The Trial, Or, More Links of the Daisy Chain

cks of dai

vance, pet

with drop

im the cu

ort have t

ink or car

a feather

the breezes blow

absence had been very sore ones to Averil, while she commenced the round of duties that were a heavy bu

rn to the orderly habits so long interrupted, and were so intelligent, that her task of teaching was a pleasant o

all the arrangements of his house. While breaking her in to housekeeping, he made himself appear almost in the light of a task-master-and what was worse, of a despised task-master. Averil thought she could not respect a brother whose displeasure was manifested by petulance, n

es up for everything in a woman's eyes. Where she had talents, he had pretensions-just enough to make his judgments both conceited and irritating; and where

iving a moral and religious life-such as gained for him much credit, and made Mrs. Ledw

it a dreary thing to hav

mething to hear that stirred her deeper feelings-some one who would understand and respond-some one to make common cause

ugh to terrify her with the thought of separation, and she was sufficiently imbued with Mary May's sentiments to regard mission-work as the highest ambition. Leonard's strong will and manly disposition would have obtained her homag

reason that it should not gall him; and his self-assertions were apt to be extremely irritating. Even in the first flush of welcome, he had made it plain that he meant to be felt as master of the house,

d, and aggressions on the other, often unintentional. Averil did, indeed, smooth matters, but she s

ard to declare, with tears in her eyes, that it was beautiful

Trafalgar Square!'

of a brother who was so low and vulgar as to box! Her defence being met by a sneer, she flew to tell Leonard of the calumny, and was laughed at for her innocence, but extorted that he had fought with a fellow that talked impudently of so

ject in life-the dedication of the talent that had been cultivated at so much time and cost, and the greatest honour and enjoyment she could imagine, and she had full participation from Leonard, who had a hearty love for sacred music, readily threw himself into her plans, and offered voice and taste to assist her

ere all the evening, n

out his verses, and

er that that table was never meant to be

to put things on,' re

made to be inked! That cover w

for it!' said Leonard, in

id Averil, displaying them with an air of injured innoc

ht? Can't you speak, nor play any

; and Henry settled himself in the master's arm-chair, as one about

oleful drone h

ew chant for the

and night! Give us som

only wanted t

urch, listening to Scudamour's proses

petulant a tone, that Leonard smiled to himself as he ran his fingers through his hair over his books. Nor wa

ss-barred bookcase of ornamental volumes on the

said Leonard; 'it

rried about the house to be spoilt!' said Henry, who seld

some made of wood

ll not have my books taken out,

ry step audible the whole way, and threw the book on the table, bringing in a whirlwind, a

nt for you. Good night, Ave! I'm going to finish up-stairs, since

re of the provocation; but she did not reflect how much might have been prevented by more forethought and less pre-occupation. She said not a word, but quietly return

age, 'these day-schools are a great inconvenience; there's no keeping a

manlike,' said Ave, with lips compressed,

me regard to her own drawing-room, and object to

d Ave from the corners of her mouth-'at least fo

the boy. He is more conceited tha

rd con

tuck up as Tom May himse

ht he wa

in

em to aim at a poor

he mark. Unready at retort, he gathered himself up, and said: 'Well, Ave, I have only this to say, that if you

apology; but she made up her mind to humour Henry's follies magnanimously, and avoid collisions, like an admirable peace-maker. As soon as bed-time came, she repaired to Leonard's room; and Henry, as he went along the passage, heard the two young voices ringing with laughter! He

t hurt me; and if it did, I should

way,' said Leonard,

o and wome

o-as you call it-Miss May does, and every one that is worth anythi

a great aptitude for singing, Mary was telling me. But that reminds me I must finish c

rd. 'Let us go down now the coast

over the writing out of a hymn tune, they did it! At any rate, it had the charm of an assertion of independence

was not a sol

ry little temptation made them forget or defy Henry's fancies; and Leonard was easily lashed into answers really unbecoming and viole

soon found that a scholar no sooner proved his voice good for anything, than he went off to be trained for the choir on the foundation, which fed, clothed, and apprenticed its young singers. She found she must betake herself to an elder race if she wanted a reliable staff of voices; and some young men and women showing themselves willing, a practice, with Mr. Scudamour to keep order, was organized for late evenings, twice

afely, and reduced him to a semi-imprecation which she again viewed as extremely wicked. The existence of that meek little helpless Mrs. Scu

his code. Fretted and irritable at the destruction of evening comfort, he in his turn teased the fiery temper of his brother. If there were nothing worse, his grumbling remarks interrupted, and too often they were that sort of censure that is expressively called nagging. Leonard would reply angrily, and the flashes of his passion generally produced silence. Neither brother spoke to Averil of these evening interludes, which were becoming almost habitual, but they kept Leonard in a constant sore sense of injury, yet of

ne in everything with the clergy? had he not been instrumental in building the chapel? was it not the Mays and the clergy who had made Ave inconvenien

erstood anticipation of the most advanced theories of the nineteenth century. The book had made so much noise in the world, that the author had been induced to quit his college tutorship, and become editor of a popular magazine. He lived in London, but often came down to spend Sunday with his mother, and had begun to be looked on as rather the lion of the place. Henry took in his magazine, and courted his notice, often bringing him

g at an end, the old spirit of independence revived, and he avoided consulting the physician as much as possible. More than once his management of a case was not approved by Dr. May; and the strong

nts of the Wards; and worse than all, Mrs. Rivers took her child up to London for three days in November, and it became

ons were humbug. He would endure no one who did not submit to h

surgeon-of his attestations to his daughter that young Ward was a skilful operator-or of his vexation when she pro

y-uttered compliments were not innuendoes. Henry was certain of being despised, and naturally chafed against the prospect of the future connection between the two medical men of the town; and though Tom was gone back to Cambridge, it was the rankling remembrance of his supercilious looks that, more than any present offence or independence of spirit,

th which Tom would approach the p