Ethel　sigh　to　think　of　the　contrast　with　Stoneborough。　　In　such
  conversation　they　came　to　the　entrance　of　the　hamlet；　and　Mary；　with
  a　scream　of　joy；　declared　that　she　really　believed　that　he　was　going
  to　help　them！　　He　did　not　turn　away。
  〃Thank　you！〃　said　Ethel；　in　a　low　voice；　from　the　bottom　of　her
  heart。
  She　used　him　mercifully；　and　made　the　lessons　shorter　than　usual；　but
  when　they　reached　the　open　air　again；　he　drew　a　long　breath；　and　when
  Mary　eagerly　tried　for　a　compliment　to　their　scholars；　asked　if　they
  could　not　be　taught　the　use　of　eyelids。
  〃Did　they　stare？〃　said　Ethel。　　〃That's　one　advantage　of　being　blind。
  No　one　can　stare　me　out　of　countenance。〃
  〃Why　were　you　answering　all　your　questions　yourself？〃　asked　Mary。
  〃Because　no　one　else　would；〃　said　Norman。
  〃You　used　such　hard　words；〃　replied　Ethel。
  〃Indeed！　I　thought　I　was　very　simple。〃
  〃Oh！〃　cried　Mary；　〃there　were　derive；　and　instruction；　and　implicate；
  andoh；　so　many。〃
  〃Never　mind；〃　said　Ethel；　seeing　him　disconcerted。　　〃It　is　better　for
  them　to　be　drawn　up；　and　you　will　soon　learn　their　language。　　If　we
  only　had　Una　M'Carthy　here！〃
  〃Then　you　don't　like　it？〃　said　Mary；　disappointed。
  〃It　is　time　to　learn　not　to　be　fastidious；〃　he　answered。　　〃So；　if　you
  will　help　me〃
  〃Norman；　I　am　so　glad！〃　said　Ethel。
  〃Yes；〃　said　Norman；　〃I　see　now　that　these　things　that　puff　us　up；　and
  seem　the　whole　world　to　us　now；　all　end　in　nothing　but　such　as　this！
  Think　of　old　Mr。　Wilmot；　once　carrying　all　before　him；　but　deeming
  all　his　powers　well　bestowed　in　fifty　years'　teaching　of　clowns！〃
  〃Yes；〃　replied　Ethel；　very　low。　〃One　soul　is　worth〃　and　she　paused
  from　the　fullness　of　thought。
  〃And　these　things；　about　which　we　are　so　elated；　do　not　render　us　so
  fit　to　teachas　you；　Mary；　or　as　Richard。〃
  〃They　do；〃　said　Ethel。　　The　ten　talents　were　doubled。　　Strength　tells
  in　power。　　The　more　learning；　the　fitter　to　teach　the　simplest
  thing。〃
  〃You　remind　me　of　old　Mr。　Wilmot　saying　that　the　first　thing　he
  learned　at　his　parish　was；　how　little　his　people　knew；　the　second；
  how　little　he　himself　knew。〃
  So　Norman　persevered　in　the　homely　discipline　that　he　had　chosen　for
  himself；　which　brought　out　his　deficiency　in　practical　work　in　a
  manner　which　lowered　him　in　his　own　eyes；　to　a　degree　almost
  satisfactory　to　himself。　　He　was　not；　indeed；　without　humility；　but
  his　nature　was　self…contemplative　and　self…conscious　enough　to
  perceive　his　superiority　of　talent；　and　it　had　been　the　struggle　of
  his　life　to　abase　this　perception；　so　that　it　was　actually　a　relief
  not　to　be　obliged　to　fight　with　his　own　complacency　in　his　powers。
  He　had　learned　not　to　think　too　highly　of　himselfhe　had　yet　to
  learn　to　〃think　soberly。〃　　His　aid　was　Ethel's　chief　pleasure　through
  this　somewhat　trying　summer；　it　might　be　her　last　peaceful　one　at
  Cocksmoor。
  That　bazaar！　　How　wild　it　had　driven　the　whole　town；　and　even　her　own
  home！
  Margaret　herself；　between　good　nature　and　feminine　love　of　pretty
  things；　had　become　ardent　in　the　cause。　　In　her　unvaried　life；　it　was
