The Golden Calf

to be especially glorious; for it was Bessie Wendover's birthday, a day which from time immemorial - or, at all events, ever

awned with gray skies, or east winds, rain, or hail. It was usually a brilliant da

cruel, cruel car was to carry her off to Winchester at six o'clock on the morning after the birthday; the railway station was to swallow her up alive

eadows, beside wandering trout streams - on the breezy hill-tops - the afternoon tea-drinking in gardens and orchards - the novels read aloud, seated in the heart of some fine old tree, with her auditors perched on the branches round about her, like gigantic birds - the boating excursions on a river with more weeds than water in it - the jaunts to Winchester, and dreamy afternoons in the cathedral - all had been delicious

loping bank above the lake on drowsy afternoons, tired by wandering far a-field with her young esquires. She knew the Abbey by heart - better than even Urania knew it; though she had used that phrase to express utter satiety. Ida Palliser had a deeper love of natural beauty, a stronger appreciation of all that made the old place interesting. She had a curious feeling, too, about the absent maste

ut him, and intensified her interest in him. Brian's merits were a subject which the Wendover children always shirked,

at rest in the village churchyard, the young Wendovers had plenty to say. He was good-looking, they assured Ida. She would inevitably fall in love with him when

pose?' hazarded Ida, in a

ian Walford was a being whose image never presented itself to her

'But what of that? If I were as clever as Brian I shouldn't mind how p

he do?'

e better than

t el

rst-rate c

t el

billiards than any fel

t el

a score of race-horses i

But do eminent lawyers, in a general way, win their a

s is many-sided, universal. Carlyle says as much. If Napoleon Bonaparte had not been a grea

elaborately trained, and thinner whiskers - a fribble that gave half its little mind to its collar, and the other half to its boots. Such

, in the T-cart, with one portmanteau and one servant, leaving Bessie mistress of all things. It was a grief to Mrs. Wendover to be separated from home and children at any time, and she was especially

quite out of windows, darling,' said

e are all going to

ys are. And I hope you w

answered Reginald, with a cheerfu

uld have been a pleasing tribute. Not a tear was shed. Even the little Eva skipped joyou

spend a week, at Bournemouth. Ida

Mrs. Wendover said heartily, as

mmer. She is one of the institutions of Kingthorpe. I only

on the highest hill-top between Kingthorpe and Winchester, one of those little Lebanons, fair and green, on wh

d louder congratulations. At seven, they were all seated at breakfast, the table strewn with birthday gifts, mostly of that useless and semi-idiotic character peculiar to such tributes-

tle Eva's pomatum-pot was perfection. The point-lace handkerchief Ida had worked in secret was exquisite. Blanche's crochet slippers were so lovely that their not being big en

Blanche disrespectfully; 'they are like the shields an

about the two cousins. Neither Brian had accepted the annual summons. One was supposed to be still in Norway, the

y like our every-day picnics,' Bessi

sfied if it be h

gh if the two Brians had been wit

songs, I suppose?' said

lways singing comic songs. He is one of th

flesh and blood Bess, but in a general w

m afraid you have taken a dislike t

girls were standing at the hall-door, wa

dea of the othe

loom deepened to

o you remember what you sai

but it was wrung from me by the

to fall in love with you, and ask you to be mistr

us star. There must have been a very ugly concatenation of planets ruling the heavens at the hour of my

t to be young and lovely, and all creation bowed down to her. Yet her beauty had been for the most part a cause of vexation, and had made people hate her. She had been infinitely happy

eneral idea that Robin, in conjunction with a hilly country, might be sooner or later fatal to the young Wendovers; but they went on driving him,

he perch beside the coachman, and they drove triumphantly through the villag

n't kept you lo

; 'but that seems rather long in a broiling sun. You always h

n the hills by-and-by,' s

nia, who wore an unmistakable air of discontent. 'T

in it,' retorted Bessie. And then, remembering her obligations, she hastened to add,

like it. One hardly

and they were bowling along the smooth high road at that gen

still wore its richest summer beauty - not a leaf had fallen. They were going upward, to the hilly region between Kin

excrescences, as yet vaguely classified. That three-legged granite table, whose origin was lost in the remoteness of past time, seemed to the young Wendovers a thing that ha

rom his place beside the coachman. 'The pater and mater are away, a

nsidered an interloper. I told him that it was to be a young party, and that I was sure he would be in the

r. Rylance w

. He came down on purpo

feel honoured

ttraction,' answered Urania, with a

ills. It seemed as if she neither heard Miss Rylan

nutes afterwards, and presently he was riding at a measured trot beside the carriage do

