the daisy chain, or aspirations-第106节

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say　it。　　We　only　want　Harry；　to　exact　the　forfeit！　　Poor　dear　little
humming…bird！　　It　gives　one　an　oppression　on　the　chest；　to　think　of
her　having　that　great　do…nothing　brother　on　her　hands　all　day。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Norman；　〃I　shall　know　where　I　am　not　to　look　when　I
want　a　sister。〃

〃Ay；〃　said　Ethel；　〃when　you　come　yawning　to　me　to　find　amusement　for
you；　you　will　see　what　I　shall　do！〃

〃Stand　over　me　with　a　stick　while　I　print　A　B　C　for　Cocksmoor；　I
suppose；〃　said　Norman。

〃Well！　why　not？　　People　are　much　better　doing　something　than
nothing。〃

〃What；　you　won't　even　let　me　blow　bubbles！〃　said　Norman。

〃That　is　too　intellectual；　as　papa　makes　it；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃By　the
bye；　Norman；〃　she　added；　as　she　had　now　walked　with　him　a　little
apart；　〃it　always　was　a　bubble　of　mine　that　you　should　try　for　the
Newdigate　prize。　　Ha！〃　as　the　colour　rushed　into　his　cheeks；　〃you
really　have　begun！〃

〃I　could　not　help　it；　when　I　heard　the　subject　given　out　for　next
year。　　Our　old　friend；　Decius　Mus。〃

〃Have　you　finished？〃

〃By　no　means；　but　it　brought　a　world　of　notions　into　my　head；　such　as
I　could　not　but　set　down。　　Now；　Ethel；　do　oblige　me；　do　write
another；　as　we　used　in　old　times。〃

〃I　had　better　not；〃　said　Ethel；　standing　thoughtful。　　〃If　I　throw
myself　into　it；　I　shall　hate　everything　else；　and　my　wits　will　be
woolgathering。　　I　have　neither　time　nor　poetry　enough。〃

〃You　used　to　write　English　verse。〃

〃I　was　cured　of　it。〃

〃How？〃

〃I　wanted　money　for　Cocksmoor；　and　after　persuading　papa；　I　got　leave
to　send　a　ballad　about　a　little　girl　and　a　white　rose　to　that　school
magazine。　　I　don't　think　papa　liked　it；　but　there　were　some　verses
that　touched　him；　and　one　had　seen　worse。　　It　was　actually　inserted；
and　I　was　in　high　feather；　till；　oh；　Norman！　imagine　Richard　getting
hold　of　this　unlucky　thing；　without　a　notion　where　it　came　from！
Margaret　put　it　before　him；　to　see　what　he　would　say　to　it。〃

〃I　am　afraid　it　was　not　like　a　young　lady's　anonymous　composition　in
a　story。〃

〃By　no　means。　　Imagine　Ritchie　picking　my　poor　metaphors　to　pieces；
and　weighing　every　sentimental　line！　　And　all　in　his　dear　old
simplicity；　because　he　wanted　to　understand　it；　seeing　that　Margaret
liked　it。　　He　had　not　the　least　intention　of　hurting　my　feelings；　but
never　was　I　so　annihilated！　　I　thought　he　was　doing　it　on　purpose；
till　I　saw　how　distressed　he　was　when　he　found　it　out；　and　worse　than
all　was；　his　saying　at　the　end　that　he　supposed　it　was　very　fine；　but
he　could　not　understand　it。〃

〃Let　me　see　it。〃

〃Some　time　or　other；　but　let　me　see　Decius。〃

〃Did　you　give　up　verses　because　Richard　could　not　understand　them？〃

〃No；　because　I　had　other　fish　to　fry。　　And　I　have　not　given　them　up
altogether。　　I　do　scrabble　down　things　that　tease　me　by　running　in　my
head；　when　I　want　to　clear　my　brains；　and　know　what　I　mean；　but　I
can't　do　it　without　sitting　up　at　night；　and　that　stupefies　me　before
breakfast。　　And　as　to　making　bubbles　of　them；　Ritchie　has　cured　me　of
that！〃