  a　great　amusement　to　have　so　many　bright　elegant　things　exhibited　to
  her；　and　Ethel　was　often　mortified　to　find　her　excited　about　some　new
  device；　or　drawn　off　from　〃rational　employments；〃　to　complete　some
  trifle。
  Mary　and　Blanche　were　far　worse。　　From　the　time　that　consent　had　been
  given　to　the　fancy…work　being　carried　on　in　the　schoolroom；　all
  interest　in　study　was　over。　　Thenceforth；　lessons　were　a　necessary
  form；　gone　through　without　heart　or　diligence。　　These　were　reserved
  for　paste…board　boxes；　beplastered　with　rice　and　sealing…wax；　for
  alum　baskets；　dressed　dolls；　and　every　conceivable　trumpery；　and　the
  governess　was　as　eager　as　the　scholars。
  If　Ethel　remonstrated；　she　hurt　Miss　Bracy's　feelings；　and　this　was　a
  very　serious　matter　to　both　parties。
  The　governess　was　one　of　those　morbidly　sensitive　people；　who　cannot
  be　stopped　when　once　they　have　begun　arguing　that　they　are　injured。
  Two　women　together；　each　with　the　last…word　instinct；　have　no　power
  to　cease；　and；　when　the　words　are　spent　in　explainingnot　in
  scoldingconscience　is　not　called　in　to　silence　them；　and　nothing
  but　dinner　or　a　thunder…storm　can　check　them。　　All　Ethel's　good　sense
  was　of　no　avail；　she　could　not　stop　Miss　Bracy；　and；　though　she　might
  resolve　within　herself　that　real　kindness　would　be　to　make　one
  reasonable　reply；　and　then　quit　the　subject；　yet；　on　each　individual
  occasion；　such　a　measure　would　have　seemed　mere　impatience　and
  cruelty。　　She　found　that　if　Miss　Winter　had　been　too　dry；　Miss　Bracy
  went　to　the　other　extreme；　and　demanded　a　manifestation　of　sympathy；
  and　return　to　her　passionate　attachment　that　perplexed　Ethel's
  undemonstrative　nature。　　Poor　good　Miss　Bracy；　she　little　imagined
  how　often　she　added　to　the　worries　of　her　dear　Miss　Ethel；　all　for
  want　of　self…command。
  Finally；　as　the　lessons　were　less　and　less　attended　to；　and　the　needs
  of　the　stall　became　more　urgent；　Dr。　May　and　Margaret　concurred　in　a
  decision；　that　it　was　better　to　yield　to　the　mania；　and　give　up　the
  studies　till　they　could　be　pursued　with　a　willing　mind。
  Ethel　submitted；　and　only　laughed　with　Norman　at　the　display　of
  treasures；　which　the　girls　went　over　daily；　like　the　〃House　that　Jack
  built；〃　always　starting　from　〃the　box　that　Mary　made。〃　　Come　when　Dr。
  May　would　into　the　drawing…room；　there　was　always　a　line　of　penwipers
  laid　out　on　the　floor；　bags　pendent　to　all　the　table…drawers；
  antimacassars　laid　out　everywhere。
  Ethel　hoped　that　the　holidays　would　create　a　diversion；　but　Mary　was
  too　old　to　be　made　into　a　boy；　and　Blanche　drew　Hector　over　to　the
  feminine　party；　setting　him　to　gum；　gild；　and　paste　all　the
  contrivances　which；　in　their　hands；　were　mere　feeble　gimcracks；　but
  which　now　became　fairly　sound；　or；　at　least；　saleable。
  The　boys　also　constructed　a　beautiful　little　ship　from　a　print　of　the
  Alcestis；　so　successfully；　that　the　doctor　promised　to　buy　it；　and
  Ethel　grudged　the　very　sight　of　it　to　the　bazaar。
  Tom；　who；　in　person；　was　growing　like　a　little　shadow　or　model　of
  Norman；　had；　unlike　him；　a　very　dexterous　pair　of　hands；　and　made
