the daisy chain, or aspirations-第102节

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At　last　Mrs。　Ledwich　glanced　at　the　mistress's　watch；　in　its
pasteboard　tower；　in　Gothic　architecture；　and　insisted　on　proceeding
to　business。　　So　they　all　sat　down　round　a　circular　table；　with　a
very　fine　red；　blue；　and　black　oilcloth；　whose　pattern　was
inseparably　connected；　in　Ethel's　mind；　with　absurdity；　tedium；　and
annoyance。

The　business　was　opened　by　the　announcement　of　what　they　all　knew
before；　that　the　proceeds　of　the　fancy　fair　amounted　to　one　hundred
and　forty…nine　pounds　fifteen　shillings　and　tenpence。

Then　came　a　pause；　and　Mrs。　Ledwich　said　that　next　they　had　to
consider　what　was　the　best　means　of　disposing　of　the　sum　gained　in
this　most　gratifying　manner。　　Every　one　except　Flora；　Ethel；　and
quiet　Mrs。　Ward；　began　to　talk　at　once。　　There　was　a　great　deal　about
Elizabethan　architecture；　crossed　by　much　more；　in　which　normal；
industrial；　and　common　things；　most　often　met　Ethel's　ear；　with　some
stories；　second…hand；　from　Harvey　Anderson；　of　marvellous　mistakes；
and；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　table；　there　was　Mrs。　Ledwich；
impressively　saying　something　to　the　silent　Mrs。　Ward；　marking　her
periods　with　emphatic　beats　with　her　pencil；　and　each　seemed　to　close
with　〃Mrs。　Perkinson's　niece；〃　whom　Ethel　knew　to　be　Cherry's
intended　supplanter。　　She　looked　piteously　at　Flora；　who　only　smiled
and　made　a　sign　with　her　hand　to　her　to　be　patient。　　Ethel　fretted
inwardly　at　that　serene　sense　of　power；　but　she　could　not　but　admire
how　well　Flora　knew　how　to　bide　her　time；　when；　having　waited　till
Mrs。　Ledwich　had　nearly　wound　up　her　discourse　on　Mrs。　Elwood's
impudence；　and　Mrs。　Perkinson's　niece；　she　leaned　towards　Miss
Boulder；　who　sat　between；　and　whispered　to　her；　〃Ask　Mrs。　Ledwich　if
we　should　not　begin　with　some　steps　for　getting　the　land。〃

Miss　Boulder；　having　acted　as　conductor；　the　president　exclaimed；
〃Just　so；　the　land　is　the　first　consideration。　　We　must　at　once　take
steps　for　obtaining　it。〃　　Thereupon　Mrs。　Ledwich；　who　〃always　did
things　methodically；〃　moved；　and　Miss　Anderson　seconded；　that　the
land　requisite　for　the　school　must　be　obtained；　and　the　nine　ladies
held　up　their　hands；　and　resolved　it。

Miss　Rich　duly　recorded　the　great　resolution；　and　Miss　Boulder
suggested　that；　perhaps；　they　might　write　to　the　National　Society；　or
Government；　or　something；　whereat　Miss　Rich　began　to　flourish　one　of
the　very　long　goose　quills　which　stood　in　the　inkstand　before　her；
chiefly　as　insignia　of　office；　for　she　always　wrote　with　a　small；
stiff　metal　pen。

Flora　here　threw　in　a　query；　whether　the　National　Society；　or
Government；　or　something；　would　give　them　a　grant；　unless　they　had
the　land　to　build　upon？

The　ladies　all　started　off　hereupon；　and　all　sorts　of　instances　of
hardness　of　heart　were　mentioned；　the　most　relevant　of　which　was；
that　the　Church　Building　Society　would　not　give　a　grant　to　Mr。
Holloway's　proprietary　chapel　at　Whitford；　when　Mrs。　Ledwich　was
suddenly　struck　with　the　notion　that　dear　Mr。　Holloway　might　be
prevailed　on　to　come　to　Stoneborough　to　preach　a　sermon　in　the
Minster；　for　the　benefit　of　Cocksmoor；　when　they　would　all　hold
plates　at　the　door。　　Flora　gave　Ethel　a　tranquillising　pat；　and；　as
Mrs。　Ledwich　turned　to　her；　asking　whether　she　thought　Dr。　May；　or
Dr。　Hoxton；　would　prevail　on　him　to　come；　she　said；　with　her　winning
look；　〃I　think　that　consideration　had　better　wait　till　we　have　some
more　definite　view。　　Had　we　not　better　turn　to　this　land　question？〃

