the daisy chain, or aspirations-第103节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　father；　to　make　her　unsay　her　rebuke　to　Miss　Bracy。
Pride　and　temper！　　Ah！　Etheldred！　where　were　they　now？

Dr。　May　was　at　his　study　door　as　his　daughters　entered　the　hall；　and
Ethel　expected　the　order　which　she　meant　to　question；　but；　instead　of
this；　after　a　brief　inquiry　after　the　doings　of　the　nine　muses；　which
Flora　answered；　so　as　to　make　him　laugh；　he　stopped　Ethel；　as　she　was
going　upstairs；　by　saying；　〃I　do　not　know　whether　this　letter　is
intended　for　Richard；　or　for　me。　　At　any　rate；　it　concerns　you　most。〃

The　envelope　was　addressed　to　the　Reverend　Richard　May；　D。　D。；　Market
Stoneborough；　and　the　letter　began；　〃Reverend　Sir。〃　　So　far　Ethel
saw；　and　exclaimed；　with　amusement；　then；　with　a　long…drawn　　〃Ah！〃
and　an　interjection；　〃My　poor　dear　Una！〃　she　became　absorbed；　the
large　tearsyes；　Ethel's　reluctant　tears　gathering　slowly　and
dropping。

The　letter　was　from　a　clergyman　far　away　in　the　north　of　England；　who
said　he　could　not；　though　a　stranger；　resist　the　desire　to　send　to
Dr。　May　an　account　of　a　poor　girl；　who　seemed　to　have　received　great
benefits　from　him；　or　from　some　of　his　family；　especially　as　she　had
shown　great　eagerness　on　his　proposing　to　write。

He　said　it　was　nearly　a　year　since　there　had　come　into　his　parish　a
troop　of　railwaymen　and　their　families。　　For　the　most　part；　they　were
completely　wild　and　rude；　unused　to　any　pastoral　care；　but；　even　on
the　first　Sunday；　he　had　noticed　a　keen…looking；　freckled；　ragged；
unmistakably　Irish　girl；　creeping　into　church　with　a　Prayer…book　in
her　hand；　and　had　afterwards　found　her　hanging　about　the　door　of　the
school。　　〃I　never　saw　a　more　engaging；　though　droll；　wild　expression；
than　that　with　which　she　looked　up　to　me。〃　　（Ethel's　cry　of　delight
was　at　that　sentenceshe　knew　that　look　too　well；　and　had　yearned
after　it　so　often！）　　〃I　found　her　far　better　instructed　than　her
appearance　had　led　me　to　expect；　and　more　truly　impressed　with　the
spirit　of　what　she　had　learned　than　it　has　often　been　my　lot　to　find
children。　　She　was　perfect　in　the　New　Testament　history〃（〃Ah！　that
she　was　not；　when　she　went　away！〃）〃and　was　in　the　habit　of
constantly　attending　church；　and　using　morning　and　evening　prayers。〃
（〃Oh！　how　I　longed；　when　she　went　away；　to　beg　her　to　keep　them　up！
Dear　Una。〃）　　〃On　my　questions；　as　to　how　she　had　been　taught；　she
always　replied；　'Mr。　Richard　May；'　or　'Miss　Athel。'　　You　must　excuse
me　if　I　have　not　correctly　caught　the　name　from　her　Irish
pronunciation。〃　　（〃I　am　afraid　he　thinks　my　name　is　Athaliah！　　But
oh！　this　dear　girl！　　How　I　have　wished　to　hear　of　her！〃）　　〃Everything
was　answered　with　'Mr。　Richard；'　or　'Miss　Athel'；　and；　if　I　inquired
further；　her　face　would　light　up　with　a　beam　of　gratitude；　and　she
would　run　on；　as　long　as　I　could　listen；　with　instances　of　their
kindness。　　It　was　the　same　with　her　mother；　a　wild；　rude　specimen　of
an　Irishwoman；　whom　I　never　could　bring　to　church　herself；　but　who
ran　on　loudly　with　their　praises；　usually　ending　with　'Heavens　be
their　bed；'　and　saying　that　Una　had　been　quite　a　different　girl　since
the　young　ladies　and　gentleman　found　her　out；　and　put　them　parables
in　her　head。

