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Aubrey to show him to his room； where he might have some peace。
She was not sorry to be very busy； so as to have little time to reply
to the questions on the doings at Oxford； and the cause of her sudden
return； and yet it would have been a comfort to be able to sit down
to understand herself； and recall her confused thoughts。 But
solitary reflection was a thing only to be hoped for in that house in
bed； and Ethel was obliged to run up and down； and attend to
everybody； under an undefined sense that she had come home to a dull；
anxious world of turmoil。
Margaret seemed to guess nothing； that was one comfort； she evidently
thought that her return was fully accounted for by the fascination of
her papa's presence in a strange place。 She gave Ethel no credit for
the sacrifice； naturally supposing that she could not enjoy herself
away from home。 Ethel did not know whether to be glad or not； she
was relieved； but it was flat。 As to Norman Ogilvie； one or two
inquiries whether she liked him； and if Norman were going to Scotland
with him； were all that passed； and it was very provoking to be made
so hot and conscious by them。
She could not begin to dress till late； and while she was unpacking；
she heard her father come home； among the children's loud welcomes；
and go to the drawing…room。 He presently knocked at the door between
their rooms。
〃So Margaret does not know？〃 he said。
〃No； Mary has been so very good；〃 and she told what had passed。
〃Well done； Mary； I must tell her so。 She is a good girl on a pinch；
you see！〃
〃And we don't speak of it now？ Or will it hurt Margaret more to
think we keep things from her？〃
〃That is the worst risk of the two。 I have seen great harm done in
that way。 Mention it； but without seeming to make too much of it。〃
〃Won't you； papa？〃
〃You had betterit will seem of less importance。 I think nothing of
it myself。〃
Nevertheless； Ethel saw that he could not trust himself to broach the
subject to Margaret。
〃How was the Larkins' baby？〃
〃Doing better。 What have you done with Spencer？〃
〃I put him into Richard's room。 The children were eating him up！ He
is so kind to them。〃
〃Ay！ I say； Ethel； that was a happy consequence of your coming home
with me。〃
〃What a delightful person he is！〃
〃Is he not？ A true knight errant； as he always was！ I could not
tell you what I owed to him as a boyall my life； I may say。
Ethel；〃 he added suddenly： 〃we must do our best to make him happy
here。 I know it nowI never guessed it then； but one is very hard
and selfish when one is happy〃
〃What do you mean； papa？〃
〃I see it now；〃 continued Dr。 May incoherently； 〃the cause of his
wandering lifeadvantages thrown aside。 He！ the most worthy。
Things I little heeded at the time have come back on me！ I
understand why he banished himself！〃
〃Why？〃 asked Ethel bewildered。
〃She never had an idea of it； but I might have guessed from what fell
from him unconsciously； for not a word would he have saidnor did he
say； to show how he sacrificed himself！〃
〃Who was it？ Aunt Flora？〃 said Ethel； beginning to collect his
meaning。
〃No； Ethel； it was your own dear mother！ You will think this another
romantic fancy of mine； but I am sure of it。〃
〃So am I；〃 said Ethel。
〃Howwhat？ Ah！ I remembered after we parted that he might know
nothing〃
〃He asked me；〃 said Ethel。
〃And how did he bear it？〃
Ethel told； and the tears filled her father's eyes。
〃It was wrong and cruel in me to bring him home unprepared！ and then
to leave it to you。 I always forget other people's feelings。 Poor
Spencer！ And now； Ethel； you see what manner of man we have here；
and how we ought to treat him。〃
〃Indeed I do！〃
〃The most unselfishthe most self…sacrificing〃 continued Dr。 May。
〃And to see what it all turned on！ I happened to have this place
open to methe very cause； perhaps； of my having taken things easy
and so the old Professor threw opportunities in my way； while Aubrey
Spencer； with every recommendation that man could have； was set
aside； and exiled himself； leaving the station； and all he might so
easily have gained。 Ah； Ethel； Sir Matthew Fleet never came near him
in ability。 But not one word to interfere with me would he say； and…
…how I have longed to meet him again； after parting in my selfish；
unfeeling gladness； and now I have nothing to do for him； but show
him how little I was to be trusted with her。〃
Ethel never knew how to deal with these occasional bursts of grief；
but she said that she thought Dr。 Spencer was very much pleased to
