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stupid you look。 I wonder Mrs。 Hoxton likes to have you；〃 she added；
patting his shoulders between jest and earnest。
〃I wish she would not； then。 It is only to escort you。〃
〃Nonsense； Norman； you know better；〃 cried Ethel。 〃You know it is
for your own sake； and to make up for their injustice； that he
invites you； or Flora either。〃
〃Hush； Ethel！ he gives himself quite airs enough already；〃 said the
doctor。
〃Papa！〃 said Ethel； in vexation； though he gave her a pinch to show
it was all in good humour； while he went on； 〃I am glad to hear they
do leave him to himself in a corner。 A very good thing too！ Where
else should a great gawky schoolboy be？〃
〃Safe at home； where I wish he would let me be；〃 muttered Norman；
though he contrived to smile； and followed Flora out of the room；
without subjecting himself to the imputation of offended dignity。
Ethel was displeased； and began her defence： 〃Papa； I wish〃 and
there she checked herself。
〃Eh！ Miss Ethel's bristles up！〃 said her father； who seemed in a
somewhat mischievous mood of teasing。
〃How could you； papa？〃 cried she。
〃How could I what； Miss Etheldred？〃
〃Plague Norman；〃the words would come。 〃Accuse him of airs。〃
〃I hate to see young fellows above taking an honour from their
elders；〃 said Dr。 May。
〃Now； papa； papa； you know it is no such thing。 Dr。 Hoxton's parties
are very dullyou know they are； and it is not fair on Norman。 If
he was set up and delighted at going so often； then you would call
him conceited。〃
〃Conceit has a good many lurking…places；〃 said Dr。 May。 〃It is
harder to go and be overlooked； than to stay at home。〃
〃Now； papa； you are not to call Norman conceited；〃 cried Ethel。 〃You
don't believe that he is any such thing。〃
〃Why； not exactly；〃 said Dr。 May； smiling。 〃The boy has missed it
marvellously； but； you see； he has everything that subtle imp would
wish to feed upon； and it is no harm to give him a lick with the
rough side of the tongue； as your canny Scots grandfather used to
say。〃
〃Ah！ if you knew； papa〃 began Ethel。
〃If I knew？〃
〃No； no； I must not tell。〃
〃What； a secret； is there？〃
〃I wish it was not； I should like to tell you very much； but then；
you see； it is Norman's； and you are to be surprised。〃
〃Your surprise is likely to be very much like Blanche's birthday
presents； a stage aside。〃
〃No； I am going to keep it to myself。〃
Two or three days after； as Ethel was going to the schoolroom after
breakfast； Dr。 May beckoned her back to the dining…room； and； with
his merry look of significance； said； 〃Well； ma'am； I have found out
your mystery！〃
〃About Norman？ Oh； papa！ Did he tell you？〃
〃When I came home from the hospital last night； at an hour when all
respectable characters； except doctors and police； should be in their
warm beds； I beheld a light in Norman's window； so methought I would
see what Gravity was doing out of his bed at midnight〃
〃And you found him at his Greek〃
〃So that was the meaning of his looking so lank and careworn； just as
he did last year； and he the prince of the school！ I could have
found it in my heart to fling the books at his head！〃
〃But you consent； don't you； to his going up for the scholarship？〃
〃I consent to anything； as long as he keeps within due bounds； and
does not work himself to death。 I am glad of knowing it； for now I
can put a moderate check upon it。〃
〃And did he tell you all about it？〃
〃He told me he felt as if he owed it to us to gain something for
himself； since I had given up the Randall to gratify hima pretty
sort of gratification。〃
〃Yes； and he will be glad to get away from school。 He says he knows
it is bad for himas it is uncomfortable to be singled out in the
way Dr。 Hoxton does now。 You know；〃 pleaded Ethel； 〃it is not
ingratitude or elation； but it is； somehow； not nice to be treated as
he is； set apart from the rest。〃
〃True； Dr。 Hoxton never had taste or judgment。 If Norman were not a
lusus naturae；〃 said Dr。 May； hesitating for a word； 〃his head would
have been turned long ago。 And he wants companions toohe has been
forced out of boyhood too soon； poor fellowand Harry gone too。 He
does not get anything like real relaxation； and he will be better
among youths than boys。 Stoneborough will never be what it was in my
time！〃 added the doctor mournfully。 〃I never thought to see the poor
old place come to this； but therewhen all the better class send
their sons to the great public schools； and leave nothing but riff…
raff here； one is forced； for a boy's own sake； to do the same。〃
