the daisy chain, or aspirations-第134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！


happy　in　these　visitsmother　and　child　had　both　prospered　so　well；
and　it　was　quite　a　treat　to　be　able　to　expend　his　tenderness　on
Flora。　　His　little　grandchild　seemed　to　renew　his　own　happy　days；　and
he　delighted　to　take　her　from　her　mother　and　fondle　her。　　No　sooner
was　the　baby　in　his　arms　than　Flora's　hands　were　busy　among　the
papers；　and　she　begged　him　to　ring　for　lights。

〃Not　yet；〃　he　said。　　〃Why　can't　you　sit　in　the　dark；　and　give
yourself　a　little　rest？〃

〃I　want　you　to　hear　George's　address。　　Norman　has　been　looking　at　it；
and　I　hope　you　will　not　think　it　too　strong；〃　and　she　turned；　so　that
the　light　might　fall　on　the　paper。

〃Let　me　see；〃　said　Dr。　May；　holding　out　his　hand　for　it。

〃This　is　a　rough　copy；　too　much　scratched　for　you　to　make　out。〃

She　read　it　accordingly；　and　her　father　admired　it　exceedingly
Norman's　touches；　above　all；　and　Flora's　reading　had　dovetailed　all
so　neatly　together　that　no　one　knew　where　the　joins　were。　　〃I　will
copy　it　fairly；〃　she　said；　〃if　you　will　show　it　to　Dr。　Spencer；　and
ask　whether　he　thinks　it　too　strong。　　Mr。　Dodsley　too；　he　would　be
more　gratified　if　he　saw　it　first；　in　private；　and　thought　himself
consulted。〃

Dr。　May　was　dismayed　at　seeing　her　take　up　her　pen；　make　a　desk　of
her　blotting…book；　and　begin　her　copy　by　firelight。

〃Flora；　my　dear；〃　he　said；　〃this　must　not　be。　　Have　I　not　told　you
that　you　must　be　content　to　rest？〃

〃I　did　not　get　up　till　ten　o'clock；　and　have　been　lying　here　ever
since。〃

〃But　what　has　this　head　of　yours　been　doing？　　Has　it　been　resting　for
ten　minutes　together？　　Now　I　know　what　I　am　saying；　FloraI　warn
you；　that　if　you　will　not　give　yourself　needful　quiet　now；　you　will
suffer　for　it　by　and　by。〃

Flora　smiled；　and　said；　〃I　thought　I　had　been　very　good。　　But；　what
is　to　be　done　when　one's　wits　will　work；　and　there　is　work　for　them
to　do？〃

〃Is　not　there　work　enough　for　them　here？〃　said　Dr。　May；　looking　at
the　babe。　　〃Your　mother　used　to　value　such　a　retirement　from　care。〃

Flora　was　silent　for　a　minute；　then　said；　〃Mr。　Esdaile　should　have
put　off　his　resignation　to　suit　me。　　It　is　an　unfortunate　time　for
the　election。〃

〃And　you　can't　let　the　election　alone？〃

She　shook　her　head；　and　smiled　a　negative；　as　if　she　would；　but　that
she　was　under　a　necessity。

〃My　dear；　if　the　election　cannot　go　on　without　you；　it　had　better　not
go　on　at　all。〃

She　looked　very　much　hurt；　and　turned　away　her　head。

Her　father　was　grieved。　　〃My　dear；〃　he　added；　〃I　know　you　desire　to
be　of　use；　especially　to　George；　but　do　you　not　believe　that　he　would
rather　fail；　than　that　you；　or　his　child；　should　suffer？〃

