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her　mother's　words；　that　it　only　proved　her　happiness。　　It　was　not
till　that　moment　that　Margaret　realised　the　change；　found　her　eyes
filling　with　tears；　as　she　looked　round；　and　saw　the　familiar
furniture　and　ornaments。

They　were　instantly　checked　as　she　heard　her　father　returning；　but
not　so　that　he　did　not　perceive　them；　and　exclaim　that　it　had　been
too　much　for　her。　　〃Oh；　noit　was　only　the　first　time；〃　said
Margaret；　losing　the　sense　of　the　painful　vacancy　in　her　absorbing
desire　not　to　distress　her　father；　and　thinking　only　of　him　as　she
watched　him　standing　for　some　minutes　leaning　on　the　mantel…shelf
with　his　hand　shading　his　forehead。

She　began　to　speak　as　soon　as　she　thought　he　was　ready　to　have　his
mind　turned　away：　〃How　nicely　Ritchie　managed！　　He　carried　me　so
comfortably　and　easily。　　It　is　enough　to　spoil　me　to　be　so　deftly
waited　on。〃

〃I'm　glad　of　it；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃I　am　sure　the　change　is　better　for
you；〃　but　he　came　and　looked　at　her　still　with　great　solicitude。

〃Ritchie　can　take　excellent　care　of　me；〃　she　continued；　most　anxious
to　divert　his　thoughts。　　〃You　see　it　will　do　very　well　indeed　for　you
to　take　Harry　to　school。〃

〃I　should　like　to　do　so。　　I　should　like　to　see　his　master；　and　to
take　Norman　with　me；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃It　would　be　just　the　thing
for　him　nowwe　would　show　him　the　dockyard；　and　all　those　matters；
and　such　a　thorough　holiday　would　set　him　up　again。〃

〃He　is　very　much　better。〃

〃Much　betterhe　is　recovering　spirits　and　tone　very　fast。　　That
leaf…work　of　yours　came　at　a　lucky　time。　　I　like　to　see　him　looking
out　for　a　curious　fern　in　the　hedgerowsthe　pursuit　has　quite
brightened　him　up。〃

〃And　he　does　it　so　thoroughly；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃Ethel　fancies　it　is
rather　frivolous　of　him；　I　believe；　but　it　amuses　me　to　see　how　men
give　dignity　to　what　women　make　trifling。　　He　will　know　everything
about　the　leaves；　hunts　up　my　botany　books；　and　has　taught　me　a
hundred　times　more　of　the　construction　and　wonders　of　them　than　I
ever　learned。〃

〃Ay；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃he　has　been　talking　a　good　deal　to　me　about
vegetable　chemistry。　　He　would　make　a　good　scientific　botanist；　if　he
were　to　be　nothing　else。　　I　should　be　glad　if　he　sticks　to　it　as　a
pursuit'tis　pretty　work；　and　I　should　like　to　have　gone　further
with　it；　if　I　had　ever　had　time　for　it。〃

〃I　dare　say　he　will；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃It　will　be　very　pleasant　if　he
can　go　with　you。　　How　he　would　enjoy　the　British　Museum；　if　there　was
time　for　him　to　see　it！　　Have　you　said　anything　to　him　yet？〃

〃No；　I　waited　to　see　how　you　were；　as　it　all　depends　on　that。〃

〃I　think　it　depends　still　more　on　something　else；　whether　Norman　is
as　fit　to　take　care　of　you　as　Richard　is。〃

〃That's　another　point。　　There's　nothing　but　what　he　could　manage　now；
but　I　don't　like　saying　anything　to　him。　　I　know　he　would　undertake
anything　I　wished；　without　a　word；　and　then；　perhaps；　dwell　on　it　in
fancy；　and　force　himself；　till　it　would　turn　to　a　perfect　misery；　and
upset　his　nerves　again。　　I'm　sorry　for　it。　　I　meant　him　to　have
followed　my　trade；　but　he'll　never　do　for　that。　　However；　he　has　wits
enough　to　make　himself　what　he　pleases；　and　I　dare　say　he　will　keep
at　the　head　of　the　school　after　all。〃

