the daisy chain, or aspirations-第152节

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the　pursuit　at　the　first　blunder　about　the　firm；　and　still　more　when
the　right　one　had　been　found；　but　the　partner　proved　crusty；　and
would　not　believe　that　any　such　document　was　in　his　hands。　　George
was　consenting　to　let　it　rest　till　Mr。　Mackintosh　could　be　written
to；　but　Harry；　outrunning　his　management；　and　regardless　of　rebuffs；
fairly　teased　the　old　gentleman　into　a　search；　as　the　only　means　of
getting　rid　of　the　troublesome　sailor。

In　the　midst　of　George's　civil　regrets　at　the　fruitless　trouble　they
were　causing；　forth　came　a　bundle　of　papers；　and　forth　from　the
bundle　fell　a　packet；　on　which　Harry　pounced　as　he　read；　〃Will　of
Alan　Halliday　Ernescliffe；　Esquire；　of　Maplewood；　Yorkshire；
Lieutenant　in　H。　M。　S。　Alcestis；〃　and；　in　the　corner；　the　executors'
names；　Captain　John　Gordon；　of　H。　M。　S。　Alcestis；　and　Richard　May；
Esquire；　M。　D。；　Market　Stoneborough。

As　if　in　revenge；　the　prudent　merchant　would　not　be　induced　to
entrust　him　with　the　document；　saying　he　could　not　give　it　up　till　he
had　heard　from　the　executors；　and　had　been　certified　of　the　death　of
the　testator。　　He　withstood　both　the　angry　gentlemen；　who　finally
departed　in　a　state　of　great　resentmentHarry　declaring　that　the　old
land…lubber　would　not　believe　that　he　was　his　own　father's　son；　and
Mr。　Rivers；　no　less　incensed；　that　the　House　of　Commons　had　been
insulted　in　his　person；　because　he　did　not　carry　all　before　him。

Flora　laughed　at　their　story；　and　told　them　that　she　suspected　that
the　old　gentleman　was　in　the　right；　and　she　laid　plans　for　having
Harry　to　teach　them　yachting　at　Ryde；　while　Harry　declared　he　would
have　nothing　to　do　with　such　trumpery。

Harry　found　his　home　in　a　sort　of　agony　of　expectation；　for　his　non…
arrival　at　the　time　expected　had　made　his　first　appearance　seem　like
an　unsubstantial　illusion；　though　Dr。　May；　or　Mary　and　Aubrey；　had
been　at　the　station　at　the　coming　in　of　each　train。　　Margaret　had
recovered　the　effects　of　the　first　shock；　and　the　welcome　was　far
more　joyous　than　the　first　had　been；　with　the　mixed　sensations　that
were　now　composed；　and　showed　little；　outwardly；　but　gladness。

Dr。　May　took　Flora's　view　of　the　case；　and　declared　that；　if　Harry
had　brought　home　the　will；　he　should　not　have　opened　it　without　his
co…executor。　　So　he　wrote　to　the　captain；　while　Harry　made　the　most
of　his　time　in　learning　his　sisters　over　again。　　He　spent　a　short
time　alone　with　Margaret　every　morning；　patiently　and　gently　allowing
himself　to　be　recalled　to　the　sad　recollections　that　were　all　the
world　to　her。　　He　kept　Ethel　and　Mary　merry　with　his　droll　desultory
comments；　he　made　Blanche　keep　up　her　dancing；　and　taught　Gertrude　to
be　a　thorough　little　romp。　　As　to　Dr。　May；　his　patients　never　were　so
well　or　so　cheerful；　till　Dr。　Spencer　and　Ethel　suspected　that　the
very　sight　of　his　looks　brightened　themhow　could　they　help　it？　　Dr。
Spencer　was　as　happy　as　a　king　in　seeing　his　friend　freed　from　the
heavy　weight　on　his　spirits；　and；　truly；　it　was　goodly　to　watch　his
perfect　look　of　content；　as　he　leaned　on　his　lion…faced　boy's　arm；
and　walked　down　to　the　minster；　whither　it　seemed　to　have　become
possible　to　go　on　most　evenings。　　Good　Dr。　May　was　no　musician；　but
Mr。　Wilmot　could　not　regret　certain　tones　that　now　and　then　burst　out
in　the　chanting；　from　the　very　bottom　of　a　heart　that　assuredly　sang
with　the　full　melody　of　thankfulness；　　whatever　the　voice　might　do。