No　answer。

〃Does　he　stand　by　his　own　wish；　or　yours；　Flora？〃

〃He　wishes　it。　　It　is　his　duty；〃　said　Flora；　collecting　her　dignity。

〃I　can　say　no　more；　except　to　beg　him　not　to　let　you　exert　yourself。〃

Accordingly；　when　George　came　home；　the　doctor　read　him　a　lecture　on
his　wife's　over…busy　brain；　and　was　listened　to；　as　usual；　with
gratitude　and　deference。　　He　professed　that　he　only　wished　to　do　what
was　best　for　her；　but　she　never　would　spare　herself；　and；　going　to
her　side；　with　his　heavy；　fond　solicitude；　he　made　her　promise　not　to
hurt　herself；　and　she　laughed　and　consented。

The　promise　was　easily　given；　for　she　did　not　believe　she　was　hurting
herself；　and；　as　to　giving　up　the　election；　or　ceasing　secretly　to
prompt　George；　that　was　absolutely　out　of　the　question。　　What　could
be　a　greater　duty　than　to　incite　her　husband　to　usefulness？〃

Moreover　it　was　but　proper　to　invite　Meta's　aunt　and　cousin　to　see
her；　and　to　project　a　few　select　dinners　for　their　amusement　and　the
gratification　of　her　neighbours。　　It　was　only　grateful　and　cousinly
likewise；　to　ask　the　〃Master　of　Glenbracken〃；　and　as　she　saw　the
thrill　of　colour　on　Ethel's　cheeks；　at　the　sight　of　the　address　to
the　Honourable　Norman　Ogilvie；　she　thought　herself　the　best　of
sisters。　　She　even　talked　of　Ogilvie　as　a　second　Christian　name；　but
Meta　observed　that　old　Aunt　Dorothy　would　call　it　Leonorar　Rogilvie
Rivers；　and　thus　averted　it；　somewhat　to　Ethel's　satisfaction。

Ethel　scolded　herself　many　times　for　wondering　whether　Mr。　Ogilvie
would　come。　　What　was　it　to　her？　　Suppose　he　should；　suppose　the
rest。　　What　a　predicament！　　How　unreasonable　and　conceited；　even　to
think　of　such　a　thing；　when　her　mind　was　made　up。　　What　could　result；
save　tossings　to　and　fro；　a　passing　gratification　set　against
infinite　pain；　and　strife　with　her　own　heart　and　with　her　father's
unselfishness！　　Had　he　but　come　before　Flora's　marriage！　　No；　Ethel
hated　herself　for　the　wish　that　arose　for　the　moment。　　Far　better　he
should　keep　away；　if；　perhaps；　without　the　slightest　inclination
towards　her；　his　mere　name　could　stir　up　such　a　tumultall；　it　might
be；　founded　in　vanity。　　Rebellious　feelings　and　sense　of　tedium　had
once　been　subduedwhy　should　they　be　roused　again？

The　answer　came。　　Norman　Ogilvie　was　setting　off　for　Italy；　and
regretted　that　he　could　not　take　Abbotstoke　on　his　way。　　He　desired
his　kind　remembrances　and　warm　Christmas　wishes　to　all　his　cousins。

If　Ethel　breathed　more　freely；　there　was　a　sense　that　tranquillity　is
uninteresting。　　It　was；　it　must　be　confessed；　a　flat　end　to　a
romance；　that　all　the　permanent　present　effect　was　a　certain
softening；　and　a　degree　more　attention　to　her　appearance；　and　after
all；　this　might；　as　Flora　averred；　be　ascribed　to　the　Paris　outfit
having　taught　her　to　wear　clothes；　as　well　as　to　that　which　had
awakened　the　feminine　element；　and　removed　that　sense　of　not　being
like　other　women；　which　sometimes　hangs　painfully　about　girls　who
have　learned　to　think　themselves　plain　or　awkward。

There　were　other　causes　why　it　should　be　a　dreary　winter　to　Ethel；
under　the　anxiety　that　strengthened　by　duration；　and　the　strain　of
acting　cheerfulness　for　Margaret's　sake。　　Even　Mary　was　a　care。　　Her
round　rosy　childhood　had　worn　into　height　and　sallowness；　and　her
languor　and　indifference　fretted　Miss　Bracy；　and　was　hunted　down　by
Ethel；　till　Margaret　convinced　her　that　it　was　a　case　for　patience
and　tenderness；　which；　thenceforth；　she　heartily　gave；　even
encountering　a　scene　with　Miss　Bracy；　who　was　much　injured　by　the
suggestion　that　Mary　was　oppressed　by　perspective。　　Poor　Mary；　no　one
guessed　the　tears　nightly　shed　over　Harry's　photograph。

