the daisy chain, or aspirations-第147节

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evening；　he　had　been　utterly　overcome　by　illness　and　loneliness；　and
had　cried　most　bitterly　and　uncontrollably；　and；　though　Jennings
thought　it　was　for　his　friend's　death；　it　really　was　homesickness；
and　the　thought　of　his　father　and　Mary。　　Jennings　had　helped　him　out
to　the　entrance　of　the　hut；　that　the　cool　night　air　might　refresh　his
burning　brow。　　Orion　shone　clear　and　bright；　and　brought　back　the
night　when　they　had　chosen　the　starry　hunter　as　his　friend。　　〃It
seemed；〃　he　said；　〃as　if　you　all　were　looking　at　me；　and　smiling　to
me　in　the　stars。　　And　there　was　the　Southern　Cross　upright；　which　was
like　the　minster　to　me；　and　I　recollected　it　was　Sunday　morning　at
home；　and　knew　you　would　be　thinking　about　me。　　I　was　so　glad　you　had
let　me　be　confirmed；　and　be　with　you　that　last　Sunday；　papa；　for　it
seemed　to　join　me　on　so　much　the　more；　and　when　I　thought　of　the
words　in　church；　they　seemed；　somehow；　to　float　on　me　so　much　more
than　ever　before；　and　it　was　like　the　minster；　and　your　voice。　　I
should　not　have　minded　dying　so　much　after　that。〃

At　last；　Harry's　Black　Prince　had　hurried　into　the　hut　with　the
tidings　that　his　English　father's　ship　was　in　the　bay；　and　soon
English　voices　again　sounded　in　his　ears；　bringing　the　forlorn　boy
such　warmth　of　kindness　that　he　could　hardly　believe　himself　a　mere
stranger。　　If　Alan　could　but　have　shared　the　joy　with　him！

He　was　carried　down　to　the　boat　in　the　cool　of　the　evening；　and
paused　on　the　way；　for　a　last　farewell　to　the　lonely　grave　under　the
palm　tree…one　of　the　many　sailors'　graves　scattered　from　the　tropics
to　the　poles；　and　which　might　be　the　first　seed　in　a　〃God's　acre〃　to
that　island；　becoming　what　the　graves　of　holy　men　of　old　are　to　us。

A　short　space　more　of　kind　care　from　his　new　friends　and　his
Christian　chief；　and　Harry　awoke　from　a　feverish　doze　at　sounds　that
seemed　so　like　a　dream　of　home；　that　he　was　unwilling　to　break　them
by　rousing　himself；　but　they　approved　themselves　as　real；　and　he
found　himself　in　the　embrace　of　his　mother's　sister。

And　here　Mrs。　Arnott's　story　began；　of　the　note　that　reached　her　in
the　early　morning　with　tidings　that　her　nephew　had　been　picked　up　by
the　mission…ship；　and　how　she　and　her　husband　had　hastened　at　once　on
board。

〃They　sent　me　below　to　see　a　hero；〃　she　wrote。　　〃What　I　saw　was　a
scarecrow　sort　of　likeness　of　you；　dear　Richard；　but；　when　he　opened
his　eyes；　there　was　our　Maggie　smiling　at　me。　　I　suppose　he　would　not
forgive　me　for　telling　how　he　sobbed　and　cried；　when　he　had　his　arms
round　my　neck；　and　his　poor　aching　head　on　my　shoulder。　　Poor　fellow；
he　was　very　weak；　and　I　believe　he　felt；　for　the　moment；　as　if　he　had
found　his　mother。

〃We　brought　him　home　with　us；　but　when　the　next　mail　went；　the　fever
was　still　so　high；　that　I　thought　it　would　be　only　alarm　to　you　to
write；　and　I　had　not　half　a　story　either；　though　you　may　guess　how
proud　I　was　of　my　nephew。〃

