staying long anywhere. The physicians talked of a long sea voyage.
From all which I gradually brought down my hopes into smaller and
smaller compass; till finally I packed them up and stowed them away in
the hidden furthermost corner of my heart, only to be brought out and
looked at when there should be occasion. Spring came without the least
prospect that such occasion would be given me soon. My father and
mother were making preparation to journey in Norway; and already there
was talk of a third winter in Egypt! It was hoped that all these
changes were not without some slow and certain effect in the way of
improvement. I think on me they had another sort of effect.

Spring as usual drove us away from Magnolia. This summer was spent
with my Aunt Gary at various pleasant and cool up-country places,
where hills were, and brooks, and sweet air, and flowers, and where I
might have found much to enjoy. But always Miss Pinshon was with me,
and the quiet and freedom of these places, with the comparative cool
climate, made it possible for her to carry on all her schemes for my
improvement just as steadily as though we had been at Magnolia. And I
had not Darry and my pony, which indeed, the latter had been of small
use to me this year; and I had not my band of friends on the Sunday
evening; and even my own maid Margaret Aunt Gary had chosen to leave
behind. Miss Pinshon's reign was absolute. I think some of the Medusa
properties Preston used to talk about must have had their effect upon
me at this time. I remember little of all that summer, save the work
for Miss Pinshon, and the walks with Miss Pinshon, and a general
impression of those black eyes and inflexible voice, and mathematics
and dates, and a dull round of lesson getting. Not knowledge
getting--that would have been quite another affair. I seemed to be all
the while putting up a scaffolding, and never coming to work on the
actual Temple of Learning itself. I know we were in beautiful regions
that summer, but my recollection is not of them but of rows of
figures; and of a very grave, I think dull, and very quiet little
personage, who went about like a mouse for silentness, and gave no
trouble to anybody excepting only to herself.

The next winter passed as the winter before had done, only I had no
Christmas entertainment. My father and mother were in Egypt--perhaps he
did not think of it. Perhaps he did not feel that he could afford it.
Perhaps my aunt and the overseer