," said she,
"is not that charming? I wish you would come to the feast. Now, do! It
is on Easter Tuesday. Won't you come?"

"Thank you, I am afraid we can't. I should like it very much."

"You never will come to me. You have no compassion."

"We should enjoy coming very much. Perhaps, in the summer, when Margaret
is better."

"Could not she spare any of you? Well, I shall talk to papa, and make
him talk to Dr. May. Mrs. Larpent will tell you I always get my way.
Don't I? Good-bye. See if I don't."

She departed, and Flora returned to her own business; but Blanche's
interest was gone. Dazzled by the more lavish gifts, she looked
listlessly and disdainfully at bodkins, three for twopence. "I wish I
might have bought the writing-box for Janet Taylor! Why does not papa
give us money to get pretty things for the children?" said she, as soon
as they came out.

"Because he is not so rich as Miss Rivers's papa."

Flora was interrupted by meeting the Misses Anderson, who asked, "Was
not that carriage Mr. Rivers's of Abbotstoke Grange?"

"Yes. We like Miss Rivers very much," said Flora, resolved to show that
she was acquainted.

"Oh! do you visit her? I knew he was a patient of Dr. May." Flora
thought there was no need to tell that the only call had been owing to
the rain, and continued, "She has been begging us to come to her school
feast, but I do not think we can manage it."

"Oh, indeed! the Grange is very beautiful, is it not?"

"Very," said Flora. "Good-morning."

Flora had a little uneasiness in her conscience, but it was satisfactory
to have put down Louisa Anderson, who never could aspire to an intimacy
with Miss Rivers. Her little sister looked up--"Why, Flora, have you
seen the Grange?"

"No, but papa and Norman said so."

And Blanche showed that the practical lesson on the pomps of the world
was not lost on her, by beginning to wish they were as rich as Miss
Rivers. Flora told her it was wrong to be discontented, but the answer
was, "I don't want it for myself, I want to have pretty things to give
away."

And her mind could not be turned from the thought by any attempt of her
sister. Even when they met Dr. May coming out of the hospital, Blanche
renewed the subject. She poured out the catalogue of Miss Rivers's
purchases, making appealing attempts at looking under his spectacles
into his eyes, and he perfectly understood the tenor of her song.

"I have had a sight, too, of little maidens preparing