Harry's　troubles　were　all　over　from　that　time。　　He　had　thenceforth　to
recover　under　his　aunt's　motherly　care；　while　talking　endlessly　over
the　home　that　she　loved　almost　as　well　as　he　did。　　He　was　well　more
quickly　than　she　had　ventured　to　hope；　and　nothing　could　check　his
impatience　to　reach　his　home；　not　even　the　hopes　of　having　his　aunt
for　a　companion。　　The　very　happiness　he　enjoyed　with　her　only　made
him　long　the　more　ardently　to　be　with　his　own　family；　and　he　had
taken　his　leave　of　her；　and　of　his　dear　David；　and　sailed　by　the
first　packet　leaving　Auckland。

〃I　never　knew　what　the　old　Great　Bear　was　to　me　till　I　saw　him
again！〃　said　Harry。

It　was　late　when　the　elders　had　finished　all　that　was　to　be　heard　at
present；　and　the　clock　reminded　them　that　they　must　part。

〃And　you　go　to…morrow？〃　sighed　Margaret。

〃I　must。　　Jennings　has　to　go　on　to　Portsmouth；　and　see　after　his
son。〃

〃Oh；　let　me　see　Jennings！〃　exclaimed　Margaret。　　〃May　I　not；　papa？〃

Richard；　who　had　been　making　friends　with　Jennings；　whenever　he　had
not　been　needed　by　his　sisters　that　afternoon；　went　to　fetch　him　from
the　kitchen；　where　all　the　servants；　and　all　their　particular
friends；　were　listening　to　the　yarn　that　made　them　hold　their　heads
higher；　as　belonging　to　Master　Harry。

Harry　stepped　forward；　met　Jennings；　and　said；　aside；　〃My　sister；
Jennings；　my　sister　that　you　have　heard　of。〃

Dr。　May　had　already　seen　the　sailor；　but　he　could　not　help　addressing
him　again。　　〃Come　in；　come　in；　and　see　my　boy　among　us　all。　　Without
you；　we　never　should　have　had　him。〃

〃Make　him　come　to　me；〃　said　Margaret　breathlessly；　as　the　embarrassed
sailor　stood；　sleeking　down　his　hair；　and；　when　he　had　advanced　to
her　couch；　she　looked　up　in　his　face；　and　put　her　hand　into　his　great
brown　one。

〃I　could　not　help　saying　thank　you；〃　she　said。

〃Mr。　May；　sir！〃　cried　Jennings；　almost　crying；　and　looking　round　for
Harry；　as　a　sort　of　protector〃tell　them；　sir；　please；　it　was　only
my　dutyI　could　not　do　no　less；　and　you　knows　it；　sir；〃　as　if　Harry
had　been　making　an　accusation　against　him。

〃We　know　you　could　not；〃　said　Margaret；　〃and　that　is　what　we　would
thank　you　for；　if　we　could。　　I　know　heMr。　Ernescliffemust　have
been　much　more　at　rest　for　leaving　my　brother　with　so　kind　a　friend；
and〃

〃Please；　miss；　don't　say　no　more　about　it。　　Mr。　Ernescliffe　was　as
fine　an　officer　as　ever　stepped　a　quarter…deck；　and　Mr。　May　here
won't　fall　short　of　him；　and　was　I　to　be　after　leaving　the　like　of
them　to　the　mercy　of　the　black　fellowsthat　was　not　so　bad　neither？
If　it　had　only　pleased　God　that　we　had　brought　them　both　back　to　you；
miss；　but；　you　see；　a　man　can't　be　everything　at　once；　and　Mr。
Ernescliffe　was　not　so　stout　as　his　heart。〃

〃You　did　everything；　we　know〃　began　Dr。　May。

〃'Twas　a　real　pleasure；〃　said　Jennings　hastily；　〃for　two　such　real
gentlemen　as　they　was。　　Mr。　May；　sir；　I　beg　your　pardon　if　I　say　it
to　your　face；　never　flinched；　nor　spoke　a　word　of　complaint；　through
it　all；　and；　as　to　the　other〃

