She hoped, too, that he would prolong his holiday to the very last moment, for the country air and the rest he enjoyed were sure to do him so much good.

With regard, to the extension of John's visit, the vicar thought differently, although he held his peace.

There were many reasons why John should not become attached to Mrs.Goddard both for her sake and his own, and if he staid long, the vicar felt quite sure that he would fall in love with her.

She was dangerously pretty, she was much older than John--which in the case of very young men constitutes an additional probability--she evidently took an innocent pleasure in his society, and altogether such a complication as was likely to ensue was highly undesirable.

Therefore, when Mrs.
Ambrose pressed John to stay longer than he had intended, the vicar not only gave him no encouragement, but spoke gravely of the near approach of the contest for honours, of the necessity of concentrating every force for the coming struggle, and expressed at the same time the firm conviction that, if John did his best, he ought to be the senior classic in the year.
Even Mrs.Goddard urged him to go.