〃Quite　true！〃　they　all　agreed；　but　to　whom　did　the　land　belong？and
what　a　chorus　arose！　　Miss　Anderson　thought　it　belonged　to　Mr。
Nicolson；　because　the　wagons　of　slate　had　James　Nicolson　on　them；
and；　if　so；　they　had　no　chance；　for　he　was　an　old　miserand　six
stories　illustrative　thereof　ensued。　　Miss　Rich　was　quite　sure　some
Body　held　it；　and　Bodies　were　slow　of　movement。　　Mrs。　Ledwich
remembered　some　question　of　enclosing；　and　thought　all　waste　lands
were　under　the　Crown；　she　knew　that　the　Stoneborough　people　once　had
a　right　to　pasture　their　cattle；　because　Mr。　Southron's　cow　had
tumbled　down　a　loam…pit　when　her　mother　was　a　girl。　　No；　that　was　on
Far…view　down；　out　the　other　way！　　Miss　Harrison　was　positive　that
Sir　Henry　Walkinghame　had　some　right　there；　and　would　not　Dr。　May
apply　to　him？　　Mrs。　Grey　thought　it　ought　to　be　part　of　the　Drydale
estate；　and　Miss　Boulder　was　certain　that　Mr。　Bramshaw　knew　all　about
it。

Flora's　gentle　voice　carried　conviction　that　she　knew　what　she　was
saying；　when；　at　last；　they　left　a　moment　for　her　to　speak（Ethel
would　have　done　so　long　ago）。　　〃If　I　am　not　mistaken；　the　land　is　a
copyhold　of　Sir　Henry　Walkinghame；　held　under　the　manor　of　Drydale；
which　belongs　to　M　College；　and　is　underlet　to　Mr。　Nicolson。〃

Everybody；　being　partially　right；　was　delighted；　and　had　known　it　all
before；　Miss　Boulder　agreed　with　Miss　Anderson　that　Miss　May　had
stated　it　as　lucidly　as　Mr。　Bramshaw　could。　　The　next　question　was；
to　whom　to　apply？　and；　after　as　much　as　was　expedient　had　been　said
in　favour　of　each；　it　was　decided　that；　as　Sir　Henry　Walkinghame　was
abroad；　no　one　knew　exactly　where；　it　would　be　best　to　go　to　the
fountain…head；　and　write　at　once　to　the　principal　of　the　college。
But　who　was　to　write？　　Flora　proposed　Mr。　Ramsden　as　the　fittest
person；　but　this　was　negatived。　　Every　one　declared　that　he　would
never　take　the　trouble；　and　Miss　Rich　began　to　agitate　her　pens。　　By
this　time；　however；　Mrs。　Ward；　who　was　opposite　to　the　Gothic　clock…
tower；　began　to　look　uneasy；　and　suggested；　in　a　nervous　manner；　that
it　was　half…past　five；　and　she　was　afraid　Mr。　Ward　would　be　kept
waiting　for　his　dinner。　　Mrs。　Grey　began　to　have　like　fears；　that　Mr。
Grey　would　be　come　in　from　his　ride　after　banking　hours。　　The　other
ladies　began　to　think　of　tea；　and　the　meeting　decided　on　adjourning
till　that　day　next　week；　when　the　committee　would　sit　upon　Miss
Rich's　letter。

〃My　dear　Miss　Flora！〃　began　Miss　Rich；　adhering　to　her　as　they　parted
with　the　rest　at　the　end　of　the　street；　〃how　am　I　to　write　to　a
principal？　　Am　I　to　begin　Reverend　Sir；　or　My　Lord；　or　is　he
Venerable；　like　an　archdeacon？　　What　is　his　name；　and　what　am　I　to
say？〃

