partly　from　her　deficiency　of　manner；　and　still　more　from　her　true
  humility　and　affection。　　Gradually　she　arrived　at　the　perception　of
  the　history　of　her　sister's　mind；　understood　what　gloom　had　once
  overshadowed　it；　and　how；　since　light　had　once　shone　upon　her；　she
  shrank　not　merely　from　the　tasks　that　had　become　wearisome　to　her；
  but　from　the　dread　of　losing　among　them　her　present　peace。
  〃They　are　your　duty；〃　argued　Ethel。　　〃Duty　brings　peace。〃
  〃They　were　not；〃　said　Flora。
  〃They　are　now；〃　said　Ethel。
  〃Dinners　and　parties；　empty　talk　and　vain　show；〃　said　Flora
  languidly。　　〃Are　you　come　to　their　defence；　Ethel？　　If　you　could
  guess　how　sick　one　gets　of　them；　and　how　much　worse　it　is　for　them
  not　to　be　hateful！　　And　to　think　of　bringing　my　poor　little　girl　up
  to　the　like；　if　she　is　spared！〃
  〃If　they　are　not　duties；　I　would　not　do　them；〃　said　Ethel。
  〃Ethel；〃　cried　her　sister；　raising　herself　from　her　couch　eagerly；　〃I
  will　say　it　to　you！　　What　should　you　think　of　George　resigning　his
  seat；　and　living　in　peace　here？〃
  〃Would　he？〃　said　Ethel。
  〃If　I　wished　it。〃
  〃But　what　would　he　do　with　himself？〃　said　Ethel；　not　in　too
  complimentary　a　strain。
  〃Yachting；　farming；　Cochin…Chineseor　something；〃　said　Flora。
  〃Anything　not　so　wearing　as　this！〃
  〃That　abominable　candidate　of　Tomkins's　would　come　in！〃　exclaimed
  Ethel。　　〃Oh；　Flora；　that　would　be　horrid！〃
  〃That　might　be　guarded　against；〃　said　Flora。　　〃Perhaps　Sir　Henry
  But　oh！　let　us　leave　politics　in　peace　while　we　can。　　I　thought　we
  should　do　some　great　good；　but　it　is　all　a　maze　of　confusion。　　It　is
  so　hard　to　know　principles　from　parties；　and　everything　goes　wrong！
  It　is　of　no　use　to　contend　with　it！〃
  〃It　is　never　vain　to　contend　with　evil；〃　said　Ethel。
  〃We　are　not　generalising；〃　said　Flora。　　〃There　is　evil　nearer　home
  than　the　state　of　parties；　and　I　can't　see　that　George's　being　in
  Parliamentbeing　what　he　isis　anything　like　the　benefit　to　things
  in　generalthat　it　is　temptation　and　plague　to　me；　besides　the　risk
  of　London　life　for　the　baby；　now　and　hereafter。〃
  〃I　can't　say　that　I　think　it　is；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃How　nice　it　would　be
  to　have　you　here！　　I　am　so　glad　you　are　willing　to　give　it　up。〃
  〃It　would　have　been　better　to　have　given　it　up　untastedlike
  Norman；〃　sighed　Flora。　　〃I　will　talk　to　George。〃
  〃But；　Flora；〃　said　Ethel；　a　little　startled；　〃you　ought　not　to　do
  such　a　thing　without　advice。〃
  〃There　will　be　worry　enough　before　it　is　done！〃　sighed　Flora。　　〃No
  fear　of　that！〃
  〃Stop　a　minute；〃　said　Ethel；　as　if　poor　Flora　could　have　done
  anything　but　lie　still　on　her　sofa。　　〃I　think　you　ought　to　consider
  well　before　you　set　it　going。〃
  〃Have　not　I　longed　for　it　day　and　night？　　It　is　an　escape　from　peril
  for　ourselves　and　our　child。〃
  〃I　can't　be　sure！〃　said　Ethel。　　〃It　may　be　more　wrong　to　make　George
  desert　the　post　which〃
  〃Which　I　thrust　him　into；〃　said　Flora。　　〃My　father　told　me　as　much。〃
  〃I　did　not　mean　you　to　say　that！　　But　it　is　a　puzzle。　　It　seems　as　if
  it　were　right　to　give　up　such　things；　yet；　when　I　recollect　the
