the daisy chain, or aspirations-第108节

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reading；　and　heard　Dr。　May　declaiming　away　in　the　vehement　manner
that　always　relieved　him。

〃Such　a　cub！〃　　These　were　the　words　that　met　her　ear；　and　she　would
have　gone　away；　but　he　called　her。　　〃Come　in；　Ethel；　Margaret　says
you　guessed　at　this　affair！〃

〃At　what　affair！〃　exclaimed　Ethel。　　〃Oh；　it　is　about　Flora。　　Poor
man；　has　he　done　it？〃

〃Poor！　　He　is　not　the　one　to　be　pitied！〃　said　her　father。

〃You　don't　mean　that　she　likes　him？〃

〃She　does　though！　　A　fellow　with　no　more　brains　than　a　turnip
lantern！〃

〃She　does　not　mean　it？〃　said　Ethel。

〃Yes；　she　does！　　Very　submissive；　and　proper　spoken；　of　course；　but
bent　on　having　him；　so　there　is　nothing　left　for　me　but　to　consent
provided　Mr。　Rivers　does；　and　he　should　turn　out　not　to　have　done
anything　outrageous；　but　there's　no　hope　of　thathe　has　not　the
energy。　　What　can　possess　her？　　What　can　she　see　to　admire？〃

〃He　is　good…natured；〃　said　Margaret；　〃and　rather　good…looking〃

〃Flora　has　more　sense。　　What　on　earth　can　be　the　attraction？〃

〃I　am　afraid　it　is　partly　the　grandeur〃　said　Ethel。　　She　broke　off
short；　quite　dismayed　at　the　emotion　she　had　xcited。　　Dr。　May　stepped
towards　her；　almost　as　if　he　could　have　shaken　her。

〃Ethel；〃　he　cried；　〃I　won't　have　such　motives　ascribed　to　your
sister！〃

Ethel　tried　to　recollect　what　she　had　said　that　was　so　shocking；　for
the　idea　of　Flora's　worldly　motives　was　no　novelty　to　her。　　They　had
appeared　in　too　many　instances；　and；　though　frightened　at　his　anger；
she　stood　still；　without　unsaying　her　words。

Margaret　began　to　explain　away。　〃Ethel　did　not　mean；　dear　papa〃

〃No；〃　said　Dr。　May；　his　passionate　manner　giving　way　to　dejection。
〃The　truth　is；　that　I　have　made　home　so　dreary；　that　my　girls　are
ready　to　take　the　first　means　of　escaping。〃

Poor　Margaret's　tears　sprang　forth；　and；　looking　up　imploringly；　she
exclaimed；　〃Oh；　papa；　papa！　it　was　no　want　of　happiness！　　I　could　not
help　it。　　You　know　he　had　come　before〃

Any　reproach　to　her　had　been　entirely　remote　from　his　thoughts；　and
he　was　at　once　on　his　knee　beside　her；　soothing　and　caressing；
begging　her　pardon；　and　recalling　whatever　she　could　thus　have
interpreted。　　Meanwhile；　Ethel　stood　unnoticed　and　silent；　making　no
outward　protestation；　but　with　lips　compressed；　as　in　her　heart　of
hearts　she　passed　the　resolutionthat　her　father　should　never　feel
this　pain　on　her　account。　　Leave　him　who　might；　she　would　never
forsake　him；　nothing　but　the　will　of　Heaven　should　part　them。　　It
might　be　hasty　and　venturesome。　　She　knew　not　what　it　might　cost　her；
but；　where　Ethel　had　treasured　her　resolve　to　work　for　Cocksmoor；
there　she　also　laid　up　her　secret　vowthat　no　earthly　object　should
be　placed　between　her　and　her　father。

The　ebullition　of　feeling　seemed　to　have　restored　Dr。　May's　calmness；
and　he　rose；　saying；　〃I　must　go　to　my　work；　the　man　is　coming　here
this　afternoon。〃

