o commands--could move her. In this case
none were tried. Her fortunes seemed to arrange themselves; for Mrs.
Fludyer, coming in one day to make the final arrangements for the
Rothesays' arrival at Farnwood, took a vehement liking to the young
French lady, as Miss Manners was generally considered, and requested
that Mrs. Rothesay would bring her down to Farnwood, Olive demurred a
little, lest the intrusion of a constant inmate might burden her mother:
but the plan was at last decided upon--Christal's own entreaties having
no small influence in turning the scale.

Thus, all things settled, there came the final parting of the two little
families who for so many years had lived together in peace and harmony.
The Rothesays were to leave one day, the Vanbrughs the next. Olive and
Meliora were both very busy--too busy to have time for regrets. They
did not meet until evening, when Olive saw Miss Vanbrugh quietly
and sorrowfully watering her flowers, with a sort of mechanical
interest--the interest of a mother, who meekly goes on arranging all
things for the comfort and adornment of the child from whom she is about
to separate. It made Olive sad; she went into the garden, and joined
Meliora.

"Let me help you, dear Miss Vanbrugh. Why should you tire yourself thus,
after all the fatigues of the day?"

Meliora looked up.--"Ah! true, true! I shall never do this any more, I
know. But the poor flowers must not suffer; I'll take care of them while
I can. Those dahlias, that I have watched all the year, want watering
every night, and will do for a month to come. A month! Oh! Miss
Rothesay, I am very foolish, I know, but it almost breaks my heart to
say good-bye to my poor little garden!"

Her voice faltered, and at last her tears began to fall--not bitterly,
but in a quiet, gentle way, like the dropping of evening rain. However,
she soon recovered herself, and began to talk of her brother and
of Rome. She was quite sure that there his genius would find due
recognition, and that he would rival the old masters in honour and
prosperity. She was content to go with him, she said; perhaps the
warm climate would suit her better than England, now that she was
growing--not exactly old, for she was much younger than Michael, and he
had half a lifetime of fame before him--but still, older than she
had been. The language would be a trouble; but then she was already
beginning to learn it, and she had always been used to accommodate
herself t