〃It　is　a　pity！　〃　said　Norman。

〃Nonsense；　let　me　see　Decius。　　I　know　he　is　splendid。〃

〃I　wish　you　would　have　tried；　for　all　my　best　ideas　are　stolen　from
you。〃

Ethel　prevailed　by　following　her　brother　to　his　room；　and　perching
herself　on　the　window…sill；　while　he　read　his　performance　from　many
slips　of　paper。　　The　visions　of　those　boyish　days　had　not　been
forgotten；　the　Vesuvius　scenery　was　much　as　Ethel　had　once　described
it；　but　with　far　more　force　and　beauty；　there　was　Decius's
impassioned　address　to　the　beauteous　land　he　was　about　to　leave；　and
the　remembrances　of　his　Roman　hearth；　his　farm；　his　children；　whom　he
quitted　for　the　pale　shadows　of　an　uncertain　Elysium。　　There　was　a
great　hiatus　in　the　middle；　and　Norman　had　many　more　authorities　to
consult；　but　the　summing…up　was　nearly　complete；　and　Ethel　thought
the　last　lines　grand；　as　they　spoke　of　the　noble　consul's　name　living
for　evermore；　added　to　the　examples　that　nerve　ardent　souls　to　devote
life；　and　all　that　is　precious；　to　the　call　of　duty。　　Fame　is　not
their　object。　　She　may　crown　their　pale　brows；　but　for　the　good　of
others；　not　their　own；　a　beacon　light　to　the　world。　　Self　is　no
object　of　theirs；　and　it　is　the　casting　self　behind　that　winsnot
always　the　visible　earthly　strife；　but　the　combat　between　good　and
evil。　　They　are　the　true　victors；　and；　whether　chronicled　or
forgotten；　true　glory　rests　on　their　heads；　the　sole　true　glory　that
man　can　attain；　namely；　the　reflected　beams　that　crown　them　as
shadowy　types　of　Him　whom　Decius　knew　notthe　Prince　who　gave
Himself　for　His　people；　and　thus　rendered　death；　for　Truth's　sake；
the　highest　boon　to　mortal　man。

〃Norman；　you　must　finish　it！　　When　will　it　be　given　in？〃

〃Next　spring；　if　at　all；　but　keep　the　secret；　Ethel。　　I　cannot　have
my　father's　hopes　raised。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　of　a　motto；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Do　you　remember　Mrs。
Hemans'　mention　of　a　saying　of　Sir　Walter　Scott　'Never　let　me　hear
that　brave　blood　has　been　shed　in　vain。　　It　sends　a　roaring　voice
down　through　all　time。'〃

〃If；〃　said　Norman；　rather　ashamed　of　the　enthusiasm　which；　almost
approaching　to　the　so…called　〃funny　state〃　of　his　younger　days；　had
trembled　in　his　voice；　and　kindled　his　eye〃if　you　won't　let　me　put
'nascitur　ridiculus　mus。'〃

〃Too　obvious；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Depend　upon　it；　every　undergraduate　has
thought　of　it　already。〃

Ethel　was　always　very　happy　over　Norman's　secrets；　and　went　about
smiling　over　Decius；　and　comparing　her　brother　with　such　a　one　as
poor　Meta　was　afflicted　with；　wasting　some　superfluous　pity　and
contempt　on　the　weary　weight　that　was　inflicted　on　the　Grange。

〃What　do　you　think　of　me？〃　said　Margaret；　one　afternoon。　　〃I　have　had
Mr。　George　Rivers　here　for　two　hours。〃

〃Alone！　what　could　bring　him　here？〃

〃I　told　him　that　every　one　was　out；　but　he　chose　to　sit　down；　and
seemed　to　be　waiting。〃

〃How　could　you　get　on？〃

〃Oh！　we　asked　a　few　questions；　and　brought　out　remarks；　with　great
difficulty；　at　long　intervals。　　He　asked　me　if　lying　here　was　not　a
great　nuisance；　and；　at　last；　he　grew　tired　of　twisting　his
moustache；　and　went　away。〃