Nor　could　Ethel　quite　fathom　Norman。　　He　wore　the　dispirited；
burdened　expression　that　she　knew　too　well；　but　he　would　not；　as
formerly；　seek　relief　in　confidence　to　her；　shunning　the　being　alone
with　her；　and　far　too　much　occupied　to　offer　to　walk　to　Cocksmoor。
When　the　intelligence　came　that　good　old　Mr。　Wilmot　of　Settlesham　had
peacefully　gone　to　his　rest；　after　a　short　and　painless　illness；　Tom
was　a　good　deal　affected；　in　his　peculiar　silent　and　ungracious
fashion；　but　Norman　did　not　seek　to　talk　over　the　event；　and　the
feelings　he　had　entertained　two　years　agohe　avoided　the　subject；
and　threw　himself　into　the　election　matters　with　an　excitement
foreign　to　his　nature。

He　was　almost　always　at　Abbotstoke；　or　attending　George　Rivers　at　the
committee…room　at　the　Swan；　talking；　writing；　or　consulting；
concocting　squibs；　and　perpetrating　bons　mots；　that　were　the　delight
of　friends　and　the　confusion　of　foes。　　Flora　was　delighted；　George
adored　him；　Meta's　eyes　danced　whenever　he　came　near；　Dr。　Spencer
admired　him；　and　Dr。　Hoxton　prophesied　great　things　of　him；　but　Ethel
did　not　feel　as　if　he　were　the　veritable　Norman；　and　had　an　undefined
sensation　of　discomfort；　when　she　heard　his　brilliant　repartees；　and
the　laughter　with　which　he　accompanied　them；　so　unlike　his　natural
rare　and　noiseless　laugh。　　She　knew　it　was　false　excitement；　to　drive
away　the　suspense　that　none　dared　to　avow；　but　which　did　not　press　on
them　the　less　heavily　for　being　endured　in　silence。　　Indeed；　Dr。　May
could　not　help　now　and　then　giving　way　to　outbursts　of　despondency；
of　which　his　friend；　Dr。　Spencer；　who　made　it　his　special　charge　to
try　to　lighten　his　troubles；　was　usually　the　kind　recipient。

And　though　the　bustle　of　the　election　was　incongruous；　and　seemed　to
make　the　leaden　weight　the　more　heavy；　there　was　a　compensation　in
the　tone　of　feeling　that　it　elicited；　which　gave　real　and　heartfelt
pleasure。

Dr。　May　had　undergone　numerous　fluctuations　of　popularity。　　He　had
always　been　the　same　man；　excellent　in　intention；　though　hasty　in
action；　and　heeding　neither　praise　nor　censure；　and　while　the　main
tenor　of　his　course　never　varied；　making　many　deviations　by　flying　to
the　reverse　of　the　wrong；　most　immediately　before　him；　still　his
personal　character　gained　esteem　every　year；　and　though　sometimes　his
merits；　and　sometimes　his　failings；　gave　violent　umbrage；　he　had
steadily　risen　in　the　estimation　of　his　fellow…townsmen；　as　much　as
his　own　inconsistencies　and　theirs　would　allow；　and　every　now　and
then　was　the　favourite　with　all；　save　with　the　few　who　abused　him　for
tyranny；　because　he　prevented　them　from　tyrannising。

He　was　just　now　on　the　top　of　the　wave；　and　his　son…in…law　had
nothing　to　do　but　to　float　in　on　the　tide　of　his　favour。　　The
opposite　faction　attempted　a　contest；　but　only　rendered　the　triumph
more　co