snub her either by his
dignity or jocularity; though she still knew that she was only on terms
of sufferance, and had been, more than once, made to repent of
unguarded observations. He was admirable; and the school was so
rapidly improving that Norman had put his father into ecstasies by
proposing to send home little Dickie to begin his education there.
Moreover, the one element wanting, to accomplish the town improvements,
had been supplied by a head-master on the side of progress, and Dr.
Spencer's victory had been won at last. There was a chance that
Stoneborough might yet be clean, thanks to his reiteration of plans for
purification, apropos to everything. Baths and wash-houses were
adroitly carried as a monument to Prince Albert; and on the Prince of
Wales's marriage, his perseverance actually induced the committee to
finish up the drains with all the contributions that were neither eaten
up nor fired away! Never had he been more happy and triumphant; and
Dr. May used to accuse him of perambulating the lower streets snuffing
the deodorized air.

One autumn evening, contrary to his wont, he allowed himself to be
drawn into the May drawing-room, and there fell into one of the bright
bantering talks in which the two old friends delighted, quizzing each
other, and bringing up stories of their life; while Ethel and Gertrude
listened to and laughed at the traditions of a sunnier, gayer, and more
reckless age than their own; and Ethel thought how insufficient are
those pictures of life that close with the fever-dream of youthful
passion, and leave untold those years of the real burthen of manhood,
and still more the tranquil brightness when toil has been overlived,
and the setting sun gilds the clouds that are drifting away.

Ethel's first knowledge of outer life the next morning was the sound of
voices in her father's adjoining room, which made her call out, 'Are
you sent for, papa?'

'Yes,' he answered, and in an agitated tone, 'Spencer; I'll send word.'

Should she mention what she had two years ago heard from Tom? There
was no time, for the next moment she heard him hurrying down-stairs,
she saw him speeding up the garden. There was nothing for her to do
but to dress as fast as possible, and as she was finishing she heard
his tread slowly mounting, the very footfall warning her what to
expect. She opened the door and met him. 'Thank God,' he said, as he
took her hand into his own, 'it has been very mercifu