the daisy chain, or aspirations-第158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！



〃No；　I　remember　now；　not　where　it　was　justly　due。　　Papa；〃　she　said；
pausing；　as　to　recall　her　recollection；　〃what　did　I　do？　　I　must　have
done　something　very　unkind　to　make　him　go　away　and　leave　me。〃

〃I　insisted　on　his　leaving　you；　my　dear。　　You　seemed　oppressed；　and
his　affectionate　ways　were　doing　you　harm；　so　I　was　hardhearted；　and
turned　him　out；　sadly　against　his　will。〃

〃Poor　George！〃　said　Flora；　〃has　he　been　left　to　bear　it　alone　all
this　time？　　How　much　distressed　he　must　have　been。　　I　must　have　vexed
him　grievously。　　You　don't　guess　how　fond　he　was　of　her。　　I　must　go
to　him　at　once。〃

〃That　is　right；　my　dear。〃

〃Don't　praise　me；〃　said　she；　as　if　she　could　not　bear　it。　　〃All　that
is　left　for　me　is　to　do　what　I　can　for　him。〃

Dr。　May　felt　cheered。　　He　was　sure　that　hope　must　again　rise　out　of
unselfish　love　and　duty。

Their　return　awoke　George；　who　started；　half　sitting　up；　wondering
why　he　was　spending　the　night　in　so　unusual　a　manner；　and　why　Flora
looked　so　pale；　in　the　morning　light；　with　her　loosened；　drooping
hair。

She　went　straight　to　him；　and；　kneeling　by　his　side；　said；　〃George；
forgive！〃　　The　same　moment　he　had　caught　her　to　his　bosom；　but　so
impressed　was　his　tardy　mind　with　the　peril　of　talking　to　her；　that
he　held　her　in　his　arms　without　a　single　word；　till　Dr。　May　had
unclosed　his　lipsa　sign　would　not　sufficehe　must　have　a　sentence
to　assure　him；　and　then　it　was　such　joy　to　have　her　restored；　and　his
fondness　and　solicitude　were　so　tender　and　eager　in　their　clumsiness；
that　his　father…in…law　was　touched　to　the　heart。

Flora　was　quite　herself　again；　in　presence　of　mind　and　power　of
dealing　with　him；　and　Dr。　May　left　them　to　each　other；　and　went　to
his　own　room；　for　such　rest　as　sorrow；　sympathy；　and　the　wakening
city；　would　permit　him。

When　the　house　was　astir　in　the　morning；　and　the　doctor　had　met　Meta
in　the　breakfast…room；　and　held　with　her　a　sad；　affectionate
conversation；　George　came　down　with　a　fair　report　of　his　wife；　and
took　her　father　to　see　her。

That　night　had　been　like　an　illness　to　her；　and；　though　perfectly
composed；　she　was　feeble　and　crushed；　keeping　the　room　darkened；　and
reluctant　to　move　or　speak。　　Indeed；　she　did　not　seem　able　to　give
her　attention　to　any　one's　voice；　except　her　husband's。　　When　Dr。
May；　or　Meta；　spoke　to　her；　she　would　miss　what　they　said；　beg　their
pardon；　and　ask　them　to　repeat　it；　and　sometimes；　even　then；　become
bewildered。　　They　tried　reading　to　her；　but　she　did　not　seem　to
listen；　and　her　half…closed　eye　had　the　expression　of　listless
dejection；　that　her　father　knew　betokened　that；　even　as　last　night；
her　heart　refused　to　accept　promises　of　comfort　as　meant　for　her。

For　George；　however；　her　attention　was　always　ready；　and　was
perpetually　claimed。　　He　was　forlorn　and　at　a　loss　without　her；　every
moment；　and；　in　the　sorrow　which　he　too　felt　most　acutely；　could　not
have　a　minute's　peace　unless　soothed　by　her　presence；　he　was
dependent　on　her　to　a　degree　which　amazed　and　almost　provoked　the
doctor；　who　could　not　bear　to　have　her　continually　harassed　and
disturbed；　and　yet　was　much　affected　by　witnessing　so　much
tenderness；　especially　in　Flora；　always　the　cold　utilitarian　member
of　his　family。

