'I am glad you did not come before,' said Mary, heartily; 'I have just done:' and she returned to her writing-table, while her mother was saying, 'We like it very much.' 'You have not been copying that wretched concern!' exclaimed Louis. 'Why, Mary, you must have been at it all night. It is a week's work.' 'Copying is not composing,' said Mary. 'But you have mended it, made it consecutive! If I had guessed that my father meant to trouble any one with it!' 'If you take pains with it, it may be very valuable,' said Mrs. Ponsonby. 'We have marked a few things that you had better revise before it goes to Oakstead.' 'Goes to Oakstead!' said Louis, faintly. 'Your father talks of sending it, to see if Sir Miles does not think it might tell well in one of the Reviews.' 'I hope not. I should lose all my faith in anonymous criticism, if they admitted such a crude undergraduate's omnium gatherum! Besides, what an immense task to make it presentable!' 'Is that the root of your humility?' 'Possibly. But for very shame I must doctor it, if Mary has wasted so much time over it. It does not look so bad in your hand!' 'It struck me whether you had rendered this Spanish story right.' 'Of course not. I never stuck to my dictionary.' A sound dose of criticism ensued, tempered by repetitions of his father's pleasure, and next came some sympathy and discussion about the farm and Marksedge, in which the ladies took their usual earnest part, and Mary was as happy as ever in hearing of his progress. He said no word of their neighbours; but he could not help colouring when Mary said, as he wished her good-bye, 'We like the party in the House Beautiful so much! Miss Conway is such an acquisition to me! and they are doing all you could ever have wished for Clara.' Mary was glad that she had said it. Louis was not so glad. He thought it must have been an effort, then derided his vanity for the supposition. CHAPTER XVI. THE FRUIT OF THE CHRISTMAS-TREE Age, twine thy brows with fresh spring flowers, And call a train of laughing hours; And bid them dance, and bid them sing: And thou, too, mingle in the ring. WORDSWORTH