〃For　my　own　part；　I　can　testify　that；　in　the　seven　months　that　she
attended　my　school；　I　never　had　a　serious　fault　to　find　with　her；　but
far　more　often　to　admire　the　earnestness　and　devout　spirit；　as　well
as　the　kindness　and　generosity　apparent　in　all　her　conduct。　　Bad
living；　and　an　unwholesome　locality；　have　occasioned　a　typhus　fever
among　the　poor　strangers　in　this　place；　and　Una　was　one　of　the　first
victims。　　Her　mother；　almost　from　the　first；　gave　her　up；　saying　she
knew　she　was　one　marked　for　glory；　and　Una　has　been　lying；　day　after
day；　in　a　sort　of　half…delirious　state；　constantly　repeating　hymns
and　psalms；　and　generally；　apparently　very　happy；　except　when　one
distress　occurred　again　and　again；　whether　delirious　or　sensible；
namely；　that　she　had　never　gone　to　wish　Miss　May　good…bye；　and　thank
her；　and　that　maybe　she　and　Mr。　Richard　thought　her　ungrateful；　and
she　would　sometimes　beg；　in　her　phraseology；　to　go　on　her　bare　knees
to　Stoneborough；　only　to　see　Miss　Athel　again。

〃Her　mother；　I　should　say；　told　me　the　girl　had　been　half　mad　at　not
being　allowed　to　go　and　take　leave　of　Miss　May；　and　she　had　been
sorry　herself；　but　her　husband　had　come　home　suddenly　from　the　search
for　work；　and；　having　made　his　arrangements；　removed　them　at　once；
early　the　next　morningtoo　early　to　go　to　the　young　lady；　though；
she　said；　Una　didas　they　passed　through　Stoneboroughrun　down　the
street　before　she　was　aware；　and　she　found　her　sobbing；　fit　to　break
her　heart；　before　the　house。〃　　（〃Oh；　why；　why　was　I　not　up；　and　at
the　window！　　Oh；　my　Una！　to　think　of　that！〃）　　〃When　I　spoke　of
writing　to　let　Miss　May　hear　how　it　was；　the　poor　girl　caught　at　the
idea　with　the　utmost　delight。　　Her　weakness　was　too　great　to　allow
her　to　utter　many　words　distinctly；　when　I　asked　her　what　she　would
have　me　say；　but　these　were　as　well　as　I　could　understand：'The
blessing　of　one；　that　they　have　brought　peace　unto。　　Tell　them　I
pray；　and　will　pray；　that　they　may　walk　in　the　robe　of　gloryand
tell　Mr。　Richard　that　I　mind　what　he　said　to　me；　of　taking　hold　on
the　sure　hope。　　God　crown　all　their　crosses　unto　them；　and　fulfil　all
their　desires　unto　everlasting　life。'　　I　feel　that　I　am　not　rendering
her　words　with　all　their　fervour　and　beauty　of　Irish　expression；　but
I　would　that　I　could　fully　retain　and　transmit　them；　for　those　who
have　so　led　her　must；　indeed；　be　able　to　feel　them　precious。　　I　never
saw　a　more　peaceful　frame　of　penitence　and　joy。　　She　died　last　night；
sleeping　herself　away；　without　more　apparent　suffering；　and　will　be
committed　to　the　earth　on　Sunday　next；　all　her　fellow…scholars
attending；　and；　I　hope；　profiting　by　the　example　she　has　left。

〃I　have　only　to　add　my　most　earnest　congratulations　to　those　whose
labour　of　love　has　borne　such　blessed　fruit；　and；　hoping　you　will
pardon　the　liberty；　etc。〃