on to give myself a day's idlene

have to adapt the proceedings of the day to his middle-aged good manners. There

nner they were all sc

ruids, expatiated upon the City of Winchester, dozing in the sunshine yonder, among its fat water meadows. He talked of the Saxons and the Normans, of William of Wykeham, and his successors, until poor Ida felt sick and faint from very weariness. It was all very delightful talk, no doubt - the polished utterance of a man who read his Saturday Review and Athenaeum diligently, saw an occasional number o

k to the work-a-day world by finding that Dr. Rylance's conversati

going away to-mo

last of the butterflies, whose brief summertide of

g back to Mau

their fondness is half pity. The grown-up girls with happy homes and rich fathers despise me. I hardly wonder at it. Genteel poverty certainly is contemptible. There is nothing debasing in a smock-frock or a fustian jacket. T

were somewhat handsome eyes when they did not put on their cruel expression. 'Not for you. Nothi

a figure as Napoleon at the Tuileries, in the zenith of his power? But I ought not to be grumbling at fate. I have been happy for six sunshiny weeks. If I were to liv

ady to receive you. If you have been happy there in the last few weeks, why not try if you can be happy there always? There is a house in Cavendish Square whose master would be proud to make you its mistress.

laying two handsomely furnished houses at her feet - a man of gentlemanlike bearing, good-looking, well-informed, well-spoken, with no signs of age in his well-preserved face and f

rty: but she was not prepared to accept Dr. Rylance's offer, generous as it sounded. She would rather go back to the old treadmill, and her

quence in making his offer; and

l that it is very good of you to make s

said the doctor. 'Your hea

dly; 'my heart is lik

. If you would but make me happy by saying yes, you could stay with your kind friends at The Knoll till the day that makes you mistress

very little that

Do you doubt that I should try

but I doubt my own capacity

itably become the fashion in that particular society which Dr. Rylance most affected: and a wife famed for her beauty and elegance Would assuredly be of more advantage to a fashionable physician than a common-place wife with a fortune. Dr. Rylance liked money; but he liked it only for what it could buy. He had no sons, and he was much too fond of himself to lead laborious days in order to leave a large fortune to his daughter. He had bought a lease of his London house, which would last his time; he

believe such a thing possible. The girl must be trifling with him, playing her fish, with the fixed intention of landing him presently. It was

to be my grandfather if I loved hi

d that your refusal is

you believe that I am grateful

ance, coldly; 'I wonder the sentence is not written in your copy books,

than usual,' said Ida; 'a girl who has neither money nor friends has

's account that you reject me?' he urged. 'If you think that she would be a hindrance to your happiness, pray dismiss the thought. I

the possibility of rejection occurred to him. It had been for him to decide whether he would or would not take this girl for

the stumbling-

that I could love you as a wife ought to love her husband. I said once - only a little wh

ance. 'If I had been Brian Wendover, and the owner of King

e idle summer afternoons, under the spreading cedar branches, or beside the lake in the Abbey grounds. Before she had time to express her resentment a cluster of young

all, though he thought he couldn't. But he made a great effort, and he has come all

from Norway

n the hill with the torrent of Wendovers, 'a

with smiles. The boys were all laughing

at them w

did not know you were so fond of your cou

e for Bessie's birthday. Do come and see him. He is on the top of the hill talking t

a dinner!' e

or so of pie!' ejaculated Reginald, contemptuously. 'I began to

onderingly, feeling as

miling at her sweetly, more sweetly than

new that I had refused

and two figures were standing beside the altar; one, a young man, with his arm resting on the granite slab, and his head bent as he talked, with seeming earne

hope she will like you. "Love me, love my dog," says the pro

en call nice - a pale complexion, dreamy gray eyes, thin lips, a well-shaped nose, a fairly intellectual forehead. But the Brian of her fancies was a man of firmer mould, larger features, a more resolute air, an eye with more fire, a brow marked

y to be at Bessie's picnic?' she faltered at las

e for the sake of such a pleasant m

the gipsy fire, 'the kettle will go off the boil if you don't make

essie, 'although

art with Urania, and they two

said Reginald; 'a charade for to-night, perha

will be too clev

everness which is the

preparation of a tremendous meal, Ida and Brian Wendover stood face to face upon the breezy hill-top, the g

hs have been a perpetual paean - like one of the Homeric hymns, with you for the heroine. I had quite a dread of meeting you, feeling

s her affection for me. I am very grateful. I love her

o say much more, so deeply was he impressed by this goddess in a holland gow

for good?' asked Ida, as they s

No, I never

lovely old Abbey s

ne could expect a young man to live there except in

grow tired of such

no account to him. She supposed that this was in the nature of things. A man born lord of such an elysium wou

ounding it. Blanche and Horatio were the chief officiators, and were tremendously busy ministering to the wants of others, while they satisfied their own hunger and thirst hurriedly between whiles. The damsel sat

er superior air at Brian, who had helped himself to a crust

onfess to a weakness for bread and jam. I w

light flavour o

nd bread and jam is a great deal more wholesome than salmon-mayonaise and Strasbourg pie. Y

a picnic,' said Ida, 'People w

the dumb charades, and play hide-and-seek in

answered Brian, cheerily. 'But I think

ked Bessie, looking about her as if

s horse,' said Urania. 'I suppose he fou

ng at all,' answered Bessie, 'so we mu

rt next morning - Ida to go back to slavery. They were both young enou

d's hand as they sat sid

stmas,' she whispered: 'I sh

her favourite attributes, and had all the finest qualities of the hero of romance. But he was an agreeable, well-bred young man, bringing with him that knowledge of li

on the other. There was an agreeable freshness in the society of a young man who could talk of

