the daisy chain, or aspirations-第15节

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them；　and　his　small　trim　figure　is　a　fine　contrast　to　Norman's　long
legs　and　arms；　which〃


There　the　letter　broke　off；　the　playful　affection　of　the　last　words
making　it　almost　more　painful　to　think　that　the　fond　hand　would　never
finish　the　sentence。




CHAPTER　VI。



A　drooping　daisy　changed　into　a　cup；
In　which　her　bright…eyed　beauty　is　shut　up。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WORDSWORTH。


〃So　there　you　are　up　for　the　dayreally　you　look　very　comfortable；〃
said　Ethel；　coming　into　the　room　where　Margaret　lay　on　her　bed；　half…
raised　by　pillows；　supported　by　a　wooden　frame。

〃Yes；　is　not　it　a　charming　contrivance　of　Richard's？　　It　quite　gives
me　the　use　of　my　hands；〃　said　Margaret。

〃I　think　he　is　doing　something　else　for　you；〃　said　Ethel；　〃I　heard
him　carpentering　at　six　o'clock　this　morning；　but　I　suppose　it　is　to
be　a　secret。〃

〃And　don't　you　admire　her　night…cap？〃　said　Flora。

〃Is　it　anything　different？〃　said　Ethel；　peering　closer。　　〃Oh；　I　see
so　she　has　a　fine　day　night…cap。　　Is　that　your　taste；　Flora？〃

〃Partly；〃　said　Margaret；　〃and　partly　my　own。　　I　put　in　all　these
little　white　puffs；　and　I　hope　you　think　they　do　me　credit。　　Wasn't
it　grand　of　me？〃

〃She　only　despises　you　for　them；〃　said　Flora。

〃I'm　very　glad　you　could；〃　said　Ethel；　gravely；　〃but　do　you　know？　it
is　rather　like　that　horrid　old　lady　in　some　book；　who　had　a　paralytic
stroke；　and　the　first　thing　she　did　that　showed　she　had　come　to　her
senses　was　to　write；　'Rose…coloured　curtains　for　the　doctors。'〃

〃Well；　it　was　for　the　doctor；〃　said　Margaret；　〃and　it　had　its　effect。
He　told　me　I　looked　much　better　when　he　found　me　trying　it　on。〃

〃And　did　you　really　have　the　looking…glass　and　try　it　on？〃　cried
Ethel。

〃Yes；　really；〃　said　Flora。　　〃Don't　you　think　one　may　as　well　be　fit
to　be　seen　if　one　is　ill？　　It　is　no　use　to　depress　one's　friends　by
being　more　forlorn　and　disconsolate　than　one　can　help。〃

〃Nonot　disconsolate；〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　the　white　puffinessand　the
hemmingand　the　glass！〃

〃Poor　Ethel　can't　get　over　it；　said　Margaret。　　〃But；　Ethel；　do　you
think　there　is　nothing　disconsolate　in　untidiness？〃

〃You　could　be　tidy　without　the　little　puffs！　　Your　first　bit　of　work
too！　　Don't　think　I'm　tiresome。　　If　they　were　an　amusement　to　you；　I
am　sure　I　am　very　glad　of　them；　but　I　can't　see　the　sense　of　them。〃

〃Poor　little　things！〃　said　Margaret　laughing。　　〃It　is　only　my　foible
for　making　a　thing　look　nice。　　And；　Ethel；〃　she　added；　drawing　her
down　close　over　her；　〃I　did　not　think　the　trouble　wasted；　if　seeing
me　look　fresher　cheered　up　dear　papa　a　moment。〃

〃I　spoke　to　papa　about　nurse's　proposal；〃　said　Margaret　presently　to
Flora；　〃and　he　quite　agrees　to　it。　　Indeed　it　is　impossible　that　Anne
should　attend　properly　to　all　the　children　while　nurse　is　so　much
engaged　with　me。〃

〃I　think　so；〃　said　Flora；　〃and　it　does　not　answer　to　bring　Aubrey
into　the　school…room。　　It　only　makes　Mary　and　Blanche　idle；　and　Miss
Winter　does　not　like　it。〃

