In the Year of Jubilee

elebration of Jubilee, Nancy and her friend Miss. Morgan walked up Grove Lane to Champion Hill. Here

the heat of the sun was tempered. A carriage rolled softly along; a nurse with well-dressed children loitered

hat is learnt from books, but were surprisingly well informed on matters of which they ought to have known nothing; they talked of theatres and race-courses, of 'the new murderer' at Tussaud's, of police-news, of notorious spendthrifts and demi-reps; discussed their grown-up acquaintances with precocious understanding, and repeated scandalous insinuations which could have no

chaperon. Nancy's stay was for three weeks. The friends saw a great deal of each other, and Miss. Lord had the honour of being presented to Mrs. Tarrant, the old lady with whom Jessica lived, Mr. Vawdrey's mother-in-law. At the age of three score and ten, Mrs. Tarrant still led an act

us assiduity in his attendance upon the old lady. Naturally, he made acquaintance with Miss. Lord, whom his cousins regarded as a great acquisition, so vivacious was she, so ready to take part in any kind of lively amusement. Mr. Tarrant had been at Oxford; his speech was marked with the University accent; he talked little, and seemed to prefer his own society. In conversation with Nancy, though scrupulously courteous and perfectl

etrayed an indifferent education, and in her flow of gossip never referred to ancestral dignities, never made mention of t

ssica did not wholly lose sight of them, and, at their request, she persuaded Nancy Lord to make an occasional call with her. Mrs. Baker (relict, it was

gnmouth, came to live under her son-in-law's roof; the winte

et the place touched her curiosity and her imagination; she liked to study the luxurious appointments within, and to walk about the neglected but pleasant garden, quiet and secluded as if whole counties divided it from Camberwell. In the hall she and Jessica were at once

d; with Miss Lord she talked of wider subjects, in a tone not unpleasing to Nancy, seeing that it presumed, on her part, some knowledge of the polite world. It was observable that Mr

til, on happening to turn her head, Nancy perceived at a distance the approaching figure of Mr. Lionel Tarrant. He sauntered over the grass with easy, indolent step; his straw hat and light lounge

n I can give you very important news-thrilling news. I k

eep us in suspe

primrose. Touchin

it, discernible In his look, whereby he had come to regard his own judgment as the criterion of all matters in heaven and earth. Yet the conceit which relaxed his muscles was in the main amiable; it never repelled as does the conceit of a fop or a weakling or a vulgar person; he could laugh heartily, even with his own affectations for a source of amusement. Of perso

erse of flattering; she felt sure that with young women in his own circle he would allow himself much more freedom. Whether the disparagement applied to her intellect or to her social status might be a question; Nancy could not decide which of the two she would prefer. Today an espe

about the educational methods imposed by Mrs. Baker, airing many grievances. They nourished a hope that Miss. Morgan mig

th a silk handkerchief, transferred himself from the camp-stool to the bask

e subject of conversation; an engrossing topic, to be sure; namely, her servants. Do you give much thought to the great servan

at what he said, as at the manner of it. Her resentment was fal

tell you

n they had sat together. The mellow sunlight, the garden

ns,' was Na

were capable of rule,-who had by birth the instinct of authority. They knew themselves the natural superiors of their domestics, and went through an education fitting them to rule. Things worked very well; no servant-difficulty existed. No

e had plucked, and gave sign nei

is as good as everybody else, and Mrs. Bellamy is by no means the person to make them see things differently. And this kind of thing is going on in numberless houses-an utte

f it,' said Nancy, 'and send

nd added casually, 'You re

and t

rant's look, so steady, yet so good-tempered, disturbed her conscience with the fear that he saw th

bject; was it mer

o Teignmouth ag

now yet. I

n pleasant thought; Nancy, on the other hand, felt so ill at ease

reamily-'of going to spend

he Bah

as were. To betray ignorance would be dreadful. A suspicion awoke in her that Tarrant, surprised by her seeming familiarity with current literature,

s rep

eresting. A man I knew at Oxford has gone out there, and is likely to stay. His father owns nearly the whole of an island;

ow

e Nancy's mind. She breathed more

particularly contemptible crew of native whites, who ought all to be kicked into the sea. My friend's father is a man of no energy; he calls himself magistrate, coroner, superintendent of the customs, and a dozen other thi

r geography, Miss. Lord aff

ing there,' Tarrant pursued. '

ct her of ignorance. Her cheeks were now bur

uiries at a shipping-offi

cy-'I shall have to go to New Yo

o join your frie

ear, is hardly

cy's lips, and about her

u were perhap

What sug

s in his voice, she detected a slight disdain, and

here's the Black Lead that bears your na

eptible, and for the moment caused her a keen gratification. His eyes had wi

a voice unlike that she had been heari

limbs would not do their office. Then, her eyes fixed on th

hildren?' he was

t direction. As soon as his back was turned, Nancy rose and began to wal

e must go,

ve of Mrs. Baker, who sat

r. Tarrant?' Jessica asked

es

I suppose it

he felt ashamed of herself, and something more than ashamed. Never again could she enter this garden. And it seemed to her t