But before the spring east winds the party were generally gone to some more genial climate, and the early autumn was often spent in Switzerland. Pictures, art, and scenery were growing to be necessaries of life, and to stay at home with no special diversion in view seemed unthought of. The season was spent in London, not dropping the artist society on the one hand, but adding to it the amount of intercourse into which she was drawn by the fact of her being a rich and charming woman, having a delightful house, and a son and daughter who might be “grands partis.” Allen liked high life for her, so she did not refuse it; but probably her social success was all the greater from her entire indifference, and that of her daughter, to all the questions of exclusiveness and fashion. If they had been born duchesses they could not have been less concerned about obtaining invitations to what their maid called “the first circles,” and they would sometimes reduce Allen to despair by giving the preference to a lively literary soiree, when he wanted them to show themselves among the aristocracy at a drum. 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.”