excellent, and that European civilisation prevailed, he treated his uncle and aunt as unreasonably prejudiced mortals, who would in time yield to his patient determination.
His mother was as much annoyed as they were, all the more because her sister-in-law could hardly credit her perfect innocence of Robert's intentions, and was vexed at her wish to ascertain Esther's feelings. This was not easy! the poor child was so unhappy and shamefaced, so shocked at her involuntary disobedience, and so grieved at the pain she had given. If Robert had been set before her with full consent of friends, she would have let her whole heart go out to him, loved him, and trusted him for ever, treating whatever opinions were unlike hers as manly idiosyncrasies beyond her power to fathom. But she was no Lydia Languish to need opposition as a stimulus. It rather gave her tender and dutiful spirit a sense of shame, terror, and disobedience; and she thankfully accepted the mandate that sent her on a visit to her married sister for as long as Bobus should remain at Belforest.
He did not show himself downcast, but was quietly assured that he should win her at last, only smiling at the useless precaution, and declaring himself willing to wait, and make a home for her.
But this matter had not tended to make his mother more at ease in her enforced stay at Belforest, which was becoming a kind of gilded prison.
CHAPTER XXXI. SLACK TIDE.
If... Thou hide thine eyes and make thy peevish moan Over some broken reed of earth beneath, Some darling of blind fancy dead and gone. Keble.
There is such a thing as slack tide in the affairs of men, when a crisis seems as if it would never come, and all things stagnate. The Law Courts had as yet not concerned themselves about the will, vacation time had come and all was at a standstill, nor could any steps be taken for Lucas's exchange till it was certain into what part of India Sir Philip Cameron was going. In the meantime his regiment had gone into camp, and he could not get away until the middle of September, and then only for a few days. Arriving very late on a Friday night, he saw nobody but his mother over his supper, and thought her looking very tired. When he met her in the morning, there was the same weary, harassed countenance, there were worn marks round the dark wistful eyes, and the hair, whitened at Schwarenbach, did not look as incongruous with the face as hitherto.
No one else except Barbara had come down to prayers, so Jock's first inquiry was for Armine.
'He is pretty well,' said his mother; 'but he is apt to be late. He gets overtired between his beloved parish work and his reading with Bobus.'
'He is lucky to get such a coach,' said Jock. 'Bob taught me more mathematics in a week than I had learnt in seven years before.'
'He is terribly accurate,' said Babie.
'Which Armie does not appreciate?' said Jock.
'I'm afraid not,' said his mother. 'They do worry each other a good deal, and this Infanta most of all, I'm afraid.'
'O no, mother,' said Babie. 'Only it is hard for poor Armie to have two taskmasters.'
'What! the Reverend Petronella continues in the ascendant?'
Bobus here entered, with a face that lightened, as did everyone's, at sight of Lucas.
'Good morning. Ah! Jock! I didn't sit up, for I had had a long day out on the moors; we kept the birds nearer home for you. There are plenty, but Grimes says he has heard shots towards River Hollow, and thinks some one must have been trespassing there.'
'Have you heard anything of Elvira? apropos to River Hollow,' said his mother.
'Yes,' said Jock. 'One of our fellows has been on a moor not far from where she was astonishing the natives, conjointly with Lady Anne Macnalty. There were bets which of three men she may be engaged to.'
'Pending which,' said his mother, 'I suppose poor Allen will continue to hover on the wings of the Petrel?'
'And send home mournful madrigals by the ream,' said Bobus. 'Never was petrel so tuneful a bird!'
'For shame, Bobus; I never meant you to see them!'
''Twas quite involuntary! I have trouble enough with my own pupil's effusions. I leave him a bit of Latin composition, and what do I find but an endless doggerel ballad on What's his name?-who hid under his father's staircase as a beggar, eating the dogs' meat, while his afflicted family were searching for him in vain;-his favourite example.'
'St. Alexis,' said Babie; 'he was asked to versify it.'
'As a wholesome incentive to filial duty and industry,' said Bobus. 'Does the Parsoness mean to have it sung in the school?'
'It might be less dangerous than 'the fox went out one moonshiny night,'' said their mother, anxious to turn the conversation. 'Mr. Parsons brought Mr. Todd of Wrexham in to see the school just as the children were singing the final catastrophe when the old farmer 'shot the old fox right through the head.' He was so horrified that he declared the schools should never have a penny of his while they taught such murder and heresy.'
'Served them right,' said Jock, 'for spoiling that picture of domestic felicity when 'the little ones picked the bones, oh!' How many guns shall we be, Bobus?'
'Only three. My uncle has a touch of gout, the Monk has got a tutorship, Joe has gone back to his ship, but the mighty Bob has a week's leave, and does not mean a bird to survive the change of owners.'
'Doesn't Armine come?'
'Not he!' said Bobus. 'Says he doesn't want to acquire the taste, and he would knock up with half a day.'
'But you'll all come and bring us luncheon?' entreated Jock. 'You will, mother! Now, won't you? We'll eat it on a bank like old times when we lived at the Folly, and all were jolly. I beg your pardon, Bob; I didn't mean to turn into another poetical brother on your hands, but enthusiasm was too strong for me! Come, Mother Carey, _do_!'
'Where is it to be?' she asked, smiling.
'Out by the Long Hanger would be a good place,' said Bobus, 'where we found the Epipactis grandiflora.'
'Or the heathery knoll where poor little mother got into a scrape for singing profane songs by moonlight,' laughed Jock.
'Ah! that was when hearts were light,' she said; 'but at any rate we'll make a holiday of it, for Jock's sake.'
'Ha! what do I see?' exclaimed Jock, who was opposite the open window. 'Is that Armine, or a Jack-in-the- Green?'
'Oh!' half sighed Barbara. 'It's that harvest decoration!' And Armine, casting down armfuls of great ferns, and beautiful trailing plants, made his entrance through the open window, exchanging greetings, and making a semi- apology for his late appearance as he said-
'Mother, please desire Macrae to cut me the great white orchids. He won't do it unless you tell him, and I promised them for the Altar vases.'
'You know, Armie, he said cutting them would be the ruin of the plant, and I don't feel justified in destroying it.'
'Macrae's fancy,' muttered Armine. 'It is only that he hates the whole thing.'
'Unhappy Macrae! I go and condole with him sometimes,' said Bobus. 'I don't know which are most outraged-his Freekirk or his horticultural feelings!'
'Babie,' ordered Armine, who was devouring his breakfast at double speed, 'if you'll put on your things, I've the garden donkey-cart ready to take down the flowers. You won't expect us to luncheon, mother?'
Barbara, though obedient, looked blank, and her mother said-
'My dear, if I went down and helped at the Church till half past twelve, could not we all be set free? Your brothers want us to bring their luncheon to them at the Hanger.'
'That's right, mother,' cried Jock; 'I've half a mind to come and expedite matters.'
'No, no, Skipjack!' cried Bobus; 'I had that twenty stone of solid flesh whom I see walking up to the house to myself all yesterday, and I can't stand another day of it unmitigated!'
Entered the tall heavy figure of Rob. He reported his father as much the same and not yet up, delivered a note to his aunt, and made no objection to devouring several slices of tongue and a cup of cocoa to recruit nature after his walk; while Bobus reclaimed the reluctant Armine from cutting scarlet geraniums in the ribbon beds to show him the scene in the Greek play which he was to prepare, and Babie tried to store up all the directions, perceiving from
