
the
morbid
sort
,
never
thinking
themselves
better
.
”
“
I
was
afraid
,
I
had
not
seen
you
out
for
some
time
.
”
“
No
;
going
out
is
a
troublesome
business
,
and
sitting
in
the
garden
answers
the
same
purpose
.
”
“
Of
air
,
perhaps
,
but
hardly
of
change
or
of
view
.
”
“
Oh
!
I
assure
you
there
is
a
wonderful
variety
,
”
she
answered
,
with
an
eager
and
brilliant
smile
.
“
Clouds
and
sunsets
?
”
asked
Rachel
,
beginning
to
be
interested
.
“
Yes
,
differing
every
day
.
Then
I
have
the
tamarisk
and
its
inhabitants
.
There
has
been
a
tom-tit’s
nest
every
year
since
we
came
,
and
that
provides
us
with
infinite
amusement
.
Besides
the
sea-gulls
are
often
so
good
as
to
float
high
enough
for
me
to
see
them
.
There
is
a
wonderful
charm
in
a
circumcribed
view
,
because
one
is
obliged
to
look
well
into
it
all
.
”
“
Yes
;
eyes
and
no
eyes
apply
there
,
”
said
Rachel
.
“
We
found
a
great
prize
,
too
,
the
other
day
.
Rosie
!
”
At
the
call
a
brown-haired
,
brown-eyed
child
of
seven
,
looking
like
a
little
fawn
,
sprang
to
the
window
from
the
outside
.
“
My
dear
,
will
you
show
the
sphynx
to
Miss
Curtis
?
”
The
little
girl
daintily
brought
a
box
covered
with
net
,
in
which
a
huge
apple-green
caterpillar
,
with
dashes
of
bright
colour
on
his
sides
,
and
a
horny
spike
on
his
tail
,
was
feasting
upon
tamarisk
leaves
.
Grace
asked
if
she
was
going
to
keep
it
.
“
Yes
,
till
it
buries
itself
,
”
said
the
child
.
“
Aunt
Ermine
thinks
it
is
the
elephant
sphynx
.
”
“
I
cannot
be
sure
,
”
said
the
aunt
,
“
my
sister
tried
to
find
a
figure
of
it
at
Villars’
,
but
he
had
no
book
that
gave
the
caterpillars
.
Do
you
care
for
those
creatures
?
”
“
I
like
to
watch
them
,
”
said
Grace
,
“
but
I
know
nothing
about
them
scientifically
;
Rachel
does
that
.
”
“
Then
can
you
help
us
to
the
history
of
our
sphynx
?
”
asked
Miss
Williams
,
with
her
pleasant
look
.
“
I
will
see
if
I
have
his
portrait
,
”
said
Rachel
,
“
but
I
doubt
it
.
I
prefer
general
principles
to
details
.
”
“
Don’t
you
find
working
out
details
the
best
way
of
entering
into
general
principles
?
”
It
was
new
to
Rachel
to
find
the
mention
of
a
general
principle
received
neither
with
a
stare
nor
a
laugh
;
and
she
gathered
herself
up
to
answer
,
“
Naming
and
collecting
is
not
science
.
”
“
And
masonry
is
not
architecture
,
but
you
can’t
have
architecture
without
it
.
”
“
One
can
have
broad
ideas
without
all
the
petty
work
of
flower
botanists
and
butterfly
naturalists
.
”
“
Don’t
you
think
the
broad
ideas
would
be
rather
of
the
hearsay
order
,
at
least
to
most
people
,
unless
their
application
were
worked
out
in
the
trifle
that
came
first
to
hand
?
”
“
Experimental
philosophy
,
”
said
Rachel
,
in
rather
a
considering
tone
,
as
if
the
notion
,
when
presented
to
her
in
plain
English
,
required
translation
into
the
language
of
her
thoughts
.
“
If
you
like
to
call
it
so
,
”
said
Miss
Williams
,
with
a
look
of
arch
fun
.
“
For
instance
,
the
great
art
of
mud
pie
taught
us
the
porous
nature
of
clay
,
the
expansive
power
of
steam
,
etc.
etc.
”
“
You
had
some
one
to
improve
it
to
you
?