have met with him； and delighted with the children。
〃Ah！ well； you are her children；〃 said Dr。 May； with his hand on
Ethel's shoulder。
So they went downstairs； and found Mary making tea； and Margaret；
fearing Dr。 Spencer was overwhelmed with his young admirersfor
Aubrey and Gertrude were one on each knee； and Blanche standing
beside him； inflicting on him a catalogue of the names and ages of
all the eleven。
〃Ethel has introduced you； I see；〃 said Dr。 May。
〃Ay； I assure you； it was an alarming introduction。 No sooner do I
enter your garden； than I hear that I am in the midst of the Forty
Thieves。 I find a young lady putting the world to death； after the
fashion of Hamletand； looking about to find what I have lost； I
find this urchin has robbed me of my namea property I supposed was
always left to unfortunate travellers； however small they might be
chopped themselves。〃
〃Well； Aubrey boy； will you make restitution？〃
〃It is my name；〃 said Aubrey positively； for； as his father added；
〃He is not without dread of the threat being fulfilled； and himself
left to be that Anon who； Blanche says； writes so much poetry。〃
Aubrey privately went to Ethel； to ask her if this were possible； and
she had to reassure him； by telling him that they were 〃only in fun。〃
It was fun with a much deeper current though； for Dr。 Spencer was
saying； with a smile； between gratification and sadness； 〃I did not
think my name would have been remembered here so long。〃
〃We had used up mine； and the grandfathers'； and the uncles'； and
began to think we might look a little further a…field；〃 said Dr。 May。
〃If I had only known where you were； I would have asked you to be the
varlet's godfather； but I was much afraid you were nowhere in the
land of the living。〃
〃I have but one godson； and he is coffee…coloured！ I ought to have
written； but； you see； for seven years I thought I was coming home。〃
Aubrey had recovered sufficiently to observe to Blanche； 〃That was
almost as bad as Ulysses；〃 which； being overheard and repeated； led
to the information that he was Ethel's pupil； whereupon Dr。 Spencer
began to inquire after the school； and to exclaim at his friend for
having deserted it in the person of Tom。 Dr。 May looked convicted；
but said it was all Norman's fault； and Dr。 Spencer； shaking his head
at Blanche； opined that the young gentleman was a great innovater；
and that he was sure he was at the bottom of the pulling down the
Market Cross； and the stopping up Randall's Alleyiniquities of the
〃nasty people；〃 of which she already had made him aware。
〃Poor Norman； he suffered enough anent Randall's Alley；〃 said Dr。
May； 〃but as to the Market Cross； that came down a year before he was
born。〃
〃It was the Town Council！〃 said Ethel。
〃One of the ordinary stultifications of Town Councils？〃
〃Take care； Spencer；〃 said Dr。 May。 〃I am a Town Council man my…
self〃
〃You； Dick！〃 and he turned with a start of astonishment； and went
into a fit of laughing； re…echoed by all the young ones； who were
especially tickled by hearing； from another； the abbreviation that
had； hitherto； only lived in the favourite expletive； 〃As sure as my
name is Dick May。〃
〃Of course；〃 said Dr。 May。 〃'Dost thou not suspect my place？ Dost
thou not suspect my years？ One that hath two gowns； and everything
handsome about him！'〃
His friend laughed the more； and they betook themselves to the
College stories； of which the quotation from Dogberry seemed to have
reminded them。
There was something curious and affecting in their manner to each
other。 Often it was the easy bantering familiarity of the two youths
they had once been together； with somewhat of elder brotherhood on
Dr。 Spencer's sideand of looking up on Dr。 May'sand just as they
had recurred to these terms； some allusion would bring back to Dr。
Spencer； that the heedless； high…spirited 〃Dick；〃 whom he had always
had much ado to keep out of scrapes； was a householder； a man of
weight and influence； a light which would at first strike him as most
ludicrous； and then mirth would end in a sigh； for there was yet
another aspect！ After having thought of him so long as the happy
husband of Margaret Mackenzie； he found her place vacant； and the
trace of deep grief apparent on the countenance； once so gaythe
oppression of anxiety marked on the brow； formerly so joyous； the
merriment almost more touching than gravity would have been； for the
former nature seemed rather shattered than altered。 In merging
towards this side； there was a tender respect in Dr。 Spencer's manner
that was most beautiful； though this ev