Captain　Gordon　not　only　wrote　but　came　to　Stoneborough；　whence　Harry
was　to　go　with　him　to　the　court…martial　at　Portsmouth。

The　girls　wondered　that；　after　writing　with　so　much　warmth　and
affection；　both　of　and　to　Harry；　he　met　him　without　any　demonstration
of　feeling；　and　his　short　peremptory　manner　removed　all　surprise　that
poor　Hector　had　been　so　forlorn　with　him　at　Maplewood；　and　turned；
with　all　his　heart；　to　Dr。　May。　　They　were　especially　impressed　at
the　immediate　subsidence　of　all　Harry's　noise　and　nonsense；　as　if　the
drawing…room　had　been　the　quarter…deck　of　the　Alcestis。

〃And　yet；〃　said　Margaret；　〃Harry　will　not　hear　a　single　word　in
dispraise　of　him。　　I　do　believe　he　loves　him　with　all　his　heart。〃

〃I　think；〃　said　Ethel；　〃that　in　a　strong　character；　there　is　an
exulting　fear　in　looking　up　to　a　superior；　in　whose　justice　there　is
perfect　reliance。　　It　is　a　germ　of　the　higher　feeling。〃

〃I　believe　you　are　right；〃　said　Margaret；　〃but　it　is　a　serious　thing
for　a　man　to　have　so　little　sympathy　with　those　below　him。　　You　see
how　Hector　feels　it；　and　I　now　understand　how　it　told　upon　Alan；　and
how　papa's　warmth　was　like　a　surprise　to　him。〃

〃Because　Captain　Gordon　had　to　be　a　father　to　them；　and　that　is　more
than　a　captain。　　I　should　not　wonder　if　there　were　more　similarity
and　fellow…feeling　between　him　and　Harry　than　there　could　be　with
either　of　them。　　Harry；　though　he　has　all　papa's　tenderness；　is　of　a
rougher　sort　that　likes　to　feel　itself　mastered。　　Poor　Hector！　　I
wonder　if　he　is　to　be　given　back　to　us。〃

〃Do　you　knowwhenwhether　they　will　find　out　this　morning？〃　said
Margaret；　catching　her　dress　nervously；　as　she　was　moving　away。

〃Yes；　I　believe　so。　　I　was　not　to　have　told　you；　but〃

〃There　is　no　reason　that　it　should　do　me　any　harm；〃　said　Margaret；
almost　smiling；　and　looking　as　if　she　was　putting　a　restraint　on
something　she　wished　to　say。　　〃Go　down；　dear　EthelAubrey　will　be
waiting　for　you。〃

Ethel　went　down　to　the　difficult　task　of　hearing　Aubrey's　lessons；
while　Harry　was　pretending　to　write　to　Mrs。　Arnott；　but；　in　reality；
teaching　Gertrude　the　parts　of　a　ship；　occasionally　acting　mast；　for
her　to　climb。

By　and　by　Dr。　May　came　in。　　〃Margaret　not　downstairs　yet？〃　he　said。

〃She　is　dressed；　but　will　not　come　down　till　the　evening；〃　said
Ethel。

〃I'll　go　to　her。　　She　will　be　pleased。　　Come　up　presently；　Ethel。
Or；　where's　Richard？〃

〃Gone　out；〃　said　Harry。　　〃What；　is　it　anything　left　to　her？〃

〃The　best；　the　best！〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃Ethel；　listentwenty　thousand；
to　build　and　endow　a　church　for　Cocksmoor！〃

No　need　to　bid　Ethel　listen。　　She　gave　a　sort　of　leap　in　her　chair；
then　looked　almost　ready　to　faint。

〃My　dear　child；〃　said　her　father；　〃This　is　your　wish。　　I　give　you
joy；　indeed　I　do！〃

