the daisy chain, or aspirations-第14节

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collected；　papa　at　leisure　and　ready　for　talk　or　for　play；　mamma
smiling　over　her　work…basket；　the　sisters　full　of　chatter；　the
brothers　full　of　fun；　all　the　tidings　of　the　day　discussed；　and
nothing　unwelcome　but　bedtime。　　How　different　now！　　The　doctor　was
with　Margaret；　and　though　Richard　tried　to　say　something　cheerful　as
his　brothers　entered；　there　was　no　response；　and　they　sat　down　on　the
opposite　sides　of　the　fire；　forlorn　and　silent；　till　Richard；　who　was
printing　some　letters　on　card…board　to　supply　the　gaps　in　Aubrey's
ivory　Alphabet；　called　Harry　to　help　him；　but　Ethel；　as　she　sat　at
work；　could　only　look　at　Norman；　and　wish　she　could　devise　anything
likely　to　gratify　him。

After　a　time　Flora　came　down；　and　laying　some　sheets　of　closely
written　note…paper　before　her　sister；　said；　〃Here　is　dear　mamma's
unfinished　letter　to　Aunt　Flora。　　Papa　says　we　elder　ones　are　to　read
it。　　It　is　a　description　of　us　all；　and　very　much　indeed　we　ought　to
learn　from　it。　　I　shall　keep　a　copy　of　it。〃

Flora　took　up　her　work；　and　began　to　consult　with　Richard；　while
Ethel　moved　to　Norman's　side；　and　kneeling　so　as　to　lean　against　his
shoulder；　as　he　sat　on　a　low　cushion；　they　read　their　mother's　last
letter　by　the　fire…light；　with　indescribable　feelings；　as　they　went
through　the　subjects　that　had　lately　occupied　them；　related　by　her
who　would　never　be　among　them　again。　　After　much　of　this　kind；　for
her　letters　to　Mrs。　Arnott　were　almost　journals；　came；


