The Golden Calf

as boundless. Ida's seniority of three years, her beauty, her talent, placed her, as it were, upon a pinnacle in the eyes of the younger girl. Her poverty,

this childish fancy for a young person whose future sphere of life must be necessarily

a girl whom you are never likely to see af

hall ask her home,' s

your people

will do anything mother asks him. I am going to

know that sh

t is very nasty of you to

are about showing herself at the Grange in her old clothes and her three pairs of stockings, one on, one off, and on

ematics before they went to Winchester, and made herself generally useful. Miss Rylance was the daughter of a fashionable physician, whose head-quarters were in Cavendish Square, but who spent his leisure at a something which he called 'a place' at Kingthorpe, a lovely little village between Winchester

rdens of three and a half acres, and who rented a paddock for

he said. 'It is impossible for

nce of Kingthorpe came into the market, Dr. Rylance did not put himself

upon their native soil, the rulers of the land, and revered by all the parish, she had grown up with the firm conviction that Dr. Rylance, of Cavendish S

vile enough to rank that middle-aged, loud-voiced lady with the Domitians and Attilas of history. There was a softening influence, happily, in the person of Miss Dulcibella, who was slim and s

for themselves in their day of power. Grinding at history, grammar, and geography did not seem so oppressive a burden when it could be done under the shade of spreading cedars, amid the scent of roses, in an atm

ected to atone for the absence of the outside world. Miss Pew had taken it into her head that Mauleverer Manor ought to be better known, and that a garden party would be a good advertisement. With this idea, she had ordered a hundred invitation cards, and had disseminated them among the most eligible of her old pupils, and the parents and guardians of those damsels now at the Manor. The goo

n as Miss Dulcie's 'cracks,' 'and then I proposed a garden party. It required a great deal of talking to bring her even to think about such a thing. You see the expense will be enormous

ulcibella,'

ious darling,'

ing that Miss Dulcie was weak about dress

en thinking of making up my art needlework tunic - the pale green, you know, with garla

lovely,' exclaimed four

cate tints in that soft Indian cashme

on talking for half-an-hour by Chertsey clock, in

erious for her than for Miss Dulcibella, who had plenty of money to spend upon her a

oxes?' she said bitterly, when a grand discussion about the garden party was being hel

d Miss Rylance. 'You expect to have half-a-

he prizes,' answered Ida. 'I don

ather looks upon school as only a preliminary kind of education. When I am at home with him

to know that!' retorted Ida,

ghtest provocation, she might send forth an edict revoking all her invitations, and the party might be relegated to the limbo of unrealized h

ing her to spend her summer holidays at Kingthorpe, and at

had written her acceptance, Bessie looking over her shoulder all the while. 'Foolish for you, foolish for me. It i

thing but pride in you. I shall be proud to show my people what a

adness even in her mockery. 'What a pity you hav

other. I have two

s I heard the story of "Little Red Ridinghood" in my nursery days. Both good-looking, both cle

little bit that

garden and paddock;

says that although her father has no

ents, and fighting his way at the Bar.

un fighting yet. He is only eating his terms. I have

her of your cousins, it must be t

ay so? You can't know w

nothing to do with it. I a

s evening, the hour or so of leisure allowed for the preparation of studies and the writing of home letters. Miss Rylance unlocked her desk, a

ur time of life?' she asked, looking at

he cup of poverty to the dregs. I thirst for the nectar of wealth. I would marry a soap-boiler, a linseed-crusher, a self-e

ie, you know that Miss Pew has especially forbidden us a

e human, I've no doubt she is quite aware that this is on

t elegant Italian hand which was, as it were, a badge of honour at Mauleverer Man

exclaimed Bessie, indignantly

ut the world, like King Cophetua,

ing to Kingthorpe! It is the deares

for five pounds, and if he sends the five pounds I will go to Kingthorpe. If not, I must invent an excuse - mumps, or measles, or something - for staying away. Or

n in the gown you ha

loveliness, but I know that this

ute temper, and that any offer of clothes or money from

our father, darling?'

good-n

will send the

y we

ay change his

y po

y not have

'Yes, dear, I wish with all my heart to accept your kind mother's invitation; though I know, in my secret soul, that it is foolishness for me to see the inside of a happy home, to sit beside a h

ho are at the top of every class, and who do ev

nty pounds a-year when I go out into the

with your five po

straw hat, and as many collars, cuffs, and st

rrect manner, who had had her winter clothes and summer clothes at exactly the right season, and of the best that money could buy, there was a piteous

leverer Manor, the wide reach of blue river, the meadows, the willows, the distant wo

