Лето

           Andbeforeleadinghervisitorbacktothedrawing-roomshewouldrepeat,forthehundredthtime,thatshesupposedhethoughtitveryboldoflittleNorthDormertostartupandhaveaHomeWeekofitsown,whensomanybiggerplaceshadn’tthoughtofityet;butthat,afterall,Associationscountedmorethanthesizeofthepopulation,didn’tthey?AndofcourseNorthDormerwassofullofAssociations...historic,literary(hereafilialsighforHonorius)andecclesiastical...heknewabouttheoldpewtercommunionserviceimportedfromEnglandin1769,shesupposed?Anditwassoimportant,inawealthymaterialisticage,tosettheexampleofrevertingtotheoldideals,thefamilyandthehomestead,andsoon.Thisperorationusuallycarriedherhalf-waybackacrossthehall,leavingthegirlstoreturntotheirinterruptedactivities.

           ThedayonwhichCharityRoyallwasweavinghemlockgarlandsfortheprocessionwasthelastbeforethecelebration.WhenMissHatchardcalledupontheNorthDormermaidenhoodtocollaborateinthefestalpreparationsCharityhadatfirstheldaloof;butithadbeenmadecleartoherthathernon-appearancemightexciteconjecture,and,reluctantly,shehadjoinedtheotherworkers.Thegirls,atfirstshyandembarrassed,andpuzzledastotheexactnatureoftheprojectedcommemoration,hadsoonbecomeinterestedintheamusingdetailsoftheirtask,andexcitedbythenoticetheyreceived.