the daisy chain, or aspirations-第162节

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necessary　to　be　senseless　on　money　matters；　like　her　cousin；　Agatha
Langdale。

Still　she　looked　a　little　oppressed；　as　she　locked　up　the　tokens　of
her　wealth；　and　the　sunshine　of　her　face　did　not　beam　out　again　till
she　arrived　at　Stoneborough；　and　was　dispensing　her　pretty　thanks　to
the　few　she　found　at　home。

〃Ethel　out　and　Norman？　　His　seal　is　only　too　pretty〃

〃They　are　all　helping　Dr。　Spencer　at　Cocksmoor。〃

〃What　a　pity！　　But　it　is　so　very　kind　of　him　to　treat　me　as　a　daisy。
In　some　ways　I　like　his　present　for　that　the　best　of　all；〃　said　Meta。

〃I　will　tell　him　so；〃　said　Mary。

〃Yes；　no；〃　said　Meta。　　〃I　am　not　pretending　to　be　anything　half　so
nice。〃

Mary　and　Blanche　fell　upon　her　for　calling　herself　anything　but　the
nicest　flower　in　the　world；　and　she　contended　that　she　was　nothing
better　than　a　parrot…tulip；　stuck　up　in　a　parterre；　and　just　as　the
discussion　was　becoming　a　game　at　romps；　Dr。　May　came　in；　and　the
children　shouted　to　him　to　say　whether　his　humming…bird　were　a　daisy
or　a　tulip。

〃That　is　as　she　comports　herself；〃　he　said　playfully。

〃Which　means　that　you　don't　think　her　quite　done　for；〃　said　Meta。

〃Not　quite；〃　said　the　doctor；　with　a　droll　intonation；　〃but　I　have
not　seen　what　this　morning　may　have　done　to　her。〃

〃Come　and　see；　then；〃　said　Meta。　　〃Flora　told　me　to　bring　you　home
and　it　is　my　birthday；　you　know。　　Never　mind　waiting　to　tell　Ethel。
Margaret　will　let　her　know　that　I'll　keep　you　out　of　mischief。〃

As　usual；　Dr。　May　could　not　withstand　her；　and　she　carried　him　off　in
triumph　in　her　pony　carriage。

〃Then　you　don't　give　me　up　yet？〃　was　the　first　thing　she　said；　as
they　were　off　the　stones。

〃What　have　you　been　doing　to　make　me？〃　said　he。

〃Doing　or　not　doingone　or　the　other；〃　she　said。　　〃But　indeed　I
wanted　to　have　you　to　myself。　　I　am　in　a　great　puzzle！〃

〃Sir　Henry！　　I　hope　she　won't　consult　me！〃　thought　Dr。　May；　as　he
answered；　〃Well；　my　dear。〃

〃I　fear　it　is　a　lasting　puzzle；〃　she　said。　　〃What　shall　I　do　with　all
this　money？〃

〃Keep　it　in　the　bank；　or　buy　railway　shares！〃　said　Dr。　May。　looking
arch。

〃Thank　you。　　That's　a　question　for　my　cousins　in　the　city。　　I　want
you　to　answer　me　as　no　one　else　can　do。　　I　want　to　know　what　is　my
duty　now　that　I　have　my　means　in　my　own　hands？〃

〃There　is　need　enough　around〃

〃I　do　not　mean　only　giving　a　little　here　and　there；　but　I　want　you　to
hear　a　few　of　my　thoughts。　　Flora　and　George　are　kindness　itself
but；　you　see；　I　have　no　duties。　　They　are　obliged　to　live　a　gay　sort
of　lifeit　is　their　position；　but　I　cannot　make　out　whether　it　is
mine。　　I　don't　see　