ink hay-fork! And we've lots of old
etchings at home, with such trees in them! Like--well, like nothing but
real trees and photographs."

Miss Ellen took Eleanor's hand and drew her towards her.

"My dear," said she, "you have plenty of sense; and have evidently used
it to appreciate what your dear mother has shown and taught to you. Use
it now, my dear, to ask yourself if it is reasonable to expect that men
who could draw like the old masters would teach in ordinary girls'
schools, or, if they would, that school-mistresses could afford to pay
them properly without a much greater charge to the parents of pupils
than they would be willing to bear. You have had great advantages at
home, and have learnt enough to make you able to say very smart things;
but fault-finding is an easy trade, my dear, and it would be wiser as
well as kinder to see what good you can get from poor Mr. Henley's
lessons, as to the use of the brush and colours, instead of neglecting
your drawing because you don't like his style, which, after all, you
needn't copy when you sketch from nature yourself. I will tell you, dear
child, that my sister and I have talked this matter over before. Clever
young people are apt to think that their stupid elders have never
perceived what their brilliant young wits can put straight with
half-a-dozen words. But I used to draw a little myself," continued Miss
Ellen very modestly, "and I have never liked Mr. Henley's style. But he
is such a very good old man, and so poor, that my sister has shrunk from
changing. Still, of course our pupils are the first consideration, and
we should have had another master if a much better one could have been
got. But Mr. Markham, who is the only other one within reach, is not so
painstaking and patient with his pupils as Mr. Henley; and though his
style is rather better, it is not so very superior as to lead us, on the
whole, to turn poor Mr. Henley away for him. As to Madame," said Miss
Ellen, in conclusion, "she was quite right, my dear, to contrast your
negligence with Lucy's industry, and your smart speech was not in good
taste towards her, because you know that she knows nothing of drawing,
and could not dispute the point with you. There she comes," added Miss
Ellen rather nervously. She was afraid of Madame.

"I'll go and beg her pardon, dear Miss Ellen," said Eleanor penitently,
and rushing out of the room, she met Madame in the passage, and we heard
her pouring forth a torren