to　talk　to　Ethelshe　may　better　understand　her。〃
  〃I　have　never　understood　Flora；〃　said　Meta。　　〃She　has　been　as　kind　to
  me　as　possible；　and　I　very　soon　came　to　a　certain　point　with　her；　but
  I　never　have　known　her　thoroughly。　　I　doubt　whether　any　one　did　but
  dear　Margaret。〃
  Flora　was；　however；　much　softened　and　less　reserved　than　she　had
  been。　　She　found　great　repose　in　her　aunt's　attendance；　retracing；　as
  it　did；　her　mother's　presence；　and　she　responded　to　her　tenderness
  with　increasing　reliance　and　comfort；　while　as　her　strength　began　to
  revive；　and　there　was　more　disposition　to　talk；　she　became　gradually
  drawn　into　greater　confidence。
  The　seeing　of　Ethel　was　one　of　the　difficult　questions。　　Flora　had
  begun　to　wish　it　very　much；　and　yet　the　bare　idea　threw　her　into　a
  nervous　tremor；　that　caused　it　to　be　put　off　again　and　again。　　Her
  aunt　found　her　one　day　almost　faint　with　agitationshe　had　heard
  Ethel's　voice　in　the　next　room；　and　had　been　winding　up　her
  expectations；　and　now　was　as　much　grieved　as　relieved；　to　find　that
  she　had　been　there　seeing　the　baby；　but　was　now　gone。
  〃How　does　the　dear　Ethel　look？〃　asked　Flora　presently。
  〃She　is　looking　better　to…day；　she　has　looked　very　worn　and　harassed；
  but　I　thought　her　brighter　to…day。　　She　walked　over　by　Aubrey　on　his
  pony；　and　I　think　it　did　her　good。〃
  〃Dear　old　Ethel！　　Aunt；　it　is　a　thing　that　no　one　has　told　me　yet。
  Can　you　tell　me　how　she　bore　the　news　of　Norman　Ogilvie's
  engagement？〃
  〃Do　you　mean〃　and　Mrs。　Arnott　stopped　short　in　her　interrogation。
  〃Yes；〃　said　Flora；　answering　the　pause。
  〃But　I　thought　young　Ogilvie　a　most　unexceptionable　person。〃
  〃So　he　is；〃　said　Flora。　　〃I　was　much　annoyed　at　the　time；　but　she　was
  resolute。〃
  〃In　rejecting　him？〃
  〃In　running　away　as　soon　as　she　found　what　was　likely　to　happen；〃　and
  Flora；　in　a　few　words；　told　what　had　passed　at　Oxford。
  〃Then　it　was　entirely　out　of　devotion　to　your　father？〃
  〃Entirely；〃　said　Flora。　　〃No　one　could　look　at　her　without　seeing
  that　she　liked　him。　　I　had　left　her　to　be　the　only　effective　one　at
  home；　and　she　sacrificed　herself。〃
  〃I　am　glad　that　I　have　seen　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Arnott。　　〃I　should　never
  have　understood　her　by　description。　　I　always　said　that　I　must　come
  home　to　set　my　correspondence　going　rightly。〃
  〃Aunt　Flora；〃　said　her　niece；　〃do　you　remember　my　dear　mother's
  unfinished　letter　to　you？〃
  〃To　be　sure　I　do；　my　dear。〃
  〃Nothing　ever　was　more　true；〃　said　Flora。　　〃I　read　it　over　some
  little　time　ago；　when　I　set　my　papers　in　order；　and　understood　it
  then。　　I　never　did　before。　　I　used　to　think　it　very　good　for　the
  others。〃
  〃It　is　what　one　generally　does　with　good　advice。〃
  〃Do　you　recollect　the　comparison　between　Norman；　Ethel；　and　me？　　It
  is　so　curious。　Norman；　who　was　ambitious　and　loved　praise；　but　now
  dreads　nothing　so　much；　Ethel；　who　never　cared　for　anything　of　the
  kind；　but　went　straight　on　her　own　brave　way；　and　oh！　Aunt　Florame…
  …〃
  〃Indeed；　my　dear；　I　should　have　thought　you　had　her　most　full
  approbation。〃