〃I　trust　it　was　a　call　to　take　leave。〃

〃No；　he　thinks　he　shall　sell　out；　for　the　army　is　a　great　nuisance。〃

〃You　seem　to　have　got　into　his　confidence。〃

〃Yes；　he　said　he　wanted　to　settle　down；　but　living　with　one's　father
was　such　a　nuisance。〃

〃By　the　bye；〃　cried　Ethel；　laughing；　〃Margaret；　it　strikes　me　that
this　is　a　Dumbiedikes'　courtship！〃

〃Of　yourself？〃　said　Margaret　slyly。

〃No；　of　Flora。　　You　know；　she　has　often　met　him　at　the　Grange　and
other　places；　and　she　does　contrive　to　amuse　him；　and　make　him　almost
animated。　　I　should　not　think　he　found　her　a　great　nuisance。〃

〃Poor　man！　　I　am　sorry　for　him！〃　said　Margaret。

〃Oh！　rejection　will　be　very　good　for　him；　and　give　him
something　to　think　of。〃

〃Flora　will　never　let　it　come　to　that；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃But　not　one
word　about　it；　Ethel！〃

Margaret　and　Etheldred　kept　their　eyes　open；　and　sometimes　imagined；
sometimes　laughed　at　themselves　for　their　speculations；　and　so
October　began；　and　Ethel　laughed；　as　she　questioned　whether　the
Grange　would　feel　the　Hussar's　return　to　his　quarters；　as　much　as
home　would　the　departure　of　their　scholar　for　Balliol。




CHAPTER　VI。



So；　Lady　Flora；　take　my　lay；
　　And　if　you　find　a　meaning　there；
Oh！　whisper　to　your　glass；　and　say；
　　What　wonder；　if　he　thinks　me　fair。Tennyson。


Flora　and　Norman　were　dining　with　one　of　their　county　acquaintance；
and　Dr。　May　had　undertaken　to　admit　them　on　their　return。　　The　fire
shone　red　and　bright；　as　it　sank　calmly　away；　and　the　timepiece　and
clock　on　the　stairs　had　begun　their　nightly　duet　of　ticking；　the
crickets　chirped　in　the　kitchen；　and　the　doctor　sat　alone。　　His　book
lay　with　unturned　pages；　as　he　sat　musing；　with　eyes　fixed　on　the
fire；　living　over　again　his　own　life；　the　easy　bright　days　of　his
youth；　when；　without　much　pains　on　his　own　part；　the　tendencies　of
his　generous　affectionate　disposition；　and　the　influences　of　a　warm
friendship；　and　an　early　attachment；　had　guarded　him　from　evilthen
the　period　when　he　had　been　perfectly　happy；　and　the　sobering　power
of　his　position　had　been　gradually　working　on　him；　but　though　always
religious　and　highly　principled；　the　very　goodness　of　his　natural
character　preventing　him　from　perceiving　the　need　of　self…control；
until　the　shock　that　changed　the　whole　tenor　of　his　life；　and　left
him；　for　the　first　time；　sensible　of　his　own　responsibility；　but　with
inveterate　habits　of　heedlessness　and　hastiness　that　love　alone　gave
him　force　to　combat。　　He　was　now　a　far　gentler　man。　　His　younger
children　had　never　seen；　his　elder　had　long　since　forgotten；　his
occasional　bursts　of　temper；　but　he　suffered　keenly　from　their
effects；　especially　as　regarded　some　of　his　children。　　Though
Richard's　timidity　had　been　overcome；　and　Tom's　more　serious　failures
had　been　remedied；　he　was　not　without　anxiety；　and　had　a　strange
unsatisfactory　feeling　as　regarded　Flora。　　He　could　not　feel　that　he
fathomed　her！　　She　reminded　him　of　his　old　Scottish　father…in…law；
Professor　Mackenzie；　whom　he　had　never　understood