and that has
been the dream of my life. There's nothing to sneer at, you see, though
perhaps _you_ can manage to be superior even about that!"

"Yes, easily. I hate blue-stockings," said Ralph calmly, but his eyes
twinkled as he spoke, and in spite of herself Darsie was obliged to
smile in response.

"And I hate narrow-minded, prejudiced young men! Oh dear! you've put me
in a bad temper on this day of days, just when I felt that I could never
be cross again. I'll forgive you only because it's impossible to go
_on_ being cross. I've just been to the post-office to telegraph the
great news to my people at the seaside. They'll be wild with
excitement, especially my chum who will be going up at the same time,
Hannah Vernon--`plain Hannah' we call her. Funny nickname, isn't it?"

"Sounds ingratiating!" Voice and expression were alike so expressive
that Darsie went off into a merry trill of laughter, as she hastened to
take up the cudgels in plain Hannah's defence.

"She doesn't care a bit. Jokes about it with the rest. And she is so
funnily ugly that it's really rather dear. _And_ clever! She'll be a
first-class girl, you'll see if she isn't. I shall be nowhere beside
her, but I'm going to _grind_. Let me see: if we go up in three years'
time, when we're eighteen, how long will you have left of your course?"

"Perhaps a year, perhaps two. Depends upon how soon I go up. It isn't
as if I had to go in for a profession or anything of that kind. I shall
spend my life looking after the property, and there's no particular need
to swot for that."

"I hate loafers," said Darsie in her turn, then once more relented and
said genially, "But I don't believe you mean half that you say. Anyway,
I shall look forward to meeting you at Cambridge, and I hope you are
prepared to be kind, and to be ready to return the good offices which I
have been able to render to your respected family."

"I am. What do you want me to do?"

"To be nice to me at Cambridge! I shall be a shy, lone Fresher, and you
can make things much livelier for me if you like. I want you to like!
Dan Vernon will be there, too, but he's so serious and clever that he
won't be much good for the _fun_ part. I want you to promise not to be
superior and proud, but a real friend to take us about, and dance with
us at the balls, and get up picnics on the river. I can manage the work
part for myself, but I want some help for the fun!"

She expected an i