〃You　say　it　is　long　since　you　had　a　portrait　gallery　of　the　chicken
daisies；　and　if　I　do　not　write　in　these　leisure　days；　you　will　hardly
get　it　after　I　am　in　the　midst　of　business　again。　　The　new　Daisy　is
like　Margaret　at　the　same　agemay　she　continue　like　her！　　Pretty
creature；　she　can　hardly　be　more　charming　than　at　present。　　Aubrey；
the　moon…faced；　is　far　from　reconciled　to　his　disposition　from
babyhood；　he　is　a　sober；　solemn　gentleman；　backward　in　talking；　and
with　such　a　will　of　his　own；　as　will　want　much　watching；　very
different　from　Blanche；　who　is　Flora　over　again；　perhaps　prettier　and
more　fairy…like；　unless　this　is　only　one's　admiration　for　the　buds　of
the　present　season。　　None　of　them　has　ever　been　so　winning　as　this
little　maid；　who　even　attracts　Dr。　Hoxton　himself；　and　obtains　sugar…
plums　and　kisses。　　'Rather　she　than　I；'　says　Harry；　but　notice　is
notice　to　the　white　Mayflower；　and　there　is　my　anxietyI　am　afraid
it　is　not　wholesome　to　be　too　engaging　ever　to　get　a　rebuff。　　I　hope
having　a　younger　sister；　and　outgrowing　baby　charms　may　be　salutary。
Flora　soon　left　off　thinking　about　her　beauty；　and　the　fit　of　vanity
does　less　harm　at　five　than　fifteen。　　My　poor　Tom　has　not　such　a
happy　life　as　Blanche；　he　is　often　in　trouble　at　lessons；　and　bullied
by　Harry　at　play；　in　spite　of　his　champion；　Mary；　and　yet　I　cannot
interfere；　for　it　is　good　for　him　to　have　all　this　preparatory
teasing　before　he　goes　into　school。　　He　has　good　abilities；　but　not
much　perseverance　or　energy；　and　I　must　take　the　teaching　of　him　into
my　own　hands　till　his　school…days　begin；　in　hopes　of　instilling　them。
The　girlishness　and　timidity　will　be　knocked　out　of　him　by　the　boys；
I　suppose；　Harry　is　too　kind　and　generous　to　do　more　than　tease　him
moderately；　and　Norman　will　see　that　it　does　not　go　too　far。　　It　is　a
common　saying　that　Tom　and　Mary　made　a　mistake；　that　he　is　the　girl；
and　she　the　boy；　for　she　is　a　rough；　merry　creature；　the　noisiest　in
the　house；　always　skirmishing　with　Harry　in　defence　of　Tom；　and　yet
devoted　to　him；　and　wanting　to　do　everything　he　does。　　Those　two；
Harry　and　Mary；　are　exactly　alike；　except　for　Harry's　curly　mane　of
lion…coloured　wig。　　The　yellow…haired　laddie；　is　papa's　name　for
Harry；　which　he　does　not　mind　from　him；　though　furious　if　the　girls
attempt　to　call　him　so。　　Harry　is　the　thorough　boy　of　the　family；　all
spirit；　recklessness；　and　mischief；　but　so　true；　and　kind；　and　noble…
hearted；　that　one　loves　him　the　better　after　every　freely　confessed
scrape。　　I　cannot　tell　you　how　grateful　I　am　to　my　boy　for　his
perfect　confidence；　the　thing　that　chiefly　lessens　my　anxiety　for　him
in　his　half…school；　half…home　life；　which　does　not　seem　to　me　to　work
quite　well　with　him。　　There　are　two　sons　of　Mrs。　Anderson's　at　the
school；　who　are　more　his　friends　than　I　like；　and　he　is　too　easily
led　by　the　desire　not　to　be　outdone；　and　to　show　that　he　fears
nothing。　　Lately；　our　sailor…guest　has　inspired　him　with　a　vehement
wish　to　go　to　sea；　I　wish　it　was　not　necessary　that　the　decision
should　be　made　so　early　in　life；　for　this　fault　is　just　what　would
make　us　most　fear　to　send　him　into　the　world　very　young；　though　in
some　ways　it　might　not　do　amiss　for　him。

〃So　much　for　the　younger　bairns；　whom　you　never　beheld；　dear　Flora。
The　three　whom　you　left；　when　people　used　to　waste　pity　on　me　for
their　being　all　babies　together；　now　look　as　if　any　pair　of　them　were
twins；　for　Norman　is　the　tallest；　almost　outgrowing　his　strength；　and
Ethel's　sharp　face；　so　like　her　papa's；　makes　her　look　older　than
Flora。　　Norman　and　Ethel　do　indeed　take　after　their　papa；　more　than
any　of　the　others；　and　are　much　alike。　　There　is　the　same　brilliant
cleverness；　the　same　strong　feeling；　not　easy　of　demonstration；
though　impetuous　in　action；　but　poor　Ethel's　old　foibles；　her　harum…
scarum　nature；　quick　temper；　uncouth　manners；　and　heedlessness　of　all
but　one　absorbing　object；　have　kept　her　back；　and　caused　her　much
discomfort；　yet　I　sometimes　think　these　manifest　defects　have
occasioned　a　discipline　that　is　the　best　thing　for　the　character　in
the　end。　　They　are　faults　that　show　themselves；　and　which　one　can
tell　how　to　deal　with；　and　I　have　full　confidence　that　she　has　the
principle　within　her　that　will　conquer　them。〃

