them."

"Not so quickly," said the Doctor. "A boy when he leaves Eton is not
generally thinking of these things."

"A boy at Eton is not thrown into such society," said Mrs. Wortle.

"I suppose his being here and seeing Mary every day has done it. Poor
Mary!"

"I don't think she is poor at all," said Mary's mother.

"I am afraid she must not dream of her young lover."

"Of course she will not dream of him. She has never entertained any idea
of the kind. There never was a girl with less nonsense of that kind than
Mary. When Lord Carstairs spoke to her to-day I do not suppose she had
thought about him more than any other boy that has been here."

"But she will think now."

"No;--not in the least. She knows it is impossible."

"Nevertheless she will think about it. And so will you."

"I!"

"Yes,--why not? Why should you be different from other mothers? Why
should I not think about it as other fathers might do? It is impossible.
I wish it were not. For Mary's sake, I wish he were three or four years
older. But he is as he is, and we know that it is impossible.
Nevertheless, it is natural that she should think about him. I only hope
that she will not think about him too much." So saying he closed the
conversation for that night.

Mary did not think very much about "it" in such a way as to create
disappointment. She at once realised the impossibilities, so far as to
perceive that the young lord was the top brick of the chimney as far as
she was concerned. The top brick of the chimney may be very desirable,
but one doesn't cry for it, because it is unattainable. Therefore Mary
did not in truth think of loving her young lover. He had been to her a
very nice boy; and so he was still; that;--that, and nothing more. Then
had come this little episode in her life which seemed to lend it a gentle
tinge of romance. But had she inquired of her bosom she would have
declared that she had not been in love. With her mother there was perhaps
something of regret. But it was exactly the regret which may be felt in
reference to the top brick. It would have been so sweet had it been
possible; but then it was so evidently impossible.

With the Doctor the feeling was somewhat different. It was not quite so
manifest to him that this special brick was altogether unattainable, nor
even that it was quite at the top of the chimney. There was no reason why
his daughter should not marry an earl's son and heir. No