  〃Ah！　don't　you　see　the　tone；　as　if　she　were　not　fully　satisfied；　as
  if　she　only　could　not　see　surface　faults　in　me；〃　said　Flora；　〃and　how
  she　said　she　dreaded　my　love　of　praise；　and　of　being　liked。　　I　wonder
  how　it　would　have　been　if　she　had　lived。　　I　have　looked　back　so　often
  in　the　past　year；　and　I　think　the　hollowness　began　from　that　time。
  It　might　have　been　there　before；　but　I　am　not　so　sure。　　You　see；　at
  that　dreadful　time；　after　the　accident；　I　was　the　eldest　who　was　able
  to　be　efficient；　and　much　more　useful　than　poor　Ethel。　　I　think　the
  credit　I　gained　made　me　think　myself　perfection；　and　I　never　did
  anything　afterwards　but　seek　my　own　honour。〃
  Mrs。　Arnott　began　better　to　understand　Flora's　continued　depression；
  but　she　thought　her　self…reproach　exaggerated；　and　said　something　at
  once　soothing　and　calculated　to　encourage　her　to　undraw　the　curtain
  of　reserve。
  〃You　do　not　know；〃　continued　Flora；　〃how　greedy　I　was　of　credit　and
  affection。　　It　made　me　jealous　of　Ethel　herself；　as　long　as　we　were
  in　the　same　sphere；　and　when　I　felt　that　she　was　more　to　papa　than　I
  could　be；　I　looked　beyond　home　for　praise。　　I　don't　think　the　things
  I　did　were　bad　in　themselvesbrought　up　as　I　have　been；　they　could
  hardly　be　so。　　I　knew　what　merits　praise　and　blame　too　well　for　that…
  …but　oh！　the　motive。　　I　do　believe　I　cared　very　much　for　Cocksmoor。
  I　thought　it　would　be　a　grand　thing　to　bring　about；　but；　you　see；　as
  it　has　turned　out；　all　I　thought　I　had　done　for　it　was　in　vain；　and
  Ethel　has　been　the　real　person　and　does　not　know　it。　　I　used　to　think
  Ethel　so　inferior　to　me。　　I　left　her　all　my　work　at　home。　　If　it　had
  not　been　for　that；　she　might　have　been　happy　with　Norman　Ogilviefor
  never　were　two　people　better　matched；　and　now　she　has　done　what　I
  never　thought　to　have　left　to　anotherwatched　over　our　own　Margaret。
  Oh！　how　shall　I　ever　bear　to　see　her？〃
  〃My　dear；　I　am　sure　nothing　can　be　more　affectionate　than　Ethel。　　She
  does　not　think　these　things。〃
  〃She　does；〃　said　Flora。　　〃She　always　knew　me　better　than　I　did
  myself。　　Her　straightforward　words　should　often　have　been　rebukes　to
  me。　　I　shall　see　in　every　look　and　tone　the　opinion　I　have　deserved。
  I　have　shrunk　from　her　steadfast　looks　ever　since　I　myself　learned
  what　I　was。　　I　could　not　bear　them　nowand　yetoh；　aunt；　you　must
  bring　her！　　Ethel！　my　dear；　dear　old　Kingmy　darling's　godmother
  the　last　who　was　with　Margaret！〃
  She　had　fallen　into　one　of　those　fits　of　weeping　when　it　was
  impossible　to　attempt　anything　but　soothing　her；　but；　though　she　was
  so　much　exhausted　that　Mrs。　Arnott　expected　to　be　in　great　disgrace
  with　Dr。　May　for　having　let　her　talk　herself　into　this　condition；　she
  found　that　he　was　satisfied　to　find　that　she　had　so　far　relieved　her
  mind；　and　declared　that　she　would　be　better　now。
  The　effect　of　the　conversation　was；　that　the　next　day；　the　last　of
  the　twelve　Christmas　days；　when　Ethel；　whose　yearning　after　her
  sister　was　almost　equally　divided　between　dread　and　eagerness
  eagerness　for　her　embrace；　and　dread　of　the　chill　of　her　reserve；
