bit of dress out of the common way for myself or others；〃 said she；
smiling； 〃and then all the external show and things belonging to
stationI naturally care much more for them than even Flora does。
Ethel would bear all those things as if they did not existI could
not。〃
〃They would be a temptation？〃
〃They would once have been。 Yes； they would now；〃 said Margaret。
〃And government； and management； and influenceyou would not guess
what dreams I used to waste on them； and now here am I set aside from
it all； good for nothing but for all you dear ones to be kind to。〃
〃They would not say so；〃 said Richard kindly。
〃Not say it； but I feel it。 Papa and Ethel are all the world to each
otherRichard； I may say it to you。 There has been only one thing
more hard to bear than thatdon't suppose there was a moment's
neglect or disregard； but when first I understood that Ethel could be
more to him than I； then I could not always feel rightly。 It was the
punishment for always wanting to be first。〃
〃My father would be grieved that you had the notion。 You should not
keep it。〃
〃He does not know it is so；〃 said Margaret； 〃I am his first care； I
fear； his second grief； but it is not in the nature of things that
Ethel should not be more his comfort and companion。 Oh！ I am glad it
was not she who married！ What shall we do when she goes？〃
This came from Margaret's heart； so as to show that if there had once
been a jealous pang of mortification； it had been healed by
overflowing； unselfish affection and humility。
They went off to praise Ethel； and thence to praise Norman； and the
elder brother and sister； who might have had some jealousy of the
superiority of their juniors； spent a good happy hour in dwelling on
the shining qualities they loved so heartily。
And Richard was drawn into talking of his own deeper thoughts； and
Margaret had again the comfort of clerical counseland now from her
own most dear brother！ So they sat till darkness closed in； when
Ethel came down； bringing Gertrude and her great favour； very full of
chatter； only not quite sure whether she had been bride； bride's…
maid； or bridegroom。
The schoolroom set； with Tom and Aubrey； came home soon after； and
tongues went fast with stories of roast…beef； plum…pudding； and
blind…man's…buff。 How the dear Meta had sent a cart to Cocksmoor to
bring Cherry herself； and how many slices everybody had eaten； and
how the bride's health had been drunk by the children in real wine；
and how they had all played； Norman and all； and how Hector had made
Blanche bold enough to extract a raisin from the flaming snap…dragon。
It was not half told when Dr。 May came home； and Ethel went up to
dress for her dinner at Abbotstoke； Mary following to help her and
continue her narration； which bade fair to entertain Margaret the
whole evening。
Dr。 May； Richard； and Ethel had a comfortable dark drive to the
Grange； and； on arriving； found Hector deep in 'Wild Sports of the
West'； while Norman and Meta were sitting over the fire talking； and
Mr。 Rivers was resting in his library。
And when Ethel and Meta spent the time before the gentlemen came in
from the dining…room； in a happy tete…a…tete； Ethel learned that the
fire…light dialogue had been the pleasantest part of the whole day；
and that Meta had had confided to her the existence of Decius Musa
secret which Ethel had hitherto considered as her own peculiar
property； but she supposed it was a pledge of the sisterhood； which
Meta professed with all the house of May。
CHAPTER VIII。
The rest all accepted the kind invitation；
And much bustle it caused in the plumed creation；
Such ruffling of feathers； such pruning of coats；
Such chirping； such whistling； such clearing of throats；
Such polishing bills； and such oiling of pinions；
Had never been known in the biped dominions。
Peacock at Home。
Etheldred was thankful for that confidence to Meta Rivers； for
without it； she would hardly have succeeded in spurring Norman up to
give the finishing touches to Decius； and to send him in。 If she
talked of the poem as the devotion of Decius； he was willing enough；
and worked with spirit； for he liked the ideas； and enjoyed the
expressing them； and trying to bring his lines to his notion of
perfection； but if she called it the 〃Newdigate；〃 or the 〃Prize
Poem；〃 and declared herself sure it would be successful； he yawned；
slackened； leaned back in his chair； and began to read other people's
poetry； which Ethel was disrespectful enough not to think nearly as
good as his own。
It was completed at last； and Ethel stitched it up with a narrow red
and white ribbonthe Balliol colours； and set Meta at him till a
promise was extorted that he would send it in。
And； in due time； Ethel received the following note：
〃My Dear Ethel；
〃My peacock bubble has flown over the house。 Tell them all about it。
…Your affectionate；
N。 W。 M。〃
They were too much accustomed to Norman's successes to be
extraordinarily excited； Ethel would have been much mortified if the
