wish, and
it is mine. To that all other things must give way. I wish you to have
every information and every accomplishment that it is possible for you
in this country to acquire.'

'Is there not as good a chance here as in England, papa?'

'What do you mean by "chance," my dear? Opportunity? No; there cannot
yet be the same advantages here as in an old country, which has been
educating its sons and its daughters in the most perfect way for
hundreds of years.'

Esther pricked up her ears. The box of coins recurred to her memory,
and sundry conversations held over it with Pitt Dallas. Whereby she had
certainly got an impression that it was not so very long since
England's educational provisions and practices, for England's daughters
at least, had been open to great criticism, and displayed great lack of
the desirable. 'Hundreds of years!' But she offered no contradiction to
her father's remark.

'I would like you to be equal to any Englishwoman in your acquirements
and accomplishments,' he repeated musingly. 'So far as in New York that
is possible.'

'I will try what I can do, papa. And, after all, it depends more on the
girl than on the school, does it not?'

'Humph! Well, a good deal depends on you, certainly. Did Miss Fairbairn
find you backward in your studies, to begin with?'

'Papa,' said Esther slowly, 'I do not think she did.'

'Not in anything?'

'In French and music, of course.'

'Of course! But in history?'

'No, papa.'

'Nor in Latin?'

'Oh no, papa.'

'Then you can take your place well with the rest?'

'Perfectly, papa.'

'Do you like it? And does Miss Fairbairn approve of you? Has the week
been pleasant?'

'Yes, sir. I like it very much, and I think she likes me--if only you
get on well, papa. How have you been all these days?'

'Not very well. I think, not so well as at Seaforth. The air here does
not agree with me. There is a rawness--I do not know what--a peculiar
quality, which I did not find at Seaforth. It affects my breast
disagreeably.'

'But, dear papa!' cried Esther in dismay, 'if this place does not agree
with you, do not let us stay here! Pray do not for me!'

'My dear, I am quite willing to suffer a little for your good.'

'But if is bad for you, papa?'

'What does that matter? I do not expect to live very long in any case;
whether a little longer or a little shorter, is most immaterial. I care
to live only so far as I can be of service to you, and while you need