“No one knows what position they may not take with such abilities and education in such a colony as Victoria.  I may have to stand cap in hand to Tom Lowrie yet,” said Mr. Phillips.

“You, Stanley!” said his wife; “you are so fond of saying absurd things.”

“Don’t you know the insecurity of runs?  And who knows but Tom may be Prime Minister or Commissioner of Public Lands or Public Works, or the chief engineer on a new railway, that may go right through my squatting rights?  My dear Lily, I have a respect for incipient greatness, and when I stood among these young people, I felt they would be rising when I was perhaps falling.”

“Were these your motives?” said Mr. Brandon, laughing.  “I admired the young Lowries for what they were in themselves, and did not go so far into the future as you.  I hope, Emily, that in time, Miss Melville will make you what Peggy calls keen of your learning, as well as her bairns.”

“Did you like learning when you were a little girl?” asked Emily of Miss Melville.

“Very much, indeed.”

“So mamma says, but then she did not have to learn very much.  If I had not such a horrid lot of tasks, perhaps I might like some of them.”

“But, my dear, you are so very ignorant, you have everything to learn now that you have come to England,” said her mamma.

“But I hope not everything at once,” said Jane.

“Not quite,” said Mr. Phillips; “but perhaps too much so.  You will see the list of the girls’ studies to-morrow, and judge for yourself.”

Mrs. Phillips was favourably impressed with Jane.  She was well born and well educated, but she was plain looking.  She had heard of her sudden and sad reverse of fortune, and felt disposed to take her up and patronise her.  She had suffered from the want of a domestic manager and house counsellor; even the very good temper and great forbearance of her husband had given way at the small amount of comfort that could be obtained with such a lavish expenditure of money as his had been since they came to London; and he had spoken more sharply to her about her mismanagement than about anything else, so she felt that now he had a housekeeper of his own choosing, she should escape from all responsibility.  Her manner to Jane was exceedingly kind, and Jane’s hopes rose at her reception.

Mrs. Phillips always went to bed early, unless she was kept up by amusement and gaiety; her style of beauty was of the kind that suits best with plenty of sleep and few cares—­so at ten o’clock she said she could sit up no longer, and left Mr. Phillips to explain all the duties expected of Miss Melville, so that she need not be disturbed by any inquiries in the morning.

Mr. Phillips did so with a clearness and precision that showed he had been often obliged to see to the disbursement of the money as well as the earning if it.  He gave Jane the keys and the house-books, showed her what he thought was the sum he could spend on family expenses, and hoped that she would make it suffice.