at any rate not be less in the world than they who
had passed away. In a few years at furthest, George Vavasor must be
Vavasor of Vavasor. Would it not be right that she should help him to
make that position honourable?

They walked on, exchanging now and again a word or two, till the
distant Cumberland mountains began to form themselves in groups of
beauty before their eyes. "There's Helvellyn at last," said Kate.
"I'm always happy when I see that." "And isn't that Kidsty Pike?"
asked Alice. "No; you don't see Kidsty yet. But you will when you
get up to the bank there. That's Scaw Fell on the left;--the round
distant top. I can distinguish it, though I doubt whether you can."
Then they went on again, and were soon at the bank from whence the
sharp top of the mountain which Alice had named was visible. "And now
we are on Swindale, and in five minutes we shall get to the stone."

In less than five minutes they were there; and then, but not till
then, the beauty of the little lake, lying down below them in the
quiet bosom of the hills, disclosed itself. A lake should, I think,
be small, and should be seen from above, to be seen in all its glory.
The distance should be such that the shadows of the mountains on its
surface may just be traced, and that some faint idea of the ripple
on the waters may be present to the eye. And the form of the lakes
should be irregular, curving round from its base among the lower
hills, deeper and still deeper into some close nook up among the
mountains from which its head waters spring. It is thus that a lake
should be seen, and it was thus that Hawes Water was seen by them
from the flat stone on the side of Swindale Fell. The basin of the
lake has formed itself into the shape of the figure of 3, and the top
section of the figure lies embosomed among the very wildest of the
Westmoreland mountains. Altogether it is not above three miles long,
and every point of it was to be seen from the spot on which the girls
sat themselves down. The water beneath was still as death, and as
dark,--and looked almost as cold. But the slow clouds were passing
over it, and the shades of darkness on its surface changed themselves
with gradual changes. And though no movement was visible, there
was ever and again in places a slight sheen upon the lake, which
indicated the ripple made by the breeze.

"I'm so glad I've come here," said Alice, seating herself. "I cannot
bear the idea of coming to Vavasor without se