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and until
Edward went to Eton, would insist upon learning his into the bargain,
partly with the fond notion of coaxing him on, as the company of a
swift horse incites a slow one; partly because she was determined to

share his every trouble, if she could not remove it. A little choleric, and
indeed downright prone to that more generous indignation which fires
at the wrongs of others. When heated with emotion, or sentiment, she
lowered her voice, instead of raising it like the rest of us. She called her
mother "Lady Placid," and her brother "Sir Imperturbable." And so
much for outlines.
Mrs. Dodd laid aside her personal ambition with her maiden name; but
she looked high for her children. Perhaps she was all the more
ambitious for them, that they had no rival aspirant in Mrs. Dodd. She
educated Julia herself from first to last: but with true feminine distrust
of her power to mould a lordling of creation, she sent Edward to Eton,
at nine. This was slackening her tortoise; for at Eton is no female
master, to coax dry knowledge into a slow head. However, he made
good progress in two branches--aquatics and cricket.
After Eton came the choice of a profession. His mother recognised but
four; and these her discreet ambition speedily sifted down to two. For
military heroes are shot now and then, however pacific the century; and
naval ones drowned. She would never expose her Edward to this class
of accidents. Glory by all means; glory by the pail; but safe glory,
please; or she would none of it. Remained the church and the bar: and,
within these reasonable limits, she left her dear boy free as air; and not
even hurried--there was plenty of time to choose: he must pass through
the university to either. This last essential had been settled about a
twelvemonth, and the very day for his going to Oxford was at hand,
when one morning Mr. Edward formally cleared his throat: it was an
unusual act, and drew the ladies' eyes upon him. He followed the
solemnity up by delivering calmly and ponderously a connected
discourse, which astonished them by its length and purport. "Mamma,
dear, let us look the thing in the face." (This was his favourite
expression, as well as habit.) "I have been thinking it quietly over for
the last six months. Why send me to the university? I shall be out of
place there. It will cost you a lot of money, and no good. Now, you take
a fool's advice; don't you waste your money and papa's, sending a dull
fellow like me to Oxford. I did bad enough at _Eton._ Make me an
engineer, or something. If you were not so fond of me, and I of you, I'd
say send me to Canada, with a pickaxe; you know I have got no
headpiece."

Mrs. Dodd had sat aghast, casting Edward deprecating looks at the
close of each ponderous sentence, but too polite to interrupt a soul,
even a son talking nonsense. She now assured him she could afford
very well to send him to Oxford, and begged leave to remind him that
he was too good and too sensible to run up bills there, like the young
men who did not really love their parents. "Then, as for learning, why,
we must be reasonable in our turn. Do the best you can, love. We know
you have no great turn for the classics; we do not expect you to take
high honours like young Mr. Hardie; besides, that might make your
head ache: he has sad headaches, his sister told Julia. But, my dear, an
university education is indispensable Do but see how the signs of it
follow a gentleman through life, to say nothing of the valuable
acquaintances and lasting friendships he makes there: even those few
distinguished persons who have risen in the would without it, have
openly regretted the want, and have sent their children: and that says
volumes to me."
"Why, Edward, it is the hall-mark of a gentleman," said Julia eagerly.
Mrs. Dodd caught a flash of her daughter: "And my silver shall never
be without it," said she warmly. She added presently, in her usual
placid tone, "I beg your pardon, my dears, I ought to have said my
gold." With this she kissed Edward tenderly on the brow, and drew an
embrace and a little grunt of resignation from him. "Take the dear boy
and show him our purchases, love!" said Mrs. Dodd, with a little gentle
accent of half reproach, scarce perceptible to a male ear.
"Oh, yes," and Julia rose and tripped to the door. There she stood a
moment, half turned, with arching neck, colouring with innocent
pleasure. "Come, darling. Oh, you