’Valetta wished it too, and she knew so much Latin to begin with that I thought she would easily get it, and certainly she ought not to get into difficulties.’

’After the silken rein and easy amble of Silverfold, the spur and the race have come severely.’

’It is, I suppose, the same with Gillian, though there it is not competition.  Do you expect her to succeed?’

’No.  She has plenty of intelligence, and a certain sort of diligence, but does not work to a point.  She wants a real hand over her!  She will fail, and it will be very good for her.’

’I should say the work was overmuch for her, and had led her to neglect Valetta.’

’Work becomes overmuch when people don’t know how to set about it, and resent being told—–­ No, not in words, but by looks and shoulders.  Besides, I am not sure that it is her proper work that oppresses her.  I think she has some other undertaking in hand, probably for Christmas, or for her mother’s return; but as secrecy is the very soul of such things, I shut my eyes.’

’Somehow, Jane, I think you have become so much afraid of giving way to curiosity that you sometimes shut your eyes rather too much.’

’Well, perhaps in one’s old age one suffers from the reaction of one’s bad qualities.  I will think about it, Ada.  I certainly never before realised how very different school supervision of young folks is from looking after them all round.  Moreover, Gillian has been much more attentive to poor Lily Giles of late, in spite of her avocations.’

Valetta was not at first heartbroken on hearing that she was not to go in for the language examination.  It was such a relief from the oppression of the task, and she had so long given up hopes of having the prize to show to her mother, that she was scarcely grieved, though Aunt Jane was very grave while walking down to school with her in the morning to see Miss Leverett, and explain the withdrawal.

That lady came to her private room as soon as she had opened the school.  From one point of view, she said, she agreed with Miss Mohun that it would be better that her niece should not go up for the examination.

‘But,’ she said, ’it may be considered as a stigma upon her, since none of the others are to give up.’

‘Indeed!  I had almost thought it a matter of course.’

’On the contrary, two of the mothers seem to think nothing at all of the matter.  Mrs. Black—–­’

‘The Surveyor’s wife, isn’t she?’

’Yes, she writes a note saying that all children copy, if they can, and she wonders that I should be so severe upon such a frequent occurrence, which reflects more discredit on the governesses than the scholars.’

‘Polite that!  And Mrs. Purvis?  At least, she is a lady!’

’She is more polite, but evidently has no desire to be troubled.  She hopes that if her daughter has committed a breach of school discipline, I will act as I think best.’