  difficulty　of　carrying　an　election　right　at　Stoneborough；　I　think
  papa　would　be　very　sorry。　　I　don't　think　his　interest　would　bring　in
  any　sound　man　but　his　son…in…law；　and　George　himself　seems　to　like
  his　parliamentary　life　better　than　anything　else。〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　Flora　hesitatingly；　for　she　knew　it　was　truehe　liked　to
  think　himself　important；　and　it　gave　him　something　to　think　of；　and
  regular　occupationnot　too　active　or　onerous；　but　she　could　not　tell
  Ethel　what　she　herself　felt；　that　all　she　could　do　for　him　could　not
  prevent　him　from　being　held　cheap　by　the　men　among　whom　she　had
  placed　him。
  〃Then；〃　said　Ethel；　as　she　heard　her　affirmative；　〃I　don't　think　it
  is　for　his　dignity；　for　you　to　put　him　into　Parliament　to　please　you
  and　then　take　him　out　to　please　you。〃
  〃I'll　take　care　of　his　dignity；〃　said　Flora　shortly。
  〃I　know　you　would　do　it　well〃
  〃I　am　sick　of　doing　things　well！〃　said　poor　Flora。　　〃You　little　know
  how　I　dread　reading　up　all　I　must　read　presently！　　I　shall　lose　all　I
  have　scarcely　gained。　　I　cannot　find　peace　any　way；　but　by　throwing
  down　the　load　I　gave　my　peace　for。〃
  〃Whether　this　is　truth　or　fancy；〃　said　Ethel　thoughtfully。　　〃If　you
  would　ask　some　one　competent。〃
  〃Don't　you　know　there　are　some　things　one　cannot　ask？〃　said　Flora。
  〃I　don't　know　why　I　spoke　to　you！　　Ah！　come　in！　　Why；　George；　that　is
  a　finer　egg　than　ever；〃　as　he　entered　with　a　Shanghai　egg　in　each
  hand；　for　her　to　mark　with　the　date　when　it　had　been　laid。　　Poultry
  was　a　new　hobby；　and　Ethel　had　been　hearing；　in　her　tete…a…tete
  dinners　with　George；　a　great　deal　about　the　perfections　of　the
  hideous　monsters　that　had　obtained　fabulous　prices。　　They　had　been
  the　best　resource　for　conversation；　but　she　watched；　with　something
  between　vexation　and　softness；　how　Flora　roused　herself　to　give　her
  full　attention　and　interest　to　his　prosing　about　his　pets；　really
  pleased　as　it　seemed；　and；　at　last；　encouraging　him　actually　to　fetch
  his　favourite　cock　to　show　her；　when　she　went　through　the　points　of
  perfection　of　the　ungainly　mass　of　feathers；　and　did　not　at　all　allow
  Ethel　to　laugh　at　the　unearthly　sounds　of　disapproval　which　handling
  elicited。
  〃And　this　is　our　senator！〃　thought　Ethel。　　〃I　wonder　whether
  Honorius's　hen　was　a　Shanghai！　　Poor　Flora　is　rightit　is　poor　work
  to　make　a　silk　purse　out　of　a　sow's　ear！　but；　putting　him　into　the
  place　is　one　thing；　taking　him　out　another。　　I　wish　she　would　take
  advice；　but　I　never　knew　her　do　that；　except　as　a　civil　way　of
  communicating　her　intentions。　　However；　she　is　not　quite　what　she
  was！　　Poor　dear！　　Aunt　Flora　will　never　believe　what　a　beautiful
  creature　she　used　to　be！　　It　seems　wrong　to　think　of　her　going　back
  to　that　horrid　London；　but　I　can't　judge。　　For　my　part；　I'd　rather　do
  work；　than　no　work　for　George；　and　he　is　a　good；　kind…hearted　fellow
  after　all！　　I　won't　be　a　crab！〃
  So　Ethel　did　her　best；　and　said　the　cock　had　a　bright　eyeall　she
  could　say　for　himand　George　instructed　her　to　admire　the　awkward