〃Why；　it　is　not　a　correspondence　much　in　my　line；〃　said　Flora；
laughing。

〃Ah！　but　you　are　so　intimate　with　Dr。　Hoxton；　and　your　brothers　at
Oxford！　　You　must　know〃

〃I'll　take　advice；〃　said　Flora　good…naturedly。　　〃Shall　I　come；　and
call　before　Friday；　and　tell　you　the　result？〃

〃Oh；　pray！　　It　will　be　a　real　favour！　　Good…morning〃

〃There；〃　said　Flora；　as　the　sisters　turned　homewards；　〃Cherry　is　not
going　to　be　turned　out　just　yet！〃

〃How　could　you；　Flora？　　Now　they　will　have　that　man　from　Whitford；
and　you　said　not　a　word　against　it！〃

〃What　was　the　use　of　adding　to　the　hubbub？　　A　little　opposition　would
make　them　determined　on　having　him。　　You　will　see；　Ethel；　we　shall
get　the　ground　on　our　own　terms；　and　then　it　will　be　time　to　settle
about　the　mistress。　　If　the　harvest　holidays　were　not　over；　we　would
try　to　send　Cherry　to　a　training…school；　so　as　to　leave　them　no
excuse。〃

〃I　hate　all　this　management　and　contrivance。　　It　would　be　more　honest
to　speak　our　minds；　and　not　pretend　to　agree　with　them。〃

〃My　dear　Ethel！　have　I　spoken　a　word　contrary　to　my　opinion？　　It　is
not　fit　for　me；　a　girl　of　twenty；　to　go　disputing　and　dragooning　as
you　would　have　me；　but　a　little　savoir　faire；　a　grain　of　common
sense；　thrown　in　among　the　babble；　always　works。　　Don't　you　remember
how　Mrs。　Ward's　sister　told　us　that　a　whole　crowd　of　tottering
Chinese　ladies　would　lean　on　her；　because　they　felt　her　firm　support；
though　it　was　out　of　sight？〃

Ethel　did　not　answer；　she　had　self…control　enough　left　not　to　retort
upon　Flora's　estimate　of　herself；　but　the　irritation　was　strong；　she
felt　as　if　her　cherished　views　for　Cocksmoor　were　insulted；　as　well
as　set　aside；　by　the　place　being　made　the　occasion　of　so　much　folly
and　vain　prattle；　the　sanctity　of　her　vision　of　self…devotion
destroyed　by　such　interference；　and　Flora's　promises　did　not　reassure
her。　　She　doubted　Flora's　power；　and　had　still　more　repugnance　to　the
means　by　which　her　sister　tried　to　govern；　they　did　not　seem　to　her
straightforward；　and　she　could　not　endure　Flora's　complacency　in
their　success。　　Had　it　not　been　for　her　real　love　for　the　place　and
people；　as　well　as　the　principle　which　prompted　that　love；　she　could
have　found　it　in　her　heart　to　throw　up　all　concern　with　it；　rather
than　become　a　fellow…worker　with　such　a　conclave。

Such　were　Ethel's　feelings　as　the　pair　walked　down　the　street；　the
one　sister　bright　and　smiling　with　the　good　humour　that　had　endured
many　shocks　all　that　day；　all　good　nature　and　triumph；　looking
forward　to　success；　great　benefit　to　Cocksmoor；　and　plenty　of
management；　with　credit　and　praise　to　herself；　the　other；　downcast
and　irritable；　with　annoyance　at　the　interference　with　her　schemes；
at　the　prospects　of　her　school；　and　at　herself　for　being　out　of
temper；　prone　to　murmur　or　to　reply　tartly；　and　not　able　to　recover
from　her　mood；　but　only；　as　she　neared　the　house；　lapsing　into　her
other　trouble；　and　preparing　to　resist　any　misjudged；　though　kind
attempt　of　her　fathe