〃Then　the　question　is；　who　shall　it　be？　　Nurse　has　no　one　in　view；
and　only　protests　against　'one　of　the　girls　out　of　the　school　here。'〃

〃That's　a　great　pity；〃　said　Flora。　　〃Don't　you　think　we　could　make
her　take　to　Jane　White；　she　is　so　very　nice。〃

〃I　thought　of　her；　but　it　will　never　answer　if　we　displease　nurse。
Besides；　I　remember　at　the　time　Anne　came；　dear　mamma　thought　there
was　danger　of　a　girl's　having　too　many　acquaintances；　especially
taking　the　children　out　walking。　　We　cannot　always　be　sure　of　sending
her　out　with　Anne。〃

〃Do　you　remember〃　said　Ethel；　there　stopping。

〃Well；〃　said　both　sisters。

〃Don't　you　recollect；　Flora；　that　girl　whose　father　was　in　the
hospitalthat　girl　at　Cocksmoor？〃

〃I　do；〃　said　Flora。　　〃She　was　a　very　nice　girl；　I　wonder　whether
nurse　would　approve　of　her。〃

〃How　old？〃　said　Margaret。　　〃Fourteen；　and　tall。　　Such　a　clean
cottage！〃

The　girls　went　on；　and　Margaret　began　to　like　the　idea　very　much；　and
consider　whether　the　girl　could　be　brought　for　inspection；　before
nurse　was　prejudiced　by　hearing　of　her　Cocksmoor　extraction。　　At　that
moment　Richard　knocked　at　the　door；　and　entered　with　Tom；　helping　him
to　bring　a　small　short…legged　table；　such　as　could　stand　on　the　bed
at　the　right　height　for　Margaret's　meals　or　employments。

There　were　great　exclamations　of　satisfaction；　and　gratitude；　〃it　was
the　very　thing　wanted；　only　how　could　he　have
contrived　it？〃

〃Don't　you〃　recognise　it？〃　said　he。

Oh；　I　see；　it　is　the　old　drawing…desk　that　no　one　used。　　And　you　have
put　legs　to　ithow　famous！　　You　are　the　best　contriver；　Richard！〃

Then　see；　you　can　raise　it　up　for　reading　or　writing；　here's　a　corner
for　your　ink　to　stand　flat；　and　there　it　is　down　for　your　dinner。〃

〃Charming；　you　have　made　it　go　so　easily；　when　it　used　to　be　so
stiff。　　Theregive　me　my　work…basket；　please；　Ethel；　I　mean　to　make
some　more　white　puffs。〃

〃What's　the　matter　now；　Ethel？〃　said　Flora；　〃you　look　as　if　you　did
not　approve　of　the　table。〃

〃I　was　only　thinking　it　was　as　if　she　was　settling　herself　to　lie　in
bed　for　a　very　long　time；〃　said　Ethel。

〃I　hope　not；〃　said　Richard；　〃but　I　don't　see　why　she　should　not　be　as
comfortable　as　she　can；　while　she　is　there。〃

〃I　am　sure　I　hope　you　will　never　be　ill；　Ethel；〃　said　Flora。　　〃You
would　be　horrid　to　nurse！〃

〃She　will　know　how　to　be　grateful　when　she　is；〃　said　Margaret。

〃I　say；　Richard；〃　exclaimed　Ethel；　〃this　is　hospital…meeting　day；　so
you　won't　be　wanted　to　drive　papa。〃

〃No；　I　am　at　your　service；　do　you　want　a　walk？〃

So　it　was　determined　that　Richard　and　Ethel　should　walk　together　to
Cocksmoor。

No　two　people　could　be　much　more　unlike　than　Richard　and　Etheldred
May；　but　they　were　very　fond　of　each　other。　　Richard　was　sometimes
seriously　annoyed　by　Ethel's　heedlessness；　and　did　not　always
understand　her　sublimities；　but　he　had　a　great　deal　of　admiration　for
one　who　partook　so　much　of　his　father's　nature；　and　Ethel　had　a　due
respect　for　her　eldest　brother；　gratitude　and　strong　affection　for
many　kindnesses；　a　reverence　for　his　sterling　goodness；　and　his
exemption　from　her　own　besetting　failings；　only　a　little　damped　by
compassionate　wonder　at　his　deficiency　in　talent；　and　by　her　vexation
at　not　being　always　comprehended。

