Meta meanwhile cross-questioned her brother on the pretty village by the
Thames, of which she had a fond, childish remembrance, and heard from
him of the numerous kind messages from all her relations. There were
various invitations, but George repeated them unwillingly.

"You won't go, Meta," he said. "It would be a horrid nuisance to part
with you."

"As long as you think so, dear George. When I am in your way, or
Flora's--"

"That will never be! I say, Flora, will she ever be in our way?"

"No, indeed! Meta and I understand that," said Flora, looking up. "Well,
I suppose Bruce can't be trusted to value the books and prints."

Dr. May thought it a great relief that Meta had a home with Flora, for,
as he said to Ethel as they went home together, "Certainly, except Lord
Cosham, I never saw such an unpresentable crew as their relations. You
should have heard the boys afterwards! There was Master Tom turning up
his Eton nose at them, and pronouncing that there never were such a
set of snobs, and Norman taking him to task as I never heard him do
before--telling him that he would never have urged his going to Eton,
if he had thought it would make him despise respectable folks, probably
better than himself, and that this was the last time in the world for
such observations--whereat poor Tommy was quite annihilated; for a word
from Norman goes further with him than a lecture from any one else."

"Well, I think Norman was right as to the unfitness of the time."

"So he was. But we had a good deal of them, waiting in the inn parlour.
People make incongruities when they will have such things done in state.
It could not be helped here, to be sure; but I always feel, at a grand
undertaker's display like this, that, except the service itself, there
is little to give peace or soothing. I hate what makes a talk! Better be
little folk."

"One would rather think of our own dear cloister, and those who cared so
much," said Ethel.

"Ah! you were happy to be there!" said Dr. May. "But it all comes to the
same." Pausing, he looked from the window, then signed to Ethel to do
the same--Orion glittered in the darkness.

"One may sleep sound without the lullaby," said Dr. May, "and the
waves--"

"Oh! don't, papa. You don't give up hope!"

"I believe we ought, Ethel. Don't tell her, but I went to the Admirality
to-day."

"And what did you hear there?"

"Great cause for fear--but they do not give up. My poor Margaret! But
those