Engagements of all kinds grew on them with every season, and in this one especially, Caroline had grown somewhat weary of the endeavour to satisfy both him and Janet, and was not sorry that her two eldest sons were starting on a yacht voyage to Norway, where Allen meant to fish, and Bobus to study natural history.  She had her interview with the housekeeper, and proceeded to her own place in Popinjay Parlour, a quiet place at this time of day, save for the tinkling of the fountain and the twitterings of the many little songsters in the aviary, whom the original parrot used patronisingly to address as “Pretty little birds.”

Janet was wandering about among the flowers, evidently waiting for her, and began, as she came in—-

“I wanted to speak to you, mother.”

“Well, Janet,” said Caroline, reviewing in one moment every unmarried man, likely or unlikely, who had approached the girl, and with a despairing conviction that it would be some one very unlikely indeed!

“You know I am of age, mother.”

“Certainly.  We drank your health last Monday.”

“I made up my mind that till I was of age I would go on studying, and at the same time see something of the world and of society.”

“Certainly,” said Caroline, wondering what her inscrutable daughter was coming to.

“And having done this, I wish to devote myself to the study of medicine.”

“Be a lady doctor, Janet!”

“Mother, you are surely above all the commonplace, old world nonsense!”

“I don’t think I am, Janet.  I don’t think your father would have wished it.”

“He would have gone on with the spirit of the times, mother; men do, while women stand still.”

“I don’t think he would in this.”

“I think he would, if he knew me, and the issues and stake, and how his other children are failing him.”

“Janet!"-—and the colour flushed into her mother’s face—-"I don’t quite know what you mean; but it is time we came to an understanding.”

“I think so,” returned Janet.

“Then you know-—”

“I heard what papa said to you.  I kept the white slate till you thought of it,” said Janet, in a tone that sounded soft from her.

“And why did you never say so, my dear?”

“I can hardly tell.  I was shy at first; and then reserve grows on a person; but I never ceased from thinking about it through all these years.  Mother, you do not think there is any chance of the boys taking it up as my father wished?”

“Certainly not Allen,” said Caroline with a sigh.  “And as to Bobus, he would have full capacity; but a great change must come over him, poor fellow, before he would fulfil your father’s conditions.”

“He has no notion of the drudgery of the medical profession,” said Janet; “he means to read law, get up social and sanitary questions, and go into parliament.”

“I know,” said her mother, “I have always lived in hopes that sanitary theories would give him his father’s heart for the sufferers, and that search into the secrets of nature would lead him higher; but as long as he does not turn that way of himself it would be contrary to your father’s charge to hold this discovery out to him as an inducement.”