They　went　by　the　road；　for　the　plantation　gate　was　far　too　serious　an
undertaking　for　any　one　not　in　the　highest　spirits　for　enterprise。
On　the　way　there　was　a　good　deal　of　that　desultory　talk；　very
sociable　and　interesting；　that　is　apt　to　prevail　between　two　people；
who　would　never　have　chosen　each　other　for　companions；　if　they　were
not　of　the　same　family；　but　who　are　nevertheless　very　affectionate
and　companionable。　　Ethel　was　anxious　to　hear　what　her　brother
thought　of　papa's　spirits；　and　whether　he　talked　in　their　drives。

〃Sometimes；〃　said　Richard。　　〃It　is　just　as　it　happens。　　Now　and　then
he　goes　on　just　like　himself；　and　then　at　other　times　he　will　not
speak　for　three　or　four　miles。〃

〃And　he　sighs？〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Those　sighs　are　so　very　sad；　and　long；
and　deep！　　They　seem　to　have　whole　volumes　in　them；　as　if　there　was
such　a　weight　on　him。〃

〃Some　people　say　he　is　not　as　much　altered　as　they　expected；〃　said
Richard。

〃Oh！　do　they？　　Well！　　I　can't　fancy　any　one　feeling　it　more。　　He
can't　leave　off　his　old　self；　of　course；　but〃Ethel　stopped　short。

〃Margaret　is　a　great　comfort　to　him；〃　said　Richard。

〃That　she　is。　　She　thinks　of　him　all　day　long；　and　I　don't　think
either　of　them　is　ever　so　happy　as　in　the　evening；　when　he　sits　with
her。　　They　talk　about　mamma　then〃

It　was　just　what　Richard　could　not　do；　and　he　made　some　observation
to　change　the　subject；　but　Ethel　returned　to　it；　so　far　as　to　beg　to
know　how　the　arm　was　going　on；　for　she　did　not　like　to　say　anything
about　it　to　papa。

〃It　will　be　a　long　business；　I　am　afraid；〃　said　Richard。　　〃Indeed；　he
said　the　other　day；　he　thought　he　should　never　have　the　free　use　of
the　elbow。〃

〃And　do　you　think　it　is　very　painful？　　I　saw　the　other　day；　when
Aubrey　was　sitting　on　his　knee　and　fidgeting；　he　shrank　whenever　he
even　came　towards　it；　and　yet　it　seemed　as　if　he　could　not　bear　to
put　him　down。〃

〃Yes　it　is　excessively　tender；　and　sometimes　gets　very　bad　at　night。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Ethel；　〃there's　a　linehereround　his　eyes；　that　there
never　used　to　be；　and　when　it　deepens；　I　am　sure　he　is　in　pain；　or
has　been　kept　awake。〃

〃You　are　very　odd；　Ethel；　how　do　you　see　things　in　people's　faces；
when　you　miss　so　much　at　just　the　same　distance？〃

〃I　look　after　what　I　care　about；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃One　sees　more　with
one's　mind　than　one's　eyes。　　The　best　sight　is　inside。〃

〃But　do　you　always　see　the　truth？〃　said　Richard　gravely。

〃Quite　enough。　　What　is　less　common　than　the　ordinary　world？〃　said
Ethel。

Richard　shook　his　head；　not　quite　satisfied；　but　not　sure　enough　that
he　entered　into　her　meaning　to　question　it。

〃I　wonder　you　don't　wear　spectacles；〃　was　the　result　of　his
meditation；　and　it　made　her　laugh　by　being　so　inapposite　to　her　own
reflections：　but　the　laugh　ended　in　a　melancholy　look。　　〃Dear　mamma
did　not　like　me　to　use　them；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　voice。

Thus　they　talked　till　they　arrived　at　Co