〃How　very　good　he　has　been　in　refraining　from　restlessness！〃

〃It's　beautiful！〃　said　Dr。　May；　with　strong　emotion。　　〃Poor　boy！　　I
trust　he'll　not　be　disappointed；　and　I　don't　think　he　will；　but　I've
promised　him　I　won't　be　annoyed　if　he　should　lose　his　placeso　we
must　take　especial　care　not　to　show　any　anxiety。　　However；　for　this
matter；　Margaret；　I　wish　you　would　sound　him；　and　see　whether　it
would　be　more　pleasure　or　pain。　　Only　mind　you　don't　let　him　think
that　I　shall　be　vexed；　if　he　feels　that　he　can't　make　up　his　mind；　I
would　not　have　him　fancy　that；　for　more　than　I　can　tell。〃

This　consultation　revived　the　spirits　of　both；　and　the　others
returning；　found　Margaret　quite　disposed　for　companionship。　　If　to
her　the　evening　was　sad　and　strange；　like　a　visit　in　a　dream　to　some
old　familiar　haunt；　finding　all　unnatural；　to　the　rest　it　was
delightful。　　The　room　was　no　longer　dreary；　now　that　there　was　a
centre　for　care　and　attentions；　and　the　party　was　no　longer　broken
upthe　sense　of　comfort；　cheerfulness；　and　home…gathering　had
returned；　and　the　pleasant　evening　household　gossip　went　round　the
table　almost　as　it　used　to　do。　　Dr。　May　resumed　his　old　habit　of
skimming　a　club　book；　and　imparting　the　cream　to　the　listeners；　and
Flora　gave　them　some　music；　a　great　treat　to　Margaret；　who　had　long
only　heard　its　distant　sounds。

Margaret　found　an　opportunity　of　talking　to　Norman；　and　judged
favourably。　　He　was　much　pleased　at　the　prospect　of　the　journey；　and
of　seeing　a　ship；　so　as　to　have　a　clearer　notion　of　the　scene　where
Harry's　life　was　to　be　spent；　and　though　the　charge　of　the　arm　was　a
drawback；　he　did　not　treat　it　as　insurmountable。

A　few　days'　attendance　in　his　father's　room　gave　him　confidence　in
taking　Richard's　place；　and；　accordingly；　the　third　important　measure
was　decided　on；　namely；　that　he　and　his　father　should　accompany　Harry
to　the　naval　school；　and　be　absent　three　nights。　　Some　relations
would　be　glad　to　receive　them　in　London；　and　Alan　Ernescliffe；　who
was　studying　steam　navigation　at　Woolwich；　volunteered　to　meet　them；
and　go　with　them　to　Portsmouth。

It　was　a　wonderful　event；　Norman　and　Harry　had　never　been　beyond
Whitford　in　their　lives；　and　none　of　the　young　ones　could　recollect
their　papa's　ever　going　from　home　for　more　than　one　night。　　Dr。　May
laughed　at　Margaret　for　her　anxiety　and　excitement　on　the　subject；
and　was　more　amused　at　overhearing　Richard's　precise　directions　to
Norman　over　the　packing　up。

〃Ay；　Ritchie；〃　said　the　doctor；　as　he　saw　his　portmanteau　locked；　and
the　key　given　to　Norman；　〃you　may　well　look　grave　upon　it。　　You　won't
see　it　look　so　tidy　when　it　comes　back　again；　and　I　believe　you　are
thinking　it　will　be　lucky　if　you　see　it　at　all。〃

There　was　a　very　affectionate　leave…taking　of　Harry；　who；　growing
rather　soft…hearted；　thought　it　needful　to　be　disdainful；　scolded
Mary　and　Blanche　for　〃lugging　off　his　figure…head；〃　and　assured　them
they　made　as　much　work　about　it　as　if　he　was　going　to　sea　at　once。
Then；　to　put　an　end　to　any　more　embraces；　he　marched　off　to　the
station　with　Tom；　and　nearly　caused　the　others　to　be　too　late；　by　the
search　for　him　that　ensued。