〃If〃mournfully　sighed　Ethel；　but　her　brother　pointed　on　further。

〃My　great　hope　is　her　entire　indifference　to　praisenot　approval；
but　praise。　　If　she　has　not　come　up　to　her　own　standard；　she　works
on；　not　always　with　good　temper；　but　perseveringly；　and　entirely；
unheeding　of　commendation　till　she　has　satisfied　herself；　only
thinking　it　stupid　not　to　see　the　faults。　　It　is　this　independence　of
praise　that　I　want　to　see　in　her　brother　and　sister。　　They　justly
earn　it；　and　are　rightly　pleased　with　it；　but　I　cannot　feel　sure
whether　they　do　not　depend　on　it　too　much。　　Norman　lives；　like　all
school…boys；　a　life　of　emulation；　and　has　never　met　with　anything　but
success。　　I　do　believe　Dr。　Hoxton　and　Mr。　Wilmot　are　as　proud　of　him
as　we　are；　and　he　has　never　shown　any　tendency　to　conceit；　but　I　am
afraid　he　has　the　love　of　being　foremost；　and　pride　in　his
superiority；　caring　for　what　he　is；　compared　with　others；　rather　than
what　he　is　himself。〃


〃I　know；〃　said　Norman；　〃I　have　done　so；　but　that's　over。　　I　see　what
it　is　worth。　　I'd　give　all　the　quam　optimes　I　ever　got　in　my　life　to
be　the　help　Richard　is　to　papa。〃

〃You　would　if　you　were　his　age。〃

〃Not　I；　I'm　not　the　sort。　　I'm　not　like　her。　　But　are　we　to　go　on
about　the　elders？〃

〃Oh！　yes；　don't　let　us　miss　a　word。　　There　can't　be　anything　but
praise　of　them。〃


〃Your　sweet　goddaughter。　　I　almost　feel　as　if　I　had　spoken　in
disparagement　of　her；　but　I　meant　no　such　thing；　dear　girl。　　It　would
be　hard　to　find　a　fault　in　her；　since　the　childish　love　of　admiration
was　subdued。　　She　is　so　solid　and　steady；　as　to　be　very　valuable　with
the　younger　ones；　and　is　fast　growing　so　lovely；　that　I　wish　you
could　behold　her。　　I　do　not　see　any　vanity；　but　there　lies　my　dread；
not　of　beautyvanity；　but　that　she　will　find　temptation　in　the　being
everywhere　liked　and　sought　after。　　As　to　Margaret；　my　precious
companion　and　friend；　you　have　heard　enough　of　her　to　know　her；　and；
as　to　telling　you　what　she　is　like；　I　could　as　soon　set　about
describing　her　papa。　　When　I　thought　of　not　being　spared　to　them　this
time；　it　was　happiness　indeed　to　think　of　her　at　their　head；　fit　to
be　his　companion；　with　so　much　of　his　own　talent　as　to　be　more　up　to
conversation　with　him；　than　he　could　ever　have　found　his　stupid　old
Maggie。　　It　was　rather　a　trial　of　her　discretion　to　have　Mr。
Ernescliffe　here　while　I　was　upstairs；　and　very　well　she　seems　to
have　come　out　of　it。　　Poor　Richard's　last　disappointment　is　still　our
chief　trouble。　　He　has　been　working　hard　with　a　tutor　all　through　the
vacation；　and　has　not　even　come　home　to　see　his　new　sister；　on　his
way　to　Oxford。　　He　had　made　a　resolution　that　he　would　not　come　to　us
till　he　had　passed；　and　his　father　thought　it　best　that　it　should　be
kept。　　I　hope　he　will　succeed　next　time；　but　his　nervousness　renders
it　still　more　doubtful。　　With　him　it　is　the　very　reverse　of　Norman。
He　suffers　too　much　for　want　of　commendation；　and　I　cannot　wonder　at
it；　when　I　see　how　much　each　failure　vexes　his　father；　and　Richard
little　knows　how　precious　is　our　perfect　confidence　in　him；　how　much
more　valuable　than　any　honours　he　could　earn。　　You　would　be　amused　to
see　how　little　he　is　altered　from　the　pretty　little　fair　fellow；　that
you　used　to　say　was　so　like　my　old　portrait；　even　the　wavy　rings　of
light　glossy　hair　sit　on　his　forehead；　just　as　you　liked　to　twist
them；　and　his　small　trim　figure　is　a　fine　contrast　to　Norm