if he had
set up in London."

"Oh, dear, I am so glad he did not."

"Shall I tell you what mamma told me he said about it, when Uncle
Mackenzie said he ought? He answered that he thought health and happy
home attachments were a better provision for us to set out in life with
than thousands."

"I am sure he was right!" said Ethel earnestly. "Then you don't think
the dream meant being beaten, only that our best things are not gained
by successes in this world?"

"Don't go and let it dwell on your mind as a vision," said Margaret. "I
think dear mamma would call that silly."

An interruption occurred, and Ethel had to go down to breakfast with a
mind floating between romance, sorrow, and high aspirations, very unlike
the actual world she had to live in. First, there was a sick man walking
into the study, and her father, laying down his letters, saying, "I must
despatch him before prayers, I suppose. I've a great mind to say I never
will see any one who won't keep to my days."

"I can't imagine why they don't," said Flora, as he went. "He is always
saying so, but never acting on it. If he would once turn one away, the
rest would mind."

Richard went on in silence, cutting bread and butter.

"There's another ring," said Mary.

"Yes, he is caught now, they'll go on in a stream. I shall not keep
Margaret waiting for her breakfast, I shall take it up."

The morning was tiresome; though Dr. May had two regular days for seeing
poor people at his house, he was too good-natured to keep strictly to
them, and this day, as Flora had predicted, there was a procession of
them not soon got rid of, even by his rapid queries and the talismanic
figures made by his left hand on scraps of paper, with which he sent
them off to the infirmary. Ethel tried to read; the children lingered
about; it was a trial of temper to all but Tom, who obtained Richard's
attention to his lessons. He liked to say them to his brother, and was
an incentive to learn them quickly, that none might remain for Miss
Winter when Richard went out with his father. If mamma had been there,
she would have had prayers; but now no one had authority enough, though
they did at last even finish breakfast. Just as the gig came to the
door, Dr. May dismissed his last patient, rang the bell in haste, and
as soon as prayers were over, declared he had an appointment, and had no
time to eat. There was a general outcry that it was bad enough when he
was well, and now he must