”
“
Oh
dear
no.
Only
afterwards
,
when
we
read
of
such
things
we
remembered
how
our
clay
manufactures
always
burst
in
the
baking
unless
they
were
well
dried
first
.
”
“
Then
you
had
the
rare
power
of
elucidating
a
principle
?
”
“
No
,
not
I
.
My
brother
had
;
but
I
could
only
perceive
the
confirmation
.
”
“
This
reminds
me
of
an
interesting
article
on
the
Edgeworth
system
of
education
in
the
‘Traveller’s
Review.’
I
will
send
it
down
to
you
.
”
“
Thank
you
,
but
I
have
it
here
.
”
“
Indeed
;
and
do
you
not
think
it
excellent
,
and
quite
agree
with
it
?
”
“
Yes
,
I
quite
agree
with
it
,
”
and
there
was
an
odd
look
in
her
bright
transparent
eyes
that
made
Grace
speculate
whether
she
could
have
heard
that
agreement
with
the
Invalid
in
the
“
Traveller’s
Review
”
was
one
of
the
primary
articles
of
faith
acquired
by
Rachel
.
But
Grace
,
though
rather
proud
of
Rachel’s
falling
under
the
spell
of
Miss
Williams’
conversation
,
deemed
an
examination
rather
hard
on
her
,
and
took
the
opportunity
of
asking
for
her
sister
.
“
She
is
generally
at
home
by
this
time
;
but
this
is
her
last
day
at
Cliff
Cottages
,
and
she
was
to
stay
late
to
help
in
the
packing
up
.
”
“
Will
she
be
at
home
for
the
present
?
”
asked
Grace
.
“
Yes
,
Rose
and
I
are
looking
forward
to
a
festival
of
her
.
”
Grace
was
not
at
all
surprised
to
hear
Rachel
at
once
commit
herself
with
“
My
cousin
,
Lady
Temple
,
”
and
rush
into
the
matter
in
hand
as
if
secure
that
the
other
Miss
Williams
would
educate
on
the
principles
of
the
Invalid
;
but
full
in
the
midst
there
was
a
sound
of
wheels
and
a
ring
at
the
bell
.
Miss
Williams
quietly
signed
to
her
little
attendant
to
put
a
chair
in
an
accessible
place
,
and
in
walked
Lady
Temple
,
Mrs.
Curtis
,
and
the
middle
brace
of
boys
.
“
The
room
will
be
too
full
,
”
was
Grace’s
aside
to
her
sister
,
chiefly
thinking
of
her
mother
,
but
also
of
their
hostess
;
but
Rachel
returned
for
answer
,
“
I
must
see
about
it
;
”
and
Grace
could
only
remove
herself
into
the
verandah
,
and
try
to
attract
Leoline
and
Hubert
after
her
,
but
failing
in
this
,
she
talked
to
the
far
more
conversible
Rose
about
the
bullfinch
that
hung
at
the
window
,
which
loved
no
one
but
Aunt
Ermine
,
and
scolded
and
pecked
at
every
one
else
;
and
Augustus
,
the
beloved
tame
toad
,
that
lived
in
a
hole
under
a
tree
in
the
garden
.
Mrs.
Curtis
,
considerate
and
tender-hearted
,
startled
to
find
her
daughter
in
the
field
,
and
wishing
her
niece
to
begin
about
her
own
affairs
,
talked
common-place
by
way
of
filling
up
the
time
,
and
Rachel
had
her
eyes
free
for
a
range
of
the
apartment
.
The
foundation
was
the
dull
,
third-rate
lodging-house
,
the
superstructure
told
of
other
scenes
.
One
end
of
the
room
was
almost
filled
by
the
frameless
portrait
of
a
dignified
clergyman
,
who
would
have
had
far
more
justice
done
to
him
by
greater
distance
;
a
beautifully-painted
miniature
of
a
lady
with
short
waist
and
small
crisp
curls
,
was
the
centre
of
a
system
of
photographs
over
the
mantel-piece
;
a
large
crayon
sketch
showed
three
sisters
between
the
ages
of
six
and
sixteen
,
sentimentalizing
over
a
flower-basket
;
a
pair
of