Etheldred　finished　the　letter　through　blinding　tears；　while　rising
sobs　almost　choked　her。　　She　ran　away　to　her　own　room；　bolted　the
door；　and　threw　herself　on　her　knees；　beside　her　bednow　confusedly
giving　thanks　for　such　resultsnow　weeping　bitterly　over　her　own
unworthiness。　　Oh！　what　was　she　in　the　sight　of　Heaven；　compared　with
what　this　poor　girl　had　deemed　herwith　what　this　clergyman　thought
her？　　She；　the　teacher；　taught；　trained；　and　guarded；　from　her
infancy；　by　her　wise　mother；　and　by　such　a　father！　　She；　to　have
given　way　all　day　to　pride；　jealousy；　anger；　selfish　love　of　her　own
will；　when　this　poor　girl　had　embraced；　and　held　fast；　the　blessed
hope；　from　the　very　crumbs　they　had　brought　her！　　Nothing　could　have
so　humbled　the　distrustful　spirit　that　had　been　working　in　Ethel；
which　had　been　scotched　into　silencenot　killedwhen　she　endured
the　bazaar；　and　now　had　been　indemnifying　itself　by　repining　at　every
stumbling…block。　　Her　own　scholar's　blessing　was　the　rebuke　that　went
most　home　to　her　heart；　for　having　doubted　whether　good　could　be
worked　in　any　way；　save　her　own。

She　was　interrupted　by　Mary　trying　to　open　the　door；　and；　admitting
her；　heard　her　wonder　at　the　traces　of　her　tears；　and　ask　what　there
was　about　Una。　　Ethel　gave　her　the　letter；　and　Mary's　tears　showered
very　fastthey　always　came　readily。　　〃Oh；　Ethel；　how　glad　Richard
will　be！〃

〃Yes；　it　is　all　Richard's　doing。　　So　much　more　good；　and　wise；　and
humble；　as　he　is。　　No　wonder　his　teaching〃　and　Ethel　sat　down　and
cried　again。

Mary　pondered。　〃　It　makes　me　very　glad；〃　she　said；　〃and　yet　I　don't
know　why　one　cries。　　Ethel；　do　you　think〃she　came　near；　and
whispered〃that　Una　has　met　dear　mamma　there？〃

Ethel　kissed　her。　　It　was　almost　the　first　time　Mary　had　spoken　of
her　mother；　and　she　answered；　〃Dear　Mary；　we　cannot　tellwe　may
think。　　It　is　all　one　communion；　you　know。〃

Mary　was　silent；　and；　next　time　she　spoke；　it　was　to　hope　that　Ethel
would　tell　the　Cocksmoor　children　about　Una。

Ethel　was　obliged　to　dress；　and　go　downstairs　to　tea。　　Her　father
seemed　to　have　been　watching　for　her；　with　his　study　door　open；　for
he　came　to　meet　her；　took　her　hand；　and　said；　in　a　low　voice；　〃My
dear　child；　I　wish　you　joy。　　This　will　be　a　pleasant　message；　to　bid
poor　Ritchie　good　speed　for　his　ordination；　will　it　not？〃

〃That　it　will；　papa〃

〃Why；　Ethel；　have　you　been　crying　over　it　all　this　time？〃　said　he；
struck　by　the　sadness　of　her　voice。

〃Many　other　things；　papa。　　I　am　so　unworthybut　it　was　not　our
doingbut　the　grace〃

〃No；　but　thankful　you　may　be；　to　have　been　the　means　of　awakening　the
grace！〃

Ethel's　lips　trembled。　　〃And　oh；　papa！　coming　to…day；　when　I　have
been　behaving　so　ill　to　you；　and　Miss　Bracy；　and　Flora；　and　all。

〃Have　you？　　I　did　not　know　you　had　behaved　ill　to　me。〃

〃About　Miss　BracyI　thought　wrong　things；　if　I　did　not　say　them。　　To
her；　I　believe；　I　said　what　was　true；　though　it　was　harsh　of　me　to
say　it；　and〃

〃What？　about　pride　and　temper？　　It　was　true；　and　I　hope　it　will　do
h