CHAPTER IV--CYCLES



"What flowers grow in my field wherewith to dress thee."
- E. BARRETT BROWNING.

Mrs. Best departed early the next morning. It was probably a parting
for life between the two old friends; and Magdalen keenly felt the
severance from the one person whom she had always known, and on whose
sympathy she could rely. Their conversations had been very precious
to her, and she felt desolate without the entire companionship. Yet,
on the other hand, she felt as if she could have begun better with
her sisters if Sophy Best had not come with them, to hand them over,
as it were, when she wanted to start on the same level with them, and
be more like their contemporary than their authority.

They all stood on the terrace, watching the fly go down the hill, and
she turned to them and said -

"We will all settle ourselves this morning, and you will see how the
land lies, so that to-morrow we can arrange our day and see what work
to do. Thekla, when you have had a run round the garden, you might
bring your books to the dining-room and let me see how far you have
gone."

"Oh, sister, it is holidays!"

"Well, my dear, you have had a week, and your holiday time cannot