not gone from her features--smiles were still on her lips, brightness
in her clear hazel eyes, buoyancy in her tread, and alertness and
dignity in her tall, slender, unbent figure. There was nothing so
remarkable about her as the elasticity as well as sweetness of her
whole look and bearing, as if, while she had something to love,
nothing could be capable of crushing her.

'You here!' she exclaimed, holding out her hand to her guest. 'You
are come to breakfast.'

'Thank you; I wished to see you without interrupting your day's work.
Have you many scholars at present?'

'Only seven, and three go into school at Easter. Jem and Clara, wish
me to undertake no more, but I should sorely miss the little fellows.
I wish they may do me as much credit as Sydney Calcott. He wrote
himself to tell me of his success.'

'I am glad to hear it. He is a very promising young man.'

'I tell him I shall come to honour, as the old dame who taught him to
spell. My scholars may make a Dr. Busby of me in history.'

'I am afraid your preferment will depend chiefly on James and young
Calcott.'

'Nay, Louis tells me that he is going to read wonderfully hard; and
if he chooses, he can do more than even Sydney Calcott.'

'If!' said the Earl.