In　the　middle　of　the　day　she　rose　and　dressed；　because　George　was
unhappy　at　having　to　sit　without　her；　though　only　in　the　next　room。
She　sat　in　the　large　arm…chair；　turned　away　from　the　blinded　windows；
never　speaking　nor　moving；　save　when　he　came　to　her；　to　make　her　look
at　his　letters　and　notes；　when　she　would；　with　the　greatest　patience
and　sweetness；　revise　them；　suggest　word　or　sentence；　rouse　herself
to　consider　each　petty　detail；　and　then　sink　back　into　her　attitude
of　listless　dejection。　　To　all　besides；　she　appeared　totally
indifferent；　gently　courteous　to　Meta　and　to　her　father；　when　they
addressed　her；　but　otherwise　showing　little　consciousness　whether
they　were　in　the　room；　and　yet；　when　something　was　passing　about　her
father's　staying　or　returning；　she　rose　from　her　seat；　came　up　to　him
before　he　was　aware；　and　said；　〃Papa！　papa！　you　will　not　leave　me！〃
in　such　an　imploring　tone；　that　if　he　had　ever　thought　of　quitting
her；　he　could　not　have　done　so。

He　longed　to　see　her　left　to　perfect　tranquillity；　but　such　could　not
be　in　London。　　Though　theirs　was　called　a　quiet　house；　the　rushing
stream　of　traffic　wearied　his　country　ears；　the　door　bell　seemed
ceaselessly　ringing；　and　though　Meta　bore　the　brunt　of　the　notes　and
messages；　great　numbers　necessarily　came　up　to　Mr。　Rivers；　and　of
these　Flora　was　not　spared　one。　　Dr。　May　had　his　share　too　of
messages　and　business；　and　friends　and　relations；　the　Rivers'
kindred；　always　ready　to　take　offence　with　their　rich　connections；
and　who　would　not　be　satisfied　with　inquiries；　at　the　door；　but　must
see　Meta；　and　would　have　George　fetched　down　to　themold　aunts；　who
wanted　the　whole　story　of　the　child's　illness；　and　came　imagining
there　was　something　to　be　hushed　up；　Lady　Leonora　extremely　polite；
but　extremely　disgusted　at　the　encounter　with　them；　George　ready　to
be　persuaded　to　take　every　one　up　to　see　his　wife；　and　the
prohibition　to　be　made　by　Dr。　May　over　and　over　againit　was　a　most
tedious；　wearing　afternoon；　and　at　last；　when　the　visitors　had　gone；
and　George　had　hurried　back　to　his　wife；　Dr。　May　threw　himself　into
an　arm…chair　and　said；　〃Oh；　Meta；　sorrow　weighs　more　heavily　in　town
than　in　the　country！〃

〃Yes！〃　said　Meta。　　〃If　one　only　could　go　out　and　look　at　the　flowers；
and　take　poor　Flora　up　a　nosegay！〃

〃I　don't　think　it　would　make　much　difference　to　her；〃　sighed　the
doctor。

〃Yes；　I　think　it　would；〃　said　Meta；　〃it　did　to　me。　　The　sights　there
speak　of　the　better　sights。〃

〃The　power　to　look　must　come　from　within；〃　said　Dr。　May；　thinking　of
his　poor　daughter。

〃Ay；〃　said　Meta；　〃as　Mr。　Ernescliffe　said；　'heaven　is　as　near！'
But　the　skirts　of　heaven　are　more　easily　traced　in　our　mountain　view
than　here；　where；　if　I　looked　out　of　window；　I　should　only　see　that
giddy　string　of　carriages　and　people　pursuing　each　other！〃