Ethel　drew　his　arm　round　her；　and　leaned　against　him。　　〃My　wish！　my
wish！〃　she　repeated；　as　if　questioning　the　drift　of　the　words。

〃I'm　glad　it　is　found！〃　cried　Harry。　　〃Now　I　know　why　he　talked　of
Cocksmoor；　and　seemed　to　rest　in　planning　for　it。　　You　will　mind　the
roof　is　as　he　said。〃

〃You　must　talk　to　Dr。　Spencer　about　that；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃The
captain　means　to　leave　it　entirely　in　our　hands。〃

〃Dear　Alan！〃　exclaimed　Ethel。　　〃My　wish！　　Oh；　yes；　but　how　gained？
Yet；　Cocksmoor　with　a　church！　　I　don't　know　how　to　be　glad　enough；
and　yet〃

〃You　shall　read　the　sentence；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃'In　testimony　of
thankfulness　for　mercy　vouchsafed　to　him　here'　poor　dear　boy！〃

〃What　does　the　captain　say？〃　asked　Harry。

〃He　is　rather　astounded；　but　he　owns　that　the　estate　can　bear　it；　for
old　Halliday　had　saved　a　great　deal；　and　there　will　be　more　before
Hector　comes　of　age。〃

〃And　Hector？〃

〃Yes；　we　get　him　back。　　I　am　fellow…trustee　with　Captain　Gordon；　and
as　to　personal　guardianship；　I　fancy　the　captain　found　he　could　not
make　the　boy　happy；　and　thinks　you　no　bad　specimen　of　our　training。〃

〃Famous！〃　cried　Harry。　　〃Hector　will　hurrah　now！　　Is　that　all？〃

〃Except　legacies　to　Captain　Gordon；　and　some　Scottish　relations。　　But
poor　Margaret　ought　to　hear　it。　　Ethel；　don't　be　long　in　coming。〃

With　all　Ethel's　reputation　for　bluntness；　it　was　remarkable　how　her
force　of　character　made　her　always　called　for　whenever　there　was　the
least　dread　of　a　scene。

She　turned　abruptly　from　Harry；　and；　going　outside　the　window；　tried
to　realise　and　comprehend　the　tidings；　but　all　she　could　have　time　to
discover　was　that　Alan's　memory　was　dearer　to　her　than　ever；　and　she
was　obliged　to　hasten　upstairs。

Her　father　quitted　the　room　by　one　door；　as　she　entered　by　the　other；
she　believed　that　it　was　to　hide　his　emotion；　but　Margaret's　fair　wan
face　was　beaming　with　the　sweetest　of　congratulating　smiles。

〃I　thought　so；〃　she　said；　as　Ethel　came　in。　　〃Dear　Ethel；　are　you　not
glad？〃

〃I　think　I　am；〃　said　Ethel；　putting　her　hands　to　her　brow。

〃You　think！〃　exclaimed　Margaret；　as　if　disappointed。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Ethel；　with　quivering　lip。　　〃Dear　Margaret；
I　am　gladdon't　you　believe　I　am；　but　somehow；　it　is　harder　to　deal
with　joy　than　grief。　　It　confuses　one！　　Dear　Alanand　then　to　have
been　set　on　it　so　longto　have　prayed　so　for　it；　and　to　have　it　come
in　this　wayby　your〃

〃Nay；　Ethel；　had　he　come　home；　it　was　his　great　wish　to　have　done　it。
He　used　to　make　projects　when　he　was　here；　but　he　would　not　let　me
tell　you；　lest　he　should　find　duties　at　Maplewoodwhereas　this　would
have　been　his　pleasure。〃

〃Dear　Alan！〃　repeated　Ethel。　　〃If　you　are　so　kind；　so　dear　as　to　be
glad；　Margaret；　I　think　I　shall　be　so　presently。〃

Margaret　almost　grudged　the　lack　of　the　girlish　outbreak　of　rejoicing
which　would　once　have　forgotten　everything　in　the　ecstasy　of　the
fulfilled　vision。　　It　did　not　seem　to　be　what　Alan　had　intended；　he
had