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as a boast。 He would scarcely have thus spoken to any one but
Etheldred； to whom； as well as to himself； it seemed mere matter…of…
fact。 The others had in the meantime halted at the top of the hill；
and were looking back at the townthe great old Minster； raising its
twin towers and long roof； close to the river； where rich green
meadows spread over the valley； and the town rising irregularly on
the slope above； plentifully interspersed with trees and gardens； and
one green space on the banks of the river； speckled over with a flock
of little black dots in rapid motion。
〃Here you are！〃 exclaimed Flora。 〃I told them it was of no use to
wait when you and Norman had begun a dissertation。〃
〃Now； Mr。 Ernescliffe； I should like you to say；〃 cried Ethel； 〃which
do you think is the best； the name of it； or the thing？〃 Her
eloquence always broke down with any auditor but her brother； or；
perhaps； Margaret。
〃Ethel！〃 said Norman； 〃how is any one to understand you？ The
argument is this： Ethel wants people to do great deeds； and be
utterly careless of the fame of them； I say； that love of glory is a
mighty spring。〃
〃A mighty one！〃 said Alan： 〃but I think； as far as I understand the
question； that Ethel has the best of it。〃
〃I don't mean that people should not serve the cause first of all；〃
said Norman； 〃but let them have their right place and due honour。〃
〃They had better make up their minds to do without it；〃 said Alan。
〃Remember
〃The world knows nothing of its greatest men。〃
〃Then it is a great shame；〃 said Norman。
〃But do you think it right；〃 said Ethel； 〃to care for distinction？
It is a great thing to earn it； but I don't think one should care for
the outer glory。〃
〃I believe it is a great temptation；〃 said Alan。 〃The being over…
elated or over…depressed by success or failure in the eyes of the
world； independently of the exertion we have used。〃
〃You call it a temptation？〃 said Ethel。
〃Decidedly so。〃
〃But one can't live or get on without it；〃 said Norman。
There they were cut short。 There was a plantation to be crossed；
with a gate that would not open； and that seemed an effectual barrier
against both Miss Winter and the donkey； until by persuasive
eloquence and great gallantry； Mr。 Ernescliffe performed the
wonderful feat of getting the former over the tall fence； while
Norman conducted the donkey a long way round； undertaking to meet
them at the other side of the plantation。
The talk became desultory； as they proceeded for at least a mile
along a cart…track through soft…tufted grass and heath and young fir…
trees。 It ended in a broad open moor； stony； and full of damp boggy
hollows； forlorn and desolate under the autumn sky。 Here they met
Norman again； and walked on along a very rough and dirty road； the
ground growing more decidedly into hills and valleys as they
advanced； till they found themselves before a small； but very steep
hillock； one side of which was cut away into a slate quarry。 Round
this stood a colony of roughly…built huts； of mud； turf； or large
blocks of the slate。 Many workmen were engaged in splitting up the
slates； or loading wagons with them； rude wild…looking men； at the
sight of whom the ladies shrank up to their protectors； but who
seemed too busy even to spare time for staring at them。
They were directed to John Taylor's house； a low mud cottage； very
wretched looking； and apparently so smoky that Mr。 Ernescliffe and
Norman were glad to remain outside and survey the quarry； while the
ladies entered。
Inside they found more cleanliness and neatness than they had
expected； but there was a sad appearance of poverty； insufficient
furniture； and the cups and broken tea…pot on the table； holding
nothing but toast and water； as a substitute for their proper
contents。 The poor woman was sitting by the fire with one twin on
her lap； and the other on a chair by her side； and a larger child was
in the corner by the fire； looking heavy and ill； while others of
different ages lounged about listlessly。 She was not untidy； but
very pale； and she spoke in a meek； subdued way； as if the ills of
life were so heavy on her that she had no spirit even to complain。
She thanked them for their gifts but languidly； and did not visibly
brighten when told that her husband was better。
Flora asked when the babes would be christened。
〃I can't hardly tell； Miss'tis so far to go。〃
〃I suppose none of the children can go to school？ I don't know their
faces there；〃 said Flora； looking at a nice tall； smooth…haired girl
