t that sensible woman had asked no
alarming questions on the past, still less had offered any advice that
could seem like interference. She had only named localities, mentioned
neighbours, and made little communications about the ways of the place
such as might elicit remarks; and, as Alice's voice betrayed less and
less constraint, she ventured on speaking of their daughters, so as to
draw forth some account of how Ursula might have been educated.

And of this, Alice was ready and eager to talk, telling how clever and
how industrious Nuttie had always been, and how great an advantage Miss
Nugent's kindness was, and how she was hoping to go up for the
Cambridge examination; then, detecting some doubt in her companion's
manner, she said, 'It would be a great disappointment to her not to do
so now. Do you think she had better not?'

'I don't think she will find time to go on with the preparation! And,
to tell the truth, I don't think we are quite ripe for such things in
this county. We are rather backward, and Ursula, coming in fresh upon
us, might find it a disadvantage to be thought much cleverer than other
people.'

'Ah! I was not quite sure whether her father would like it.'

'I do not think he would. I am sure that if my little Rose were to
take it into her head, I should have hard work to get her father's
consent, though no doubt the world will have progressed by the time she
is old enough.'

'That settles it,' said Alice. 'Thank you, Mrs. Egremont. I own,' she
added presently, 'that I do somewhat regret that it cannot be, for I
thought that a motive for keeping up her studies would be helpful to my
child;--I do not mean for the sake of the studies, but of the--the
balance in all this change and novelty.'

'You are quite right, I have felt it myself,' said her sister-in-law.
'Perhaps something could be done by essay societies. May belongs to
one, and if Ursula is an intellectual girl, perhaps you could keep her
up to some regular employment in the morning. I succeeded in doing so
when May came out, but I can accomplish nothing regular but music with
Blanche; and an hour's steady practice a day is better than nothing.'

The drive was on the whole a success, and so was the tea-drinking in
the verandah, where Aunt Alice and little five-years old Basil became
fast friends and mutual admirers; the Canon strolled out and was
installed in the big, cushioned basket-chair that crackled under his
weight; Blan