〃Well；　we　shall　get　her　home　as　soon　as　she　is　able　to　move；　and　I
hope　it　may　soothe　her。　　What　a　turmoil　it　is！　　There　has　not　been
one　moment　without　noise　in　the　twenty…two　hours　I　have　been　here！〃

〃What　would　you　say　if　you　were　in　the　city？〃

〃Ah！　there's　no　talking　of　it；　but　if　I　had　been　a　fashionable　London
physician；　as　my　father…in…law　wanted　to　make　me；　I　should　have　been
dead　long　ago！〃

〃No；　I　think　you　would　have　liked　it　very　much。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Love's　a　flower　that　will　not　die；〃　repeated　Meta；　half　smiling。
〃You　would　have　found　so　much　good　to　do〃

〃And　so　much　misery　to　rend　one's　heart；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃But；　after
all；　I　suppose　there　is　only　a　certain　capacity　of　feeling。〃

〃It　is　within；　not　without；　as　you　said；〃　returned　Meta。

〃Ha；　there's　another！〃　cried　Dr。　May；　almost　petulant　at　the　sound　of
the　bell　again；　breaking　into　the　conversation　that　was　a　great
refreshment。

〃It　was　Sir　Henry　Walkinghame's　ring；〃　said　Meta。　　〃It　is　always　his
time　of　day。〃

The　doctor　did　not　like　it　the　better。

Sir　Henry　sent　up　a　message　to　ask　whether　he　could　see　Mr。　or　Miss
Rivers。

〃I　suppose　we　must；〃　said　Meta；　looking　at　the　doctor。　　〃Lady
Walkinghame　must　be　anxious　about　Flora。〃

She　blushed　greatly；　fancying　that　Dr。　May　was　putting　his　own
construction　on　the　heightened　colour　which　she　could　not　control。
Sir　Henry　came　in；　just　what　he　ought　to　be；　kindly　anxious；　but　not
overwhelming；　and　with　a　ready；　pleased　recognition　of　the　doctor；　as
an　old　acquaintance　of　his　boyhood。　　He　did　not　stay　many　minutes；
but　there　was　a　perceptible　difference　between　his　real　sympathy　and
friendly　regard　only　afraid　of　obtruding；　and　the　oppressive
curiosity　of　their　former　visitors。　　Dr。　May　felt　it　due；　both　from
kindness　and　candour；　to　say　something　in　his　praise　when　he　was
gone。

〃That　is　a　sensible　superior　man；〃　he　said。　〃He　will　be　an
acquisition　when　he　takes　up　his　abode　at　Drydale。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Meta；　a　very　simple　yes；　from　which　nothing　could　be
gathered。

The　funeral　was　fixed　for　Monday；　the　next　day　but　one；　at　the　church
where　Mr。　Rivers　had　been　buried。　　No　one　was　invited　to　be　present；
Ethel　wrote　that；　much　as　she　wished　it；　she　could　not　leave
Margaret；　and；　as　the　whole　party　were　to　return　home　on　the
following　day；　they　should　soon　see　Flora。

Flora　had　laid　aside　all　privileges　of　illness　after　the　first　day；
she　came　downstairs　to　breakfast　and　dinner；　and　though　looking
wretchedly　ill；　and　speaking　very　low　and　feebly；　she　was　as　much　as
ever　the　mistress　of　her　house。　　Her　father　could　never　draw　her　into
conversation　again　on　the　subject　nearest　his　heart；　and　could　only
draw　the　sad　conclusion　that　her　state　of　mind　was　unchanged；　from
the　dreary　indifference　with　which　she　allowed　every　word　of　cheer　to
pass　by　unheeded；　as　if　she　could　not　bear　to　look　beyond　the　grave。
He　had　some　hope　in　the　funeral；　which　she　was　bent　on　attending；　and
more　in　the　influence　of　Margaret；　and　the　counsel　of　Richard；　or　of
Mr。　Wllmot。

The　burial；　however；　failed　to　bring　any　peaceful　comfort　to　the