Do you think you could talk to me,
Dan, and amuse me a little bit? That would pass the time. Tell me
about yourself, and all you are going to do when you go up to
Cambridge."

And to his own astonishment Dan found himself responding to her request.
His was one of the silent, reserved natures which find it difficult to
speak of the subjects which lie nearest to the heart, but even silent
people have their moments of expansion, and when once Dan had broken the
ice, he found it unexpectedly easy to talk, with Darsie's big eyes fixed
on his in eloquent understanding. She was a capital little listener;
never interrupted at the wrong moment, indulged in senseless
ejaculations, or fidgety, irritating movement. Nothing about her moved,
hardly even the blue eyes, so fixed and absorbed was their gaze, while
Dan spoke in low, rapid tones of the course of work which lay ahead, of
the ambitions and dreams which were to crown his efforts. He must take
first-class honours at Cambridge; nothing less than first-class honours
would do--honours so distinguished that he would have no difficulty in
obtaining a good post as schoolmaster to tide him over the next few
years. "Teaching's the thing for me--for it leaves four months over for
my own work, the real work of my life--scientific study and research!
That's the only thing worth living for from my point of view, and I
shall plump for that. I don't care for money, I don't want to marry,
I'd be content to make enough to keep body and soul together, if I could
only help on the cause of humanity. I am not going up to Cambridge for
two years. I can do better grinding quietly at home, and the governor
doesn't mind. In fact, he is just as well pleased to think I shall have
more time to run when Hannah goes up to Newnham."

Darsie drew her breath sharply.

"Oh, Dan! how fortunate you are--how fortunate Hannah is, to be able to
do as you like! I would give my ears to go up to Newnham, too, but
father says it's impossible. He can't afford it with the boys'
education getting more expensive every year. I shall have to stay at
home, and turn into a miserable morning governess, teaching wretched
little kids to read, and taking them for a walk round the park. Oh, oh!
it makes me _ill_ to think about it."

Dan laughed shortly.

"Excuse me! it makes you well. You look quite like yourself again.
I'll give you a bit of advice if you like: don't believe that anything's
impossible in thi