  legs；　and　invited　her　to　a　poultry　show；　at　Whitford；　in　two　days'
  timeand　they　sent　him　away　to　continue　his　consultations　with　the
  poultry　woman；　which　pullets　should　be　preferred　as　candidates　for　a
  prize。
  〃Meta　set　him　upon　this；〃　said　Flora。　　〃I　hope　you　will　go；　Ethel。
  You　see　he　can　be　very　happy　here。〃
  〃Still；〃　said　Ethel；　〃the　more　I　think；　the　more　sure　I　am　that　you
  ought　to　ask　advice。〃
  〃I　have　asked　yours；〃　said　Flora；　as　if　it　were　a　great　effort。　　〃You
  don't　know　what　to　sayI　shall　do　what　I　see　to　be　the　only　way　to
  rest。〃
  〃I　do　know　what　to　say；〃　said　Ethel；　〃and　that　is；　do　as　the　Prayer…
  book　tells　you；　in　any　perplexity。〃
  〃I　am　not　perplexed；〃　said　Flora。
  〃Don't　say　so。　　This　is　either　the　station　to　which　God　has　called
  you；　or　it　is　not。〃
  〃He　never　called　me　to　it。〃
  〃But　you　don't　know　whether　you　ought　to　leave　it。　　If　you　ought　not；
  you　would　be　ten　times　more　miserable。　　Go　to　Richard；　Florahe
  belongs　to　you　as　much　as　Ihe　has　authority　besides。〃
  〃Richard！〃
  〃He　is　the　clearest　of　us　all　in　practical　matters；〃　said　Ethel；
  preventing　what　she　feared　would　be　disparaging。　　〃I　don't　mean　only
  that　you　should　ask　him　about　this　Parliament　matter　alone；　but　I　am
  sure　you　would　be　happier　and　more　settled　if　you　talked　things　over
  with　him　beforebefore　you　go　to　church。〃
  〃You　don't　know　what　you　propose。〃
  〃I　do；〃　said　Ethel；　growing　bolder。　　〃You　have　been　going　all　this
  time　by　feeling。　　You　have　never　cleared　up；　and　got　to　the　bottom
  of；　your　troubles。〃
  〃I　could　not　talk　to　any　one。〃
  〃Not　to　any　one　but　a　clergyman。　　Now；　to　enter　on　such　a　thing　is
  most　averse　to　your　nature；　and　I　do　believe　that；　for　that　very
  reason；　it　would　be　what　would　do　you　most　good。　　You　say　you　have
  recovered　sense　of　Oh；　Flora！　I　can't　talk　of　what　you　have　gone
  through；　but　if　you　have　only　a　vague　feeling　that　seems　as　if　lying
  still　would　be　the　only　way　to　keep　it；　I　don't　think　it　can　be
  altogether　sound；　or　the　'quiet　conscience'　that　is　meant。〃
  〃Oh；　Ethel！　　Ethel！　　I　have　never　told　you　what　I　have　undergone；
  since　I　knew　my　former　quietness　of　conscience　was　but　sleep！　I　have
  gone　on　in　agony；　with　the　sense　of　hypocrisy　and　despair；　because　I
  was　afraid；　for　George's　sake；　to　do　otherwise。〃
  Elhel　felt　herself　utterly　powerless　to　advise；　and；　after　a　kind
  sound　of　sympathy；　sat　shocked；　pondering　on　what　none　could　answer；
  whether　this　were；　indeed；　what　poor　Flora　imagined；　or　whether　it
  had　been　a　holding…fast　to　the　thread　through　the　darkness。　　The
  proud　reserve　was　the　true　evil；　and　Ethel　prayed　and　trusted　it
  might　give　way。
  She　went　very　amiably　to　Whitford　with　George；　and　gained　great
  credit　with　him；　for　admiring　the　prettiest　speckled　Hamburgh
  present；　indeed；　George　was　becoming　very　fond　of　〃poor　Ethel；〃　as　he
  still　called　her；　and　sometimes　predicted　that　she　would　turn　out　a
  fine　figure　of　a　woman　after　all。
  Ethel　heard；　on　her　return；　that　Richard　had　been　there；　and　three
  days　after；　when　Flora　was　making　arrangements　for　going　to　church；　a
  moment　of　confidence　came　over　her；　and　she　s