prize had been awarded to any one else； but； as it was； it came
rather as a matter of course。 The doctor was greatly pleased； and
said he should drive round by Abbotstoke to tell the news there； and
then laughed beyond measure to hear that Meta had been in the plot；
saying he should accuse the little humming…bird of being a magpie；
stealing secrets。
By this time the bride and bridegroom were writing that they thought
of soon returning； they had spent the early spring at Paris； had
wandered about in the south of France； and now were at Paris again。
Flora's letters were long； descriptive； and affectionate； and she was
eager to be kept fully informed of everything at home。 As soon as
she heard of Norman's success； she wrote a whole budget of letters；
declaring that she and George would hear of no refusal； they were
going to spend a fortnight at Oxford for the Commemoration； and must
have Meta and Ethel with them to hear Norman's poem in the theatre。
Dr。 May； who already had expressed a hankering to run up for the day
and take Ethel with him； was perfectly delighted at the proposal； and
so was Mr。 Rivers； but the young ladies made many demurs。 Ethel
wanted Mary to go in her stead； and had to be told that this would
not be by any means the same to the other partiesshe could not bear
to leave Margaret； it was a long time since there had been letters
from the Alcestis； and she did not like to miss being at home when
they should come； and Meta； on her side； was so unwilling to leave
her father that； at last； Dr。 May scolded them both for a pair of
conceited； self…important damsels； who thought nothing could go on
without them； and next； compared them to young birds； obliged to be
shoved by force into flying。
Meta consented first； on condition that Ethel would； and Ethel found
that her whole house would be greatly disappointed if she refused； so
she proceeded to be grateful； and then discovered how extremely
delightful the plan was。 Oxford； of which she had heard so much； and
which she had always wished to see！ And Norman's gloryand Meta's
companynay； the very holiday； and going from home； were charms
enough for a girl of eighteen； who had never been beyond Whitford in
her life。 Besides； to crown all； papa promised that； if his patients
would behave well； and not want him too much； he would come up for
the one great day。
Mr。 and Mrs。 George Rivers came to Abbotstoke to collect their party。
They arrived by a railroad； whose station was nearer to Abbotstoke
than to Stoneborough； therefore； instead of their visiting the High
Street by the way； Dr。 May； with Ethel and Mary； were invited to dine
at the Grange； the first eveninga proposal； at least； as new and
exciting to Mary as was the journey to Oxford to her sister。
The two girls went early； as the travellers had intended to arrive
before luncheon； and； though Ethel said few words； but let Mary
rattle on with a stream of conjectures and questions； her heart was
full of longings for her sister； as well as of strange doubts and
fears； as to the change that her new life might have made in her。
〃There！ there！〃 cried Mary。 〃Yes！ it is Flora！ Only she has her
hair done in a funny way！〃
Flora and Meta were both standing on the steps before the
conservatory； and Mary made but one bound before she was hugging
Flora。 Ethel kissed her without so much violence； and then saw that
Flora was looking very well and bright； more decidedly pretty and
elegant than ever； and with certainly no diminution of affection； it
was warmer； though rather more patronising。
〃How natural you look！〃 was her first exclamation； as she held Mary's
hand； and drew Ethel's arm into hers。 〃And how is Margaret？〃
〃Pretty well…but the heat makes her languid〃
〃Is there any letter yet？〃
〃No〃
〃I do not see any cause for alarmletters are so often detained；
but； of course； she will be anxious。 Has she had pain in the back
again？〃
〃Sometimes； but summer always does her good〃
〃I shall see her to…morrowand the Daisy。 How do you all get on？
Have you broken down yet； Ethel？〃
〃Oh！ we do go on；〃 said Ethel； smiling； 〃the worst thing I have done
was expecting James to dress the salads with lamp…oil。〃
〃A Greenland salad！ But don't talk of oilI have the taste still in
my mouth after the Pyrennean cookery！ Oh！ Ethel； you would have been
wild with delight in those places！〃
〃Snowy mountains！ Are they not like a fairy…dream to you now？ You
must have felt at home； as a Scotchwoman's daughter。〃
〃Think of the peaks in the sunrise！ Oh！ I wanted you in the pass of
Roncevalles； to hear the echo of Roland's horn。 And we saw the cleft
made by Roland's sword in the rocks。〃
〃Oh！ how delightfuland Spain too！〃
〃Ay； the Isle of Pheasants； where all the conferences took place。〃
〃Where Louis XIV。 met his bride； and Francois I。 sealed his treason
with his empty flourish〃
〃Well； don't let us fight about Francois I。 now； I want to know how
Tom likes Eton。〃
〃He gets on famously。 I am so glad he is in the same hou