In　due　time；　Dr。　May　and　Norman　returned；　looking　the　better　for　the
journey。　　There　was；　first；　to　tell　of　Harry's　school　and　its　master；
and　Alan　Ernescliffe's　introduction　of　him　to　a　nice…looking　boy　of
his　own　age；　then　they　were　eloquent　on　the　wonders　of　the　dockyard；
the　Victory；　the　block　machinery。　　And　Londonwhile　Dr。　May　went　to
transact　some　business；　Norman　had　been　with　Alan　at　the　British
Museum；　and　though　he　had　intended　to　see　half　London　besides；　there
was　no　tearing　him　away　from　the　Elgin　marbles；　and　nothing　would
serve　him；　but　bringing　Dr。　May　the　next　morning　to　visit　the
Ninevite　bulls。　　Norman　further　said；　that　whereas　papa　could　never
go　out　of　his　house　without　meeting　people　who　had　something　to　say
to　him；　it　was　the　same　elsewhere。　　Six　acquaintances　he　had　met
unexpectedly　in　London；　and　two　at　Portsmouth。

So　the　conversation　went　on　all　the　evening；　to　the　great　delight　of
all。　　It　was　more　about　things　than　people；　though　Flora　inquired
after　Mr。　Ernescliffe；　and　was　told　he　had　met　them　at　the　station；
had　been　everywhere　with　them；　and　had　dined　at　the　Mackenzies'　each
day。　　〃How　was　he　looking？〃　Ethel　asked；　and　was　told　pretty　much　the
same　as　when　he　went　away；　and；　on　a　further　query　from　Flora；　it
appeared　that　an　old　naval　friend　of　his　father's　had　hopes　of　a
ship；　and　had　promised　to　have　him　with　him；　and　thereupon　warm　hopes
were　expressed　that　Harry　might　have　a　berth　in　the　same。

〃And　when　is　he　coming　here　again；　papa？〃　said　Ethel。

〃Eh！　oh！　I　can't　tell。　　I　say；　isn't　it　high　time　to　ring？〃

When　they　went　up　at　night；　every　one　felt　that　half　the　say　had　not
been　said；　and　there　were　fresh　beginnings　on　the　stairs。　　Norman
triumphantly　gave　the　key　to　Richard；　and　then　called　to　Ethel；　〃I
say；　won't　you　come　into　my　room　while　I　unpack？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　should　like　it　very　much。〃

Ethel　sat　on　the　bed；　rolled　up　in　a　cloak；　while　Norman　undid　his
bag；　announcing　at　the　same　time；　〃Well；　Ethel；　papa　says　I　may　get
to　my　Euripides　to…morrow；　if　I　please；　and　only　work　an　hour　at　a
time！〃

〃Oh；　I　am　so　glad。　　Then　he　thinks　you　quite　well？〃

〃Yes；　I　am　quite　well。　　I　hope　I've　done　with　nonsense。〃

〃And　how　did　you　get　on　with　his　arm？〃

〃Very　wellhe　was　so　patient；　and　told　me　how　to　manage。　　You　heard
that　Sir　Matthew　said　it　had　got　much　better　in　these　few　weeks。　　Oh；
here　it　is！　　There's　a　present　for　you。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you。　　From　you；　or　from　papa？〃

〃This　is　mine。　　Papa　has　a　present　for　every　one　in　his　bag。　　He
said；　at　last；　that　a　man　with　eleven　children　hadn't　need　to　go　to
London　very　often。〃

〃And　you　got　this　beautiful　'Lyra　Innocentium'　for　me？　　How　very　kind
of　you；　Norman。　　It　is　just　what　I　wished　for。　　Such　lovely　binding
and　those　embossed