'Is it not a very long way!' said Averil, thinking how long those ten
yards of lawn had seemed.

'Not as things go,' said Dr. May. 'You want Dr. Spencer to reproach
you with being a Stoneborough fungus. There are places in Wales
nearer by the map, but without railway privilege; and as to a great
gay place, they would all be sick of it.'

'Do you feel equal to it? as if you should like it, Leonard?' asked
his sister, in a trembling would-be grateful voice.

'Of all things,' was the answer.

Ethel thought the poor girl had suffered constraint enough, and that
it was time to release the boy from his polite durance, so she rose
to take leave, and again Leonard pulled himself upright to shake
hands.

'Indeed,' said Ethel, when Averil had followed them into the drawing-
room, 'I am sorry for you. It would go very hard with me to make
Aubrey over to any one! but if you do trust him with me, I must come
and hear all you wish me to do for him.'

'I cannot think that he will be able or glad to go when it comes to
the point,' said Averil, with a shaken tone.

Dr. May was nearer than she thought, and spoke peremptorily. 'Take
care what you are about! You are not to worry him with discussions.
If he can go, he will; if not, he will stay at home; but pros and
cons are prohibited. Do you hear, Averil!'