〃Oh； I am so glad！ Then you have consented to the rest of Norman's
scheme； and will not keep poor little Tom at school here without
him？〃
〃By what he tells me it would be downright ruin to the boy。 I little
thought to have to take a son of mine away from Stoneborough； but
Norman is the best judge； and he is the only person who seems to have
made any impression on Tom； so I shall let it be。 In fact；〃 he
added； half smiling； 〃I don't know what I could refuse old June。〃
〃That's right！〃 cried Ethel。 〃That is so nice！ Then； if Norman gets
the scholarship； Tom is to go to Mr。 Wilmot first； and then to Eton！〃
〃If Norman gains the scholarship； but that is an if；〃 said Dr。 May；
as though hoping for a loop…hole to escape offending the shade of
Bishop Whichcote。
〃Oh； papa； you cannot doubt of that！〃
〃I cannot tell； Ethel。 He is facile princeps here in his own world；
but we do not know how it may be when he is measured with public
schoolmen； who have had more first…rate tutorship than poor old
Hoxton's。〃
〃Ah！ he says so； but I thought that was all his humility。〃
〃Better he should be prepared。 If he had had all those advantages
but it may be as well after all。 I always had a hankering to have
sent him to Eton； but your dear mother used to say it was not fair on
the others。 And now； to see him striving in order to give the
advantage of it to his little brother！ I only hope Master Thomas is
worthy of itbut it is a boy I can't understand。〃
〃Nor I；〃 said Ethel； he never seems to say anything he can help； and
goes after Norman without talking to any one else。〃
〃I give him up to Norman's management；〃 said Dr。 May。 〃He says the
boy is very clever； but I have not seen it； and； as to more serious
matters However； I must take it on Norman's word that he is wishing
to learn truth。 We made an utter mistake about him； I don't know who
is to blame for it。〃
〃Have you told Margaret about Norman's plan？〃 asked Ethel。
〃No； he desired me to say nothing。 Indeed； I should not like Tom's
leaving school to be talked of beforehand。〃
〃Norman said he did not want Flora to hear； because she is so much
with the Hoxton's； and he said they would all watch him。〃
〃Ay； ay； and we must keep his secret。 What a boy it is！ But it is
not safe to say conceited things。 We shall have a fall yet； Ethel。
Not seventeen； remember； and brought up at a mere grammar…school。〃
〃But we shall still have the spirit that made him try；〃 said Ethel；
〃and that is the thing。〃
〃And； to tell the truth；〃 said the doctor； lingering； 〃for my own
part； I don't care a rush for it！〃 and he dashed off to his work；
while Ethel stood laughing。
〃Papa was so very kind；〃 said Norman tremulously； when Ethel followed
him to his room； to congratulate him on having gained his father's
assent； of which he had been more in doubt than she。
〃And you see he quite approves of the scheme for Tom； except for
thinking it disrespect to Bishop Whichcote。 He said he only hoped
Tom was worthy of it。〃
〃Tom！〃 cried Norman。 〃Take my word for it； Ethel； Tom will surprise
you all。 He will beat us all to nothing； I know！〃
〃If only he can be cured of〃
〃He will；〃 said Norman； 〃when once he has outgrown his frights； and
that he may do at Mr。 Wilmot's； apart from those fellows。 When I go
up for this scholarship； you must look after his lessons； and see if
you are not surprised at his construing！〃
〃When you go。 It will be in a month！〃
〃He has told no one； I hope。〃
〃No； but I hardly think he will bear not telling Margaret。〃
〃WellI hate a thing being out of one's own keeping。 I should not
so much dislike Margaret's knowing； but I won't have Flora knowmind
that； Ethel；〃 he said； with disproportionate vehemence。
〃I only hope Flora will not be vexed。 But oh； dear！ how nice
it will be when you have it； telling Meta Rivers； and all！〃
〃And this is a fine way of getting it； standing talking here。 Not
that I shallyou little know what public schools can do！ But that
is no reason against trying。〃
〃Good…night； then。 Only one thing more。 You mean that； till further
orders； Margaret should not know？〃
〃Of course；〃 said Norman impatiently。 〃She won't take any of Flora's
silly affronts； and； what is more； she would not care half so much as
before Alan Ernescliffe came。〃
〃Oh； Norman； Norman！ I'm sure〃
〃Why； it is what they always say。 Everybody can't be first； and
Ernescliffe has the biggest half of her； I can see。〃
〃I am sure I did not；〃 said Ethel； in a mortified voice。〃
〃Why； of course； it always comes of people having lovers。〃
〃Then I am s