stening to
a well-written book, so smooth and so fluent, and yet so earnest--his
pictures of Indian life so beautiful, and his strong affection for the
converts he described now and then making his eyes fill, and his voice
falter, as if losing the thread of his studied composition--a true and
dignified work of art, that made Dr. May whisper to Flora, "You see
what he can do. They would have given anything to have had him for a
lecturer."

With half a sigh, Ethel saw Norman rise, and step forward. He began,
with eyes fixed on the ground, and in a low modest tone, to speak of
the islands that Harry had visited; but gradually the poetic nature,
inherent in him, gained the mastery; and though his language was
strikingly simple, in contrast with Dr. Spencer's ornate periods, and
free from all trace of "the lamp," it rose in beauty and fervour at
every sentence. The feelings that had decided his lot gave energy to his
discourse, and repressed as they had been by reserve and diffidence, now
flowed forth, and gave earnestness to natural gifts of eloquence of the
highest order. After his quiet, unobtrusive beginning, there was the
more wonder to find how he seemed to raise up the audience with him,
in breathless attention, as to a strain of sweet music, carrying them
without thought of the scene, or of the speaker, to the lovely isles,
and the inhabitants of noble promise, but withering for lack of
knowledge; and finally closing his speech, when they were wrought up to
the highest pitch, by an appeal that touched them all home; "for well
did he know," said he, "that the universal brotherhood was drawn
closest in circles nearer home, that beneath the shadow of their own old
minster, gladness and mourning floated alike for all; and that all those
who had shared in the welcome to one, given back as it were from
the grave, would own the same debt of gratitude to the hospitable
islanders."

He ceased. His father wiped his spectacles, and almost audibly murmured,
"Bless him!" Ethel, who had sat like one enchanted, forgetting who
spoke, forgetting all save the islanders, half turned, and met Richard's
smiling eyes, and his whisper, "I told you so."

The impress of a man of true genius and power had been made throughout
the whole assembly; the archdeacon put Norman out of countenance by
the thanks of the meeting for his admirable speech, and all the world,
except the Oxford men, were in a state of as much surprise as pleasure.

"Sp