of thirteen or fourteen。
〃No； Miss'tis so far。 I am sorry they should not； for they always
was used to it where we lived before； and my oldest girl she can work
very nicely。 I wish I could get a little place for her。〃
〃You would hardly know what to do without her；〃 said Miss Winter。
〃No； ma'am； but she wants better food than I can give her； and it is
a bad wild place for a girl to grow up。 It is not like what I was
used to； ma'am； I was always used to keep to my school and to my
churchbut it is a bad place to live in here。〃
No one could deny it； and the party left the cottage gravely。 Alan
and Norman joined them； having heard a grievous history of the
lawlessness of the people from a foreman with whom they had met。
There seemed to be no visible means of improvement。 The parish
church was Stoneborough； and there the living was very poor； the
tithes having been appropriated to the old Monastery； and since its
dissolution having fallen into possession of a Body that never did
anything for the town。 The incumbent； Mr。 Ramsden； had small means；
and was not a high stamp of clergyman； seldom exerting himself； and
leaving most of his parish work to the two under masters of the
school； Mr。 Wilmot and Mr。 Harrison； who did all they had time and
strength for； and more too； within the town itself。 There was no
hope for Cocksmoor！
〃There would be a worthy ambition！〃 said Etheldred； as they turned
their steps homeward。 〃Let us propose that aim to ourselves； to
build a church on Cocksmoor！〃
〃How many years do you give us to do it in？〃 said Norman。
〃Few or many； I don't care。 I'll never leave off thinking about it
till it is done。〃
〃It need not be long；〃 said Flora； 〃if one could get up a
subscription。〃
〃A penny subscription？〃 said Norman。 〃I'd rather have it my own
doing。〃
〃You agree then；〃 said Ethel； 〃do you； Mr。 Ernescliffe？〃
〃I may safely do so；〃 he answered； smiling。 Miss Winter looked at
Etheldred reprovingly； and she shrank into herself； drew apart； and
indulged in a reverie。 She had heard in books of girls writing
poetry； romance； historygaining fifties and hundreds。 Could not
some of the myriads of fancies floating in her mind thus be made
available？ She would compose； publish； earn moneysome day call
papa； show him her hoard； beg him to take it； and； never owning
whence it came； raise the building。 Spire and chancel； pinnacle and
buttress； rose before her eyes； and she and Norman were standing in
the porch with an orderly； religious population； blessing the unknown
benefactor； who had caused the news of salvation to be heard among
them。
They were almost at home； when the sight of a crowd in the main
street checked them。 Norman and Mr。 Ernescliffe went forward to
discover the cause； and spoke to some one on the outskirtsthen Mr。
Ernescliffe hurried back to the ladies。
〃There's been an accident；〃 he said hastily〃you had better go down
the lane and in by the garden。〃
He was gone in an instant； and they obeyed in silence。 Whence came
Ethel's certainty that the accident concerned themselves？ In an
agony of apprehension； though without one outward sign of it； she
walked home。 They were in the gardenall was apparently as usual；
but no one was in sight。 Ethel had been first； but she held back；
and let Miss Winter go forward into the house。 The front door was
openservants were standing about in confusion； and one of the
maids； looking dreadfully frightened； gave a cry； 〃Oh！ MissMiss
have you heard？〃
〃Nowhat？ What has happened？ Not Mrs。 May〃 exclaimed Miss
Winter。
〃Oh； ma'am！ it is all of them。 The carriage is overturned； and〃
〃Who's hurt？ Mamma！ papa！ Oh； tell me！〃 cried Flora。
〃There's nurse；〃 and Ethel flew up to her。 〃What is it？ Oh； nurse！〃
〃My poor； poor children；〃 said old nurse； passionately kissing Ethel。
Harry and Mary were on the stairs behind her； clinging together。
A stranger looked into the house； followed by Adams； the stableman。
〃They are going to bring Miss May in；〃 some one said。
Ethel could bear it no longer。 As if she could escape； she fled
upstairs into her room； and； falling on her knees； hid her face on
her bed。
There were heavy steps in the house； then a sound of hasty feet
coming up to her。 Norman dashed into the room； and threw himself on
a chair。 He was ghastly pale； and shuddered all over。
〃Oh； Norman； Norman； speak！ What is it？〃 He groaned； but could not
speak； he rested his head against her； and gasped。 She was terribly
frightened。 〃I'll call〃 and she would have gone； but he held her。
〃Nonothey can't！〃 He was prevented from saying mor