in the Great Shirley School. Cassandra and her mother, therefore, were
from the very first surrounded by scholarship; they belonged, so to
speak, to the scholastic world.

Mrs. Weldon could scarcely talk of anything else. Evening after evening
she would question her daughter eagerly with regard to this
accomplishment and the other, to this change or that, to this chance
which Cassandra might have and to the other. The girl was extremely
clever, with a sort of all-round talent which was most remarkable; for
in addition to many excellent accomplishments, she was distinctly
musical. Her musical talent very nearly amounted to genius. If in the
future she could not play in public, she resolved at least to earn her
living as a music teacher. Mrs. Weldon hoped that Cassandra would do
more than this; and, to tell the truth, the girl shared her mother's
dreams. Besides music, she had worked very hard at botany, at French and
German, and at English literature. She would be seventeen on her next
birthday, and it was against the rules for any girl to remain at the
Great Shirley School after that time. Cassandra had, however, two more
terms of school-life before her, and these terms she regarded as the
most valuable of her whole education.

In appearance Cassandra was a tall, well-made girl, graceful in her
movements, and very self-possessed in manner. Her face was full of
intelligence, but was rather plain than otherwise, for her mouth was too
wide and her nose the reverse of classical. She had bright intelligent
brown eyes, however, a nice voice, and a pleasant way. Cassandra was
looked up to by all her fellow-students, and this not because she was
rich, nor because she was beautiful, but simply because she was good and
honorable and trustworthy; she possessed a large amount of sympathy for
nearly every one, her tact was unfailing, and she was never