〃Where　shall　you　see　him？〃　Margaret　asked。

〃In　my　study；　I　suppose。　　I　fear　there　is　no　chance　of　Flora's
changing　her　mind　first。　　Or　do　you　think　one　of　you　could　talk　to
her；　and　get　her　fairly　to　contemplate　the　real　bearings　of　the
matter？〃　　And；　with　these　words；　he　left　the　room。

Margaret　and　Ethel　glanced　at　each　other；　and　both　felt　the
impenetrability　of　Flora's　nature；　so　smooth；　that　all　thrusts　glided
off。

〃It　will　be　of　no　use；〃　said　Ethel；　〃and；　what　is　more；　she　will　not
have　it　done。〃

〃Pray　try；　a　few　of　your　forcible　words　would　set　it　in　a　new　light。〃

〃Why！　　Do　you　think　she　will　attend　to　me；　when　she　has　not　chosen　to
heed　papa？〃　said　Ethel；　with　an　emphasis　of　incredulity。　　〃No；
whatever　Flora　does；　is　done　deliberately；　and　unalterably。〃

〃Still；　I　don't　know　whether　it　is　not　our　duty；〃　said　Margaret。

〃More　yours　than　mine；〃　said　Ethel。

Margaret　flushed　up。　　〃Oh；　no；　I　cannot！〃　she　said；　always　timid；　and
slightly　defective　in　moral　courage。　　She　looked　so　nervous　and
shaken　by　the　bare　idea　of　a　remonstrance　with　Flora；　that　Ethel
could　not　press　her；　and；　though　convinced　that　her　representation
would　be　useless；　she　owned　that　her　conscience　would　rest　better
after　she　had　spoken。　　〃But　there　is　Flora；　walking　in　the　garden
with　Norman；〃　she　said。　　〃No　doubt　he　is　doing　it。〃

So　Ethel　let　it　rest；　and　attended　to　the　children's　lessons；　during
which　Flora　came　into　the　drawing…room；　and　practised　her　music；　as
if　nothing　had　happened。

Before　the　morning　was　over；　Ethel　contrived　to　visit　Norman　in　the
dining…room；　where　he　was　wont　to　study；　and　asked　him　whether　he　had
made　any　impression　on　Flora。

〃What　impression　do　you　mean？〃

〃Why；　about　this　concern；〃　said　Ethel；　〃this　terrible　man；　that　makes
papa　so　unhappy。〃

〃Papa　unhappy！　　Why；　what　does　he　know　against　him？　　I　thought　the
Riverses　were　his　peculiar　pets。〃

〃The　Riverses！　　As　if；　because　one　liked　the　sparkling　stream；　one
must　like　a　muddy　ditch。〃

〃What　harm　do　you　know　of　him？〃　said　Norman；　with　much　surprise　and
anxiety；　as　if　he　feared　that　he　had　been　doing　wrong；　in　ignorance。

〃Harm！　　Is　he　not　a　regular　oaf？〃

〃My　dear　Ethel；　if　you　wait　to　marry　till　you　find　some　one　as　clever
as　yourself；　you　will　wait　long　enough。〃

〃I　don't　think　it　right　for　a　woman　to　marry　a　man　decidedly　her
inferior。〃

〃We　have　all　learned　to　think　much　too　highly　of　talent；〃　said　Norman
gravely。

〃I　don't　care　for　mere　talentpeople　are　generally　more　sensible
without　it；　but；　one　way　or　other；　there　ought　to　be　superiority　on
the　man's　side。〃

〃Well；　who　says　there　is　not？〃

〃My　dear　Norman！　　Why；　this　George　Rivers　is　really　below　the
average！　you　cannot　deny　that！　　Did　you　ever　meet　any　one　so　stupid？〃

〃Really！〃　said　Norman；　considering；　and；　speaking　very　innocently；　〃I
cannot　see　why　you　think　so。　　I　do　not　see　that　he　is　at　all　less
capable　of　sustaining　a　conversation　than　Richard。〃

Ethel　sat　down；　perfectly　breathless　with　amazement　and　indignation。

Norman　saw　that　he　had　shocked　her　very　much。　　〃I　do　not　mean；〃　he
said；　〃that　we　have　not　much　more　to　say　to　Richard；　all　I　meant　to
say　was；　merely　as　to　the　intellect。〃

