of prints by Raffaelle."

"Has he, indeed?--how very kind, how much Norman will value it."

"It is remarkable," said Dr. May; and then, as if he could not help it,
told Ethel what Mr. Rivers had said of his wishes with regard to his
daughter. Ethel blushed and smiled, and looked so much touched and
delighted, that he grew alarmed and said, "You know, Ethel, this must be
as if it never had been mentioned."

"What! you will not tell Norman?"

"No, certainly not, unless I see strong cause. They are very fond of
each other, certainly, but they don't know, and I don't know, whether it
is not like brother and sister. I would not have either of them guess
at this, or feel bound in any way. Why, Ethel, she has thirty thousand
pounds, and I don't know how much more."

"Thirty thousand!" said Ethel, her tone one of astonishment, while his
had been almost of objection.

"It would open a great prospect," continued Dr. May complacently; "with
Norman's talents, and such a lift as that, he might be one of the first
men in England, provided he had nerve and hardness enough, which I
doubt."

"He would not care for it," said Ethel.

"No; but the field of usefulness; but what an old fool I am, after all
my resolutions not to be ambitious for that boy; to be set a-going by
such a thing as this! Still Norman is something out of the common way. I
wonder what Spencer thinks of him."

"And you never mean them to hear of it?"

"If they settle it for themselves," said Dr. May, "that sanction will
come in to give double value to mine; or if I should see poor Norman
hesitating as to the inequality, I might smooth the way; but you see,
Ethel, this puts us in a most delicate situation towards this pretty
little creature. What her father wanted was only to guard her from
fortune-hunters, and if she should marry suitably elsewhere--why, we
will be contented."

"I don't think I should be," said Ethel.

"She is the most winning of humming-birds, and what we see of her now,
gives one double confidence in her. She is so far from the petted,
helpless girl that he, poor man, would fain have made her! And she has
a bright, brave temper and elastic spirits that would be the very thing
for him, poor boy, with that morbid sensitiveness--he would not hurt
her, and she would brighten him. It would be a very pretty thing--but we
must never think about it again."

"If we can help it," said Ethel.

"Ah! I am sorry I have put it into your head too.