onata with great energy,
when her door re-opened, and Raymond again appeared. "I am looking
for two books of Mudie's. Do you know where they can be? I can't
make up the number."

"They are here," said Cecil; "Lanfrey's Vie de Napoleon; but I have
not finished them."

"The box should have gone ten days ago. My mother has nothing to
read, and has been waiting all this time for the next part of
Middlemarch," said Raymond.

"She said there was no hurry," murmured Cecil.

"No doubt she did; but we must not take advantage of her
consideration. Reading is her one great resource, and we must so
contrive that your studies shall not interfere with it."

He waited for some word of regret, but none came; and he was obliged
to add, "I must deprive you of the books for the present, for she
must not be kept waiting any longer; but I will see about getting
them for you in some other way. I must take the box to the station
in the dog-cart." He went without a word from her. It was an
entirely new light to her that her self-improvement could possibly
be otherwise than the first object with everyone. At home, father
and mother told one another complacently what Cecil was reading, and
never dreamt of obstructing the virtuous action. Were her studies
to be sacrificed to an old woman's taste for novels?

Cecil had that pertinacity of nature that is stimulated to
resistance by opposition; and she thought of the Egyptian campaign,
and her desire to understand the siege of Acre. Then she
recollected that Miss Vivian had spoken of reading the book, and
this decided her. "I'll go to Sirenwood, look at it, and order it.
No one can expect me to submit to have no friends abroad nor books
at home. Besides, it is all some foolish old family feud; and what
a noble thing it will be for my resolution and independence to force
the two parties to heal the breach, and bridge it over by giving
Miss Vivian to Frank."

In this mood she rang the bell, and ordered her horses; not however
till she had reason to believe the dog-cart on the way down the
avenue. As she came down in her habit, she was met by Frank,
returning from his tutor.

"Have I made a mistake, Cecil! I thought we were to go out together
this afternoon!"

"Yes; but Raymond was wanted at Willansborough, and I am going to
lunch at Sirenwood. I want to borrow a book."

"Oh, very well, I'll come, if you don't mind. Sir Harry asked me to
drop in and look at his dogs."