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〃It means altogetherit is a lesson against ambition；〃 said she。
〃True；〃 said her mother； 〃the love of eminence for its own sake。〃
〃And in so many different ways！〃 said Margaret。
〃Ay； worldly greatness； riches； rank； beauty；〃 said Flora。
〃All sorts of false flash and nonsense； and liking to be higher than
one ought to be；〃 said Norman。 〃I am sure there is nothing lower； or
more mean and shabby； than getting places and praise a fellow does
not deserve。〃
〃Oh； yes！〃 cried Ethel； 〃but no one fit to speak to would do that！〃
〃Plenty of people do； I can tell you；〃 said Norman。
〃Then I hope I shall never know who they are！〃 exclaimed Ethel。 〃But
I'll tell you what I was thinking of； mamma。 Caring to be clever；
and get on； only for the sake of beating people。〃
〃I think that might be better expressed。〃
〃I know；〃 said Ethel； bending her brow； with the fullness of her
thought〃I mean caring to do a thing only because nobody else can do
itwanting to be first more than wanting to do one's best。〃
〃You are quite right； my dear Ethel；〃 said her mother； 〃and I am glad
you have found in the Gospel a practical lesson； that should be
useful to you both。 I had rather you did so than that you read it in
Greek； though that is very nice too；〃 she added； smiling； as she put
her hand on a little Greek Testament； in which Ethel had been reading
it； within her English Bible。 〃Now； go and mend that deplorable
frock； and if you don't dream over it； you won't waste too much of
your holiday。〃
〃I'll get it done in no time！〃 cried Ethel； rushing headlong
upstairs； twice tripping in it before she reached the attic； where
she slept； as well as Flora and Marya large room in the roof； the
windows gay with bird…cages and flowers； a canary singing loud enough
to deafen any one but girls to whom headaches were unknown； plenty of
books and treasures； and a very fine view； from the dormer window； of
the town sloping downwards； and the river winding away； with some
heathy hills in the distance。 Poking and peering about with her
short…sighted eyes； Ethel lighted on a work…basket in rare disorder；
pulled off her frock； threw on a shawl； and sat down cross…legged on
her bed； stitching vigorously； while meantime she spouted with great
emphasis an ode of Horace； which Norman having learned by heart； she
had followed his example； it being her great desire to be even with
him in all his studies； and though eleven months younger； she had
never yet fallen behind him。 On Saturday； he showed her what were
his tasks for the week； and as soon as her rent was repaired； she
swung herself downstairs in search of him for this purpose。 She
found him in the drawing…room； a pretty； pleasant roomits only
fault that it was rather too low。 It had windows opening down to the
lawn； and was full of pretty things； works and knick…knacks。 Ethel
found the state of affairs unfavourable to her。 Norman was intent on
a book on the sofa； and at the table sat Mr。 Ernescliffe； hard at
work with calculations and mathematical instruments。 Ethel would not
for the world that any one should guess at her classical studiesshe
scarcely liked to believe that even her father knew of them； and to
mention them before Mr。 Ernescliffe would have been dreadful。 So she
only shoved Norman； and asked him to come。
〃Presently；〃 he said。
〃What have you here？〃 said she； poking her head into the book。 〃Oh！
no wonder you can't leave off。 I've been wanting you to read it all
the week。〃
She read over him a few minutes； then recoiled： 〃I forgot； mamma told
me not to read those stories in the morning。 Only five minutes；
Norman。〃
〃Wait a bit； I'll come。〃
She fidgeted； till Mr。 Ernescliffe asked Norman if there was a table
of logarithms in the house。
〃Oh； yes；〃 she answered； 〃don't you know； Norman？ In a brown book on
the upper shelf in the dining…room。 Don't you remember papa's
telling us the meaning of them； when we had the grand book…dusting？〃
He was conscious of nothing but his book； however； she found the
logarithms； and brought them to Mr。 Ernescliffe； staying to look at
his drawing； and asking what he was making out。 He replied； smiling
at the impossibility of her understanding； but she wrinkled her brown
forehead； hooked her long nose； and spent the next hour in amateur
navigation。
Market Stoneborough was a fine old town。 The Minster； grand with the
architecture of the time of Henry III。； stood beside a broad river；
and round it were the buildings of a convent； made by a certain good
Bishop Whichcote； the nucleus of a grammar school； which had survived
the Reformation； and trained up many good scholars； among them； one
of England's princely merchants； Nicholas Randall； whose effigy knelt
in a niche in the chancel wall； scarlet…cloaked； white…ruffed； and
black doubletted； a desk bearing an open Bible before him； and a
twisted pillar of Derbyshire spar on each side。 He was the founder
of thirteen almshouses； and had endowed two scholarships at Oxford；
the object of ambition of the Stoneborough boys； every eighteen
months。
There were about sixty or seventy boarders； and the town boys slept
at home； and spent their weekly holiday there on Saturdaythe
happiest day in the week to the May family； when alone； they had the
company at dinner of Norman and Harry； otherwise known by their
school names of June and July； given them because their elder brother
had begun the series of months as May。
Some two hundred years back； a Dr。 Thomas May had been headmaster；
but ever since that time there had always been an M。 D。； not a D。 D。；
in the family； owning a comfortable demesne of spacious garden； and
field enough for two cows； still green and intact； among modern
buildings and improvements。
The present Dr。 May stood very high in his profession； and might soon
have made a large fortune in London； had he not held fast to his home
attachments。 He was extremely skilful and clever； with a boyish
character that seemed as if it could never grow older； ardent；
sensitive； and heedless； with a quickness of sympathy and tenderness
of heart that was increased； rather than blunted； by exercise in
scenes of suffering。
At the end of the previous summer holidays； Dr。 May had been called
one morning to attend a gentleman who had been taken very ill； at the
Swan Inn。
He was received by a little boy of ten years old； in much grief；
explaining that his brother had come two days ago from London； to
bring him to school here； he had seemed unwell ever since they met；
and last night had become much worse。 And extremely ill the doctor
found him； a youth of two or three and twenty； suffering under a
severe attack of fever； oppressed； and scarcely conscious； so as
quite to justify his little brother's apprehensions。 He advised the
boy to write to his family； but was answered by a look that went to
his heart〃Alan〃 was all he had in the worldfather and mother were
dead； and their relations lived in Scotland； and were hardly known to
them。
〃Where have you been living； then？〃
〃Alan sent me to school at Miss Lawler's when my mother died； and
there I have been ever since； while he has been th