"It shall be as you wish; next week the room shall be ready for you. And as I have granted all the requests you have made, you must grant me one in return. You must let me furnish the room for you. No, I shall not listen to any objections; this time _I_ must have _my_ way. Good night." _CHAPTER VII_ THE PAVEMENT "The place whereon thou standest is holy ground." Exod. iii. 5. "Mark you the floor? that square and speckled stone, Which looks so firm and strong, Is _Patience_; "And the other black and grave, wherein each one Is checker'd all along, _Humility_; "The gentle rising, which on either hand Leads to the quire above, Is _Confidence_; "But the sweet cement, which in one sure band Ties the whole frame, is _Love_ And _Charity_." GEORGE HERBERT. Illustration: Church of SS. Philip and James, Oxford THE PAVEMENT Illustration: Brass of John Bloxham and John Whytton in Merton College, Oxford "Why, my dear Constance," said Mr. Acres, as one morning he found the eldest of his three children sitting gloomy and solitary at the breakfast-room window, "you look as though all the cares of the nation were pressing upon you! Come, tell me a few of them; unless," added he, laughingly, "my little queen thinks there is danger to the State in communicating matters of such weighty import." "Oh, don't make fun of me, dear Papa! I have only one trouble just now, and you will think that a very little one; but you know you often say little troubles seem great to little people." "Then we must have the bright little face back again at once, if, after all, it is only one small care that troubles it," said he, kissing her affectionately. "But now, my darling, let me know all about it." "Well, Papa, I think it's too bad of Mary to go up to the church again to-day to help Ernest to take more rubbing's of those dull, stupid old brasses. I don't care any thing about them, and I think it's nonsense spending so much time over them as they do. I wish Mr. Ambrose would not let them go into the church any more, and then Mary would not leave me alone like this." "That's not a very kind wish, Constance, as they both seem so much interested in their work; but I dare say this is the last day they will give to it. Suppose we go this afternoon to look after them: we can then ask Ernest to bring home all the copies he has taken, and when Mr. Ambrose comes in by-and-by, perhaps he will tell us something about them; and who knows but your unconsciously offending enemies may turn out to be neither dull nor stupid, after all?" The proposal was gladly accepted, and at four o'clock they were enjoying their pleasant walk up to St. Catherine's Church.