‘Oh! tell me how to see my highway at school!’

’If I only kept my own at home, I might.  But you have the advantage--you have a fixed duty, and you always have kept hold of your purposes much better than I.’

‘My purpose!’ said Clara.  ’I suppose that is to learn as fast as I can, that I may get away from that place, and not be a burthen to granny and Jem.  Perhaps Jem will marry and be poor, and then I shall send his sons to school and college.’

‘And pray what are your social duties till that time comes?’

‘That’s plain enough,’ said Clara:  ’to keep my tone from being deteriorated by these girls.  Why, Louis, what’s that for?’ as, with a bow and air of alarm, he hastily moved aside from her.

‘If you are so much afraid of being deteriorated—­’

’Nonsense!  If you only once saw their trumpery cabals, and vanities, and mean equivocations, you would understand that the only thing to be done is to keep clear of them; take the learning I am sent for, but avoid them!’

‘And where is the golden rule all this time?’ said Louis, very low.

‘But ought not one to keep out of what is wrong?’

’Yes, but not to stand aloof from what is not wrong.  Look out, not for what is inferior to yourself, but what is superior.  Ah! you despair; but, my Giraffe, will you promise me this?  Tell me, next Christmas, a good quality for every bad one you have found in them.  You shake your head.  Nay, you must, for the credit of your sex.  I never found the man in whom there was not something to admire, and I had rather not suppose that women are not better than men.  Will you promise?’

‘I’ll try, but—­’

’But, mind, it takes kind offices to bring the blossoms out.  There-that’s pretty well, considering our mutual sentiments as to good advice.’

‘Have you been giving me good advice?’

‘Not bad, I hope.’

‘I thought only people like—­like Mary—­could give advice.’

’Ah! your blindness about Mary invalidates your opinion of your schoolfellows.  It shows that you do not deserve a good friend.’

‘I’ve got you; I want no other.’

’Quite wrong.  Not only is she full of clear, kind, solid sense, like a pillar to lean on, but she could go into detail with you in your troubles.  You have thrown away a great opportunity, and I am afraid I helped you.  I shall hold you in some esteem when you are—­to conclude sententiously—­worthy of her friendship.’

Clara’s laugh was loud enough to bring out the Earl, to summon them authoritatively out of the dew.  Louis sat apart, writing his letter; Clara, now and then, hovering near, curious to hear how he had corrected Tom’s spelling.  He had not finished, when the ladies bade him good-night; and, as he proceeded with it, his father said, ’What is that engrossing correspondence, Louis?’

‘Such a sensible letter, that I am quite ashamed of it,’ said Louis.