Before Maggie Oliphant left St Benet's she brought some of the honour
which had long been expected from her to the dearly-loved Halls: she
took a first-class in her tripos examination. With her mind at rest, a
great deal of the morbidness of her character disappeared, and her last
term at St Benet's reminded the students who had known her in Annabel
Lee's time of the old, brilliant, and happy Maggie. Miss Oliphant's bad
half-hours became rarer and rarer, and Hammond laughed when she spoke to
him of them, and said that she could not expect him to believe in their
existence.
Shortly after the conclusion of the summer term Maggie and Hammond were
married, and her little world at St Benet's had to get on without the
presence which had always exerted the influence of a strong personality,
and which had been potent both for good and evil.
By this time, however, a girl whose personal charms were few, whose
poverty was apparent, and whose _gaucherie_ was even now often extreme,
was more than filling the place left vacant by Maggie. Extreme
earnestness, the sincerity of a noble purpose, the truthfulness of a
nature which could not stoop to deceit, was spreading an influence on
the side of all that was good and noble. No girl did more honour to
Heath Hall than she who, at one time, was held up to derision, and
laughed at as odd, prudish, and uninteresting.
Everyone prophesied well for Priscilla in the future which lay before
her; her feet were set in the right direction; the aim of her life was
to become--not learned, but wise; not to build up a reputation, but to
gain character; to put blessedness before happiness--duty before
inclination.
Women like Priscilla live at the root of the true life of a worthy
nation. Maggie Oliphant had brilliance, beauty, wealth; she had also
strong personal influence, and the power of creating love wherever she
went; but, when Priscilla Peel leaves St Benet's, she will be more
missed than was Maggie.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The End.