' said one of the mothers, as she strolled about the velvet lawn wit

ad and scrape and the sloppy tea we have

and old Pew in her best gown and her company manners. The place is a whit

ooked well fed and healthy. Bread and scrape evidently agreed with them much better than that reck

en the white-robed girlish forms were flitting to and fro upon the green lawns, in the sweet summer air and sunshine, it seemed as if the old manorial mansion were a bower of beauty. Among the parents of existing pupils who had accepted the Misses Pew's invitation was Dr. Rylance, the fashionable physician, whose presence there conferred distinction upon the school. It was

old panelled saloon, in which the only furniture was a pair of grand pianos, somewhat the worse for wear, a table at the end

ere to hammer out an intensely noisy version of the overture to Zampa, arranged for eight hands on two

yet arrived, and Miss Pew devoted herself to his entertainment, and went rustling up and down the terrace in fron

impression of white teeth and brown whiskers. He had a fine figure, and was proud of his erect carriage. He dressed carefully and well, and was as particular as Brummel about his laundress. His manners were considered pleasing by the people who liked him; while those who disliked him accused him of an undue estimate of his own merits, and a tendency to depreciate the rest of humanity. His practice was rather select than extensive, for Dr. Rylance was a specialist. He had won his reputation as an adviser in cases of mental disease; and as, happily, mental di

medical tree, certainly to a very comfortable and remunerative perch among its upper branches; a man thoroughly satisfied with himself a

iss Pew?' he said, interrogatively, but rather as if the qu

e nodded assentingly. 'She has a charming deportment. I know of no girl in the school more thoroughly ladylike.

ide as a father; but I hope she

d gently behind

it is hardly of a kind that comes into play among other girls. In after-life, perhaps, there may be

ride by the idea that his daughter had missed distinction, just as he would have been hurt if anybody had called on

e-green, at the thought of Ida Palliser's insolence. 'I hope I shall ever be just, at whatever sacrifice of personal feeling. I shall to-day bestow the fi

this young lady?'

y officer residing in the neighbourhood o

olent, ill-bred girl. I have been taught to consider her som

orable,' admitted Miss Pew; 'but

s assisted by Miss Dulcibella - an image of limp gracefulness - and the three governesses - all as stiff as perambulating black-boards. Dr. Rylance strolled by himself for a lit

o be honoured with a prize, Ranie

his conduct as a father. Were he ever so disappointed in hi

girl as Ida Palliser, who is to get her living as a governess, and wh

hile to work as hard as Miss Palliser, for the me

nd glory, papa?' asked Urania, with

solid pudding in the background. Pray, who is this Miss Pallis

is the most disagreeable girl in the school. That silly little Bessie raves a

irl is ill-bred and unple

' exclaimed Uran

iring of a cannon or two more or less would hardly have disturbed the performers at the two pianos, so tremendous was their own uproar. They were taking the overture in what they called orchestral time; though it is doubtful whether even their playing could have kept pace with the h

whispered Dr. Rylance. 'Is

ne of the four for this very 'Zampa,' she had failed ignominiously a

the horrid thing,' she thought, 'and

lace at one of the pianos, the top of the instrument was lowered, and Miss Fane, a little fair girl with a round face and frizzy auburn hair, came simpering f

ere was a pervading sense of relief when the crisis was over, and Miss Fane had simpered

nce of his daughter, not with the air

is the "Moon

waited dumbly, admiring the fine old room, with its lofty ceiling, a

the girl whose deportment had been called abominable, whom Urania had denounced as a horror? Was this the articled pupil, the girl doomed to life-long drudg

est fashion, but it became the tall full figure to admiration. Below her linen collar she wore a scarlet ribbon, from which hung a silver

whispered Dr. Rylance to his daughter.

a contraction of her thin lips; 'nobody disputes her

es like

ered Urania. 'The original savage in h

Rylance, 'for she looks as if she has force of chara

e far away. She played by memory, and at first her hands faltered a little as they touched the keys, as if she hardly knew what she was going to play. Then she recollected herself i

ve emphasis to the profound beauties of that wonderful work were only the hands of a girl. Those among the listeners who knew least about music, knew that this was good playing; those who cared not at all

, an auburn head was thrust between Dr. Rylance

s she not the grandest

d and recognized

ng hands with her. 'I never was

e themselves? Was it not enough that she should have taken complete possession of that foolish little Bessie, and thus ingratiated herself into

y calm and sweet, but inwardly consumed with anger; 'for it

d she is coming to Kingthorpe. Tha

nd you like her. I wish you could

irl she detested; but Miss Pew knew the little world she ruled well enough to know that palpable injustice would weaken her rule. Ninety-nine girls who had failed to win the prize would have resented her favouritism if she had given the reward to

er!' and Ida came slowly up to the table and received a bulky cr

in instrumental music is

or variety the binding was green, and the

English history and literature nav

f a third volume bound in blue, containing

gifts which she bestowed upon the articled pupil. She gave that which justice,

ung to a strange dog, by one whose heart held no love for the canine species. An indignant flush clouded the creamy whiteness of her forehead, angry tears glittered in her proud eyes. She made her way to the nearest door, and went away withou

thies, or of projecting himself into the lives of other people; but he did sympathiz

ild, in the days to co