  himself　extremely　useful　in　all　such　works。　　On　the　other　hand；　the
  Cleveland　stall　seemed　chiefly　to　rely　for　brilliance　on　the　wit　of
  Harvey　Anderson；　who　was　prospering　at　his　college；　and　the　pride　of
  his　family。　　A　great　talker；　and　extremely　gallant；　he　was　considered
  a　far　greater　acquisition　to　a　Stoneborough　drawing…room　than　was　the
  silent；　bashful　Norman　May；　and　rather　looked　down　on　his　brother
  Edward；　who；　having　gone　steadily　through　the　school；　was　in　the
  attorney's　office；　and　went　on　quietly　and　well；　colouring　up
  gratefully　whenever　one　of　the　May　family　said　a　kind　word　to　him。
  CHAPTER　III。
  Any　silk；　any　thread；
  Any　toys　for　your　head；
  Of　the　newest　and　finest　wear…a？
  Come　to　the　pedlar；
  Money's　a　medlar。
  That　doth　utter　all　men's　ware…a。
  Winter's　Tale。
  〃This　one　day　and　it　will　be　over；　and　we　shall　be　rational　again；〃
  thought　Ethel；　as　she　awoke。
  Flora　was　sleeping　at　the　Grange；　to　be　ready　for　action　in　the
  morning；　and　Ethel　was　to　go　early　with　Mary　and　Blanche；　who　were
  frantic　to　have　a　share　in　the　selling。　　Norman　and　the　boys　were　to
  walk　at　their　own　time；　and　the　children　to　be　brought　later　by　Miss
  Bracy。　　The　doctor　would　be　bound　by　no　rules。
  It　was　a　pattern　day；　bright；　clear；　warm；　and　not　oppressive；
  perfect　for　an　out…of…doors　fete；　and　Ethel　had　made　up　her　mind　to
  fulfil　her　promise　to　Margaret　of　enjoying　herself。　　In　the　brilliant
  sunshine；　and　between　two　such　happy　sisters；　it　would　have　been
  surly；　indeed；　not　to　enter　into　the　spirit　of　the　day；　and　Ethel
  laughed　gaily　with　them；　and　at　their　schemes　and　hopes；　Blanche's
  heart　being　especially　set　on　knowing　the　fate　of　a　watch…guard　of
  her　own　construction。
  Hearing　that　the　ladies　were　in　the　gardens；　they　repaired　thither　at
  once。　　The　broad；　smooth　bowling…green　lay　before　them；　a　marquee；
  almost　converted　into　a　bower；　bounding　it　on　either　side；　while　in
  the　midst　arose；　gorgeous　and　delicious；　a　pyramid　of　flowers
  contributions　from　all　the　hot…houses　in　the　neighbourhoodto　be
  sold　for　the　benefit　of　the　bazaar。　　Their　freshness　and　fragrance
  gave　a　brightness　to　the　whole　scene；　while　shrinking　from　such
  light；　as　only　the　beauteous　works　of　nature　could　bear；　was　the
  array　accomplished　by　female　fingers。
  Under　the　wreathed　canopies　were　the　stalls；　piled　up　with　bright
  colours；　most　artistically　arranged。　　Ethel；　with　her　over…minute
  knowledge　of　every　article；　could　hardly　believe　that　yonder　glowing
  Eastern　pattern　of　scarlet；　black；　and　blue；　was；　in　fact；　a
  judicious　mosaic　of　penwipers　that　she　remembered；　as　shreds　begged
  from　the　tailor；　that　the　delicate　lace…work　consisted　of　Miss
  Bracy's　perpetual　antimacassars；　and　that　the　potichomanie　could　look
  so　dignified　and　Etruscan。
  〃Here　you　are！〃　cried　Meta　Rivers；　springing　to　meet　them。　　〃Good
  girls；　to　come　early。　　Where's　my　little　Daisy？〃
  〃Coming　in　good　time；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃How　pretty　it　all　looks！〃
  〃But　where's　Flora？where's　my　watch…guard？〃