〃Margaret　cannot　bear　this；〃　said　Richard；　coming　near。　　〃It　is　too
much。〃

The　sailor　shook　his　head；　and　was　retreating；　but　Margaret　signed
him　to　come　near　again；　and　grasped　his　hand。　　Harry　followed　him　out
of　the　room；　to　arrange　their　journey；　and　presently　returned。

〃He　says　he　is　glad　he　has　seen　Margaret；　he　says　she　is　the　right
sort　of　stuff　for　Mr。　Ernescliffe。〃

Harry　had　not　intended　Margaret　to　hear；　but　she　caught　the　words；
smiled　radiantly；　and　whispered；　〃I　wish　I　may　be！〃




CHAPTER　XVIII。



Margaret　had　borne　the　meeting　much　too　well　for　her　own　good；　and　a
wakeful　night　of　palpitation　was　the　consequence；　but　she　would　not
allow　any　one　to　take　it　to　heart；　and　declared　that　she　should　be
ready　to　enjoy　Harry　by　the　time　he　should　return；　and　meantime；　she
should　dwell　on　the　delight　of　his　meeting　Flora。

No　one　had　rested　too　soundly　that　night；　and　Dr。　May　had　not　been
able　to　help　looking　in　at　his　sleeping　boy　at　five　in　the　morning；
to　certify　himself　that　he　had　not　only　figured　his　present　bliss　to
himself；　in　his　ten　minutes'　dream。　　And　looking　in　again　at　half…
past　seven；　he　found　Harry　half　dressed；　with　his　arm　round　Mary；
laughing；　almost　sobbing；　over　the　treasures　in　his　cupboard；　which
he　had　newly　discovered　in　their　fresh　order。

Dr。　May　looked　like　a　new　man　that　morning；　with　his　brightened　eye
and　bearing；　as　if　there　were　a　well…spring　of　joy　within　him；　ready
to　brim　over　at　once　in　tear　and　in　smile；　and　finding　an　outlet　in
the　praise　and　thanksgiving　that　his　spirit　chanted；　and　his　face
expressed；　and　in　that　sunny　genial　benevolence　that　must　make　all
share　his　joy。

He　was　going　to　run　over　half　the　townevery　one　would　like　to　hear
it　from　him；　Ethel　and　Mary　must　go　to　the　restthe　old　women　in　the
almshouses；　where　lived　an　old　cook　who　used　to　be　fond　of　Harry
they　should　have　a　feast；　all　who　were　well　enough　in　the　hospital
should　have　a　tea…drinking；　Dr。　Hoxton　had　already　granted　a　holiday
to　the　school；　every　boy　with　whom　they　had　any　connection　should
come　to　dinner；　and　Edward　Anderson　should　be　asked　to　meet　Harry　on
his　return；　because；　poor　fellow；　he　was　so　improved。

Dr。　May　was　in　such　a　transport　of　kind…hearted　schemes；　that　he　was
not　easily　made　to　hear　that　Harry　had　not　a　sixpence　wherewith　to
reach　London。

Ethel；　meanwhile；　was　standing　beside　her　brother　tendering　to　him
some　gold；　as　his　last　quarter。

〃How　did　you　get　it；　Ethel？　　do　you　keep　the　purse？〃

〃No；　but　papa　took　Cocksmoor　in　your　stead；　when〃

〃Nonsense；　Ethel；〃　said　Harry；　〃I　don't　want　it。　　Have　I　not　all　my
pay　and　allowance　for　the　whole　time　I　was　dead？　　And　as　to　robbing
Cocksmoor〃

〃Yes；　keep　it；　Ethel；〃　said　her　father；　〃do　you　think　I　would　take　it
now；　when　if　there　were　a　thank…offering　in　the　world。　And；　by　the
bye；　your　Cooksmoor　children　must　have　something　to　remember　this
by〃

Every　one　could　have　envied　Norman；　for　travelling　to　London　with
Harry；　but　that　he　must　proceed　to　Oxford　in　two　days；　when　Harry
would　return　to　them。　　The　station…master；　thinking　he　could　not　do
enough　for　the　returned　mariner；　put　the　two　brothers　into　the　coupe；
as　if　they　had　been　a　bridal　couple；