He was always happiest among his patients at
home; and the world was still ill enough to employ him so fully, that
Ethel hoped to be less missed than usual. Indeed, she believed that
her absence would be good in teaching him Mary's full-grown worth, and
Mary would be in the full glory of notability in the purification of
the house.

The change was likewise for Dr. Spencer's good. He had almost broken
down in the height of the labour, and still looked older and thinner
for it; and after one night at Coombe, he was going to refresh himself
by one of his discursive tours.

He was in high spirits, and the pink of courtesy; extremely flattered
by the charge of Ethel, and making her the ostensible object of his
attention, to the relief of the boys, who were glad to be spared the
sense of prominent invalidism. The change was delightful to them.
Aubrey was full of life and talk, and sat gazing from the window, as if
the line from Stoneborough to Whitford presented a succession of
novelties.

'What's that old place on the river there, with crow-stepped gables and
steep roofs, like a Flemish picture?'

'Don't you know?' said Leonard, 'it is the Vintry mill, where my
relative lives, that wants to make a dusty miller of me.'

'No fear of that, old fellow,' said Aubrey, regarding him in some
dismay, 'you've got better things to grind at.'

'Ay, even if I don't get the Randall next time, I shall be sure of it
another.'

'You'll have it next.'

'I don't know; here is a quarter clean gone, and the other fellows will
have got before me.'

'Oh, but most of them have had a spell of fever!'

'Yes, but they have not had it so thoroughly,' said Leonard. 'My
memory is not properly come back yet; and your father says I must not
try it too soon.'

'That's always his way,' said Aubrey. 'He would not let Ethel so much
as pack up my little Homer.'

Leonard's quick, furtive glance at Ethel was as if he suspected her of
having been barely prevented from torturing him.

'Oh, it was not her doing,' said Aubrey, 'it was I! I thought Tom
would find me gone back; and, you know, we must keep up together,
Leonard, and be entered at St. John's at the same time.'

For Aubrey devoutly believed in Tom's college at Cambridge, which had
recovered all Dr. May's allegiance.

The extra brightness was not of long duration. It was a very hot day,
such as exactly suited the salamander nature of Dr. Spencer; but the
carriage became like an