  came　once　again　in　hopes　of　an　interview。　　Dr。　May　called　her　at
  once。　　〃I　shall　take　you　in　without　any　preparation；〃　he　said；　〃that
  she　may　not　have　time　to　be　flurried。　　Only；　be　quiet　and　natural。〃
  Did　he　know　what　a　mountain　there　was　in　her　throat　when　he　seemed　to
  think　it　so　easy　to　be　natural？
  She　found　him　leading　her　into　a　darkened　room；　and　heard　his
  cheerful　tones　saying；　〃I　have　brought　Ethel　to　you！〃
  〃Ethel！　oh！〃　said　a　low；　weak　voice；　with　a　sound　as　of　expecting　a
  treat；　and　Ethel　was　within　a　curtain；　where　she　began；　in　the
  dimness；　to　see　something　white　moving；　and　her　hands　were　clasped　by
  two　long　thin　ones。　　〃There！〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃now；　if　you　will　be
  good；　I　will　leave　you　alone。　　Nurse　is　by　to　look　after　you；　and　you
  know　she　always　separates　naughty　children。〃
  Either　the　recurrence　to　nursery　language；　or　the　mere　sisterly　touch
  after　long　separation；　seemed　to　annihilate　all　the　imaginary　mutual
  dread；　and；　as　Ethel　bent　lower　and　lower；　and　Flora's　arms　were
  round　her；　the　only　feeling　was　of　being　together　again；　and　both　at
  once　made　the　childish　gesture　of　affection；　and　murmured　the　old　pet
  names　of　〃Flossy；〃　and　〃King；〃　that　belonged　to　almost　forgotten
  days；　when　they　were　baby　sisters；　then　kissed　each　other　again。
  〃I　can't　see　you；〃　said　Ethel；　drawing　herself　up　a　little。　　〃Why；
  Flora；　you　look　like　a　little　white　shadow！〃
  〃I　have　had　such　weak　eyes；〃　said　Flora；　〃and　this　dim　light　is
  comfortable。　　I　see　your　old　sharp　face　quite　plain。〃
  〃But　what　can　you　do　here？〃
  〃Do？　　Oh；　dear　Ethel；　I　have　not　had　much　of　doing。　　Papa　says　I　have
  three　years'　rest　to　make　up。〃
  〃Poor　Flora！〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　I　should　have　thought　it　tiresome；
  especially　for　you。〃
  〃I　have　only　now　been　able　to　think　again；〃　said　Flora；　〃and　you　will
  say　I　am　taking　to　quoting　poetry。　　Do　you　remember　some　lines　in
  that　drama　that　Norman　admired　so　much？〃
  〃Philip　von　Artevelde？〃
  〃Yes。　　I　can't　recollect　them　now；　though　they　used　to　be　always
  running　in　my　headsomething　about　time　to　mend　and　time　to　mourn。〃
  〃These？〃　said　Ethel
  〃He　that　lacks　time　to　mourn；　lacks　time　to　mend。
  Eternity　mourns　that。〃
  〃I　never　had　time　before　for　either；〃　said　Flora。　　〃You　cannot　think
  how　I　used　to　be　haunted　by　those；　when　I　was　chased　from　one　thing
  to　another；　all　these　long；　long　eighteen　months。　　I　am　in　no　haste
  to　take　up　work　again。〃
  〃Mending　as　well　as　mourning；〃　said　Ethel　thoughtfully。
  Flora　sighed。
  〃And　now　you　have　that　dear　little　Christmas　gift　to〃　Ethel　paused。
  〃She　is　not　nearly　so　fine　and　healthy　as　her　sister　was；〃　said
  Flora；　〃poor　little　dear。　　You　know；　Ethel；　even　now；　I　shall　have
  very　little　time　with　her　in　that　London　life。　　Her　papa　wants　me　so
  much；　and　I　must　leave　her　toto　the　nurses。〃　　Flora's　voice
  trembled　again。
  〃Our　own　dear　old　nurse；〃　said　Ethel。
  〃Oh！　　I　wanted　to　thank　you　all　for　sparing　her　to　us；〃　said　Flora。
  〃George　wished　it　so　much。　　But　how　does　poor　little　Daisy　bear　it？〃
  〃Very　magnanimously；〃　said　Ethel；　s