Wendover seemed most inclined to mere nonsense talk - the lively nothings that

on strange countries as a matter of course,' speculated Ida. '

ayed, but only by the lower orders, as Bess

ar admirer She felt that every one at Kingthorpe must needs behold her with mute worship; but there was no one so audacious as to give expression to the feeling; no one o

she and Bessie talked apart from the others for a few minu

ot at all in her line. He

t would suit her to be

tle start, as if

ever thought of him i

hasn't she is not t

worldly; but I don't thi

marrying for money - no, I suppo

it once, when you were feeling bitter; but I know that in your

has been squeezed out of me by poverty. My only idea is to escape from s

y heroic this evening, exalted by the moonlight, the loveliness of the garden, the thought of parting with her

e any such sacrifice. I have not much chance of suitors

the fatal moment may come

manlike; he seems

at this languid praise; 'he is a man who might succeed in

tainly nic

had set my heart up

of bitterness. 'Is there a portionless girl in all En

xed air; 'surely he is worthy of being liked fo

dens. Indeed, to my mind he rather belongs to the Abbey tha

by her side, and the voices of the other three sounding ever so far away. On the other side of a low quickset hedge stretched a wide expanse of level meadow land, while in the farther di

to leave us to-morrow morni

shall be sitting on a form in a big bare class-room, listening to

fond of t

odious to you, and then you may know how fond I am of tea

should have to pursue su

y selfishness. I suppose half the people in

ink, in a general way, congenial work means successful work. No man hates the profession that brings him f

tterness. There was something in his voice and manner which t

angers we are,' she said, a

sie so much that I seem to have known you for years

his conversation. I am afraid you

other, the little brother she loved so fondl

d noble. How I wish this were no

t wish it? Hark, ther

candles dotted about, and a table laid with fruit and sandwiches, cake and claret-cup, the children evidently considering a superfluity of mea

ow, and then filling for himself a bumper of claret-cup; 'and now we are going to dan

, two, three. The boys pushed the furniture into the corners. Brian offered himself to Ida; Bessie insisted upon surrendering the curate to Urania, and took one

old eight-day clock in the hall - a sound which struck almost as much con

circle of towzled heads with remorseful eyes. 'What would mother say? And she t

t up hours after our proper time. I'm going to have another sandwich; and there's not a bit of good in l

da. 'When I am back at Mauleverer I shall remember you only as machines for the c

know!' exclaimed Blanche vindictively. 'She's only an inch and a qua

point of the bayonet; and then the grown-ups bade each other good-night; the curate esco

e station?' he asked, as they stood, candl

bin will spin us over the hills in no tim

g. Ida was brooding a little upon her disappointment in Brian Wendover. He had very pleasant manners, he seemed soft-hearted and sympathetic, he was very good-looking - but h

e a fancy picture of a person, and to be vexed wi

e had ever met, and he was evidently interested in her. And then she pictured him at the Abbey, in the splendid solitude of

tes afterwards, Reginald got up to the last degree of four-in-handishness which the resources of his wardrobe allowed, and with a flower in

ing bread and scrape to-morrow. We have got a nice hamper for you, with a ca

d and scrape, if there were only a little

y bestowed, then, after a perfect convulsion of kissing, she was banded to her place,

ng with them?' e

t Miss Palliser is no

ould be rather sorry for myself i

reply, Robin was bounding cheerily through the village, making very little account of the jaunting-car and its occupants. Urania

look so amiable,' said Ida. 'She does

nemies?' a

n't like her, and she doesn't like me, and we both know it. But per

very elegant, very lady-like - accordi

not help enjoying the freshness of morning, the beauty of earth, albeit she was

exclaimed. 'Is it not ever so much be

of beauty,' he answered. 'Woul

k I could be content to spend, a life-time here. This must s

t of himself, that a man gr

ur to wait at the busy little station. Brian and Ida walked up and down the platform talking, while Reginald look

a blush on Ida's. Reginald had to push his cousin away from the

ly,' he said; 'but mind, you

lad, if Mrs. Wendover

slowly forward,

of his cousin, as they stood on the

I ever saw, and out and away