〃I　tell　you；〃　said　Ethel；　〃it　is　not　the　intellect。　　Richard！　why；
you　know　how　we　respect；　and　look　up　to　him。　　Dear　old　Ritchie！　with
his　goodness；　and　earnestness；　and　right　judgmentto　compare　him　to
that　man！　　Norman；　Norman；　I　never　thought　it　of　you！〃

〃You　do　not　understand　me；　Ethel。　　I　only　cited　Richard；　as　a　person
who　proves　how　little　cleverness　is　needed　to　insure　respect。〃

〃And；　I　tell　you；　that　cleverness　is　not　the　point。〃

〃It　is　the　only　objection　you　have　put　forward。〃

〃I　did　wrong；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃It　is　not　the　real　one。　　It　is　earnest
goodness　that　one　honours　in　Richard。　　Where　do　we　find　it　in　this
man；　who　has　never　done　anything　but　yawn　over　his　self　indulgence？〃

〃Now；　Ethel；　you　are　working　yourself　up　into　a　state　of　foolish
prejudice。　　You　and　papa　have　taken　a　dislike　to　him；　and　you　are
overlooking　a　great　deal　of　good　safe　sense　and　right　thinking。　　I
know　his　opinions　are　sound；　and　his　motives　right。　　He　has　been
undereducated；　we　all　see；　and　is　not　very　brilliant　or　talkative；
but　I　respect　Flora　for　perceiving　his　solid　qualities。〃

〃Very　solid　and　weighty；　indeed！〃　said　Ethel　ironically。　〃I　wonder　if
she　would　have　seen　them　in　a　poor　curate。〃

〃Ethel；　you　are　allowing　yourself　to　be　carried；　by　prejudice；　a
great　deal　too　far。　　Are　such　imputations　to　be　made；　wherever　there
is　inequality　of　means？　　It　is　very　wrong！　very　unjust！〃

〃So　papa　said；〃　replied　Ethel；　as　she　looked　sorrowfully　down。　　〃He
was　very　angry　with　me　for　saying　so。　　I　wish　I　could　help　feeling　as
if　that　were　the　temptation。〃

〃You　ought；〃　said　Norman。　　〃You　will　be　sorry；　if　you　set　yourself；
and　him；　against　it。〃

〃I　only　wish　you　to　know　what　I　feel；　and；　I　think；　Margaret　and　papa
do；〃　said　Ethel　humbly；　〃and　then　you　will　not　think　us　more　unjust
than　we　are。　　We　cannot　see　anything　so　agreeable　or　suitable　in　this
man　as　to　account　for　Flora's　liking；　and　we　do　not　feel　convinced　of
his　being　good　for　much。　　That　makes　papa　greatly　averse　to　it；
though　he　does　not　know　any　positive　reason　for　refusing；　and　we
cannot　feel　certain　that　she　is　doing　quite　right；　or　for　her　own
happiness。〃

〃You　will　be　convinced；〃　said　Norman　cheerfully。　　〃You　will　find　out
the　good　that　is　under　the　surface　when　you　have　seen　more　of　him。　　I
have　had　a　good　deal　of　talk　with　him。〃

A　good　deal　of　talk　to　him　would　have　been　more　correct；　if　Norman
had　but　been　aware　of　it。　　He　had　been　at　the　chief　expense　of　the
conversation　with　George　Rivers；　and　had　taken　the　sounds　of　assent；
which　he　obtained；　as　evidences　of　his　appreciation　of　all　his　views。
Norman　had　been　struggling　so　long　against　his　old　habit　of　looking
down　on　Richard；　and　exalting　intellect；　and　had　seen；　in　his　Oxford
life；　so　many　ill…effects　of　the　knowledge　that　puffeth　up；　that　he
had　come　to　have　a　certain　respect　for　dullness；　per　se；　of　which
George　Rivers　easily　reaped　the　benefit；　when　surrounded　by　the　halo；
which　everything　at　Abbotstoke　Grange　bore　in　the　eyes　of　Norman。

He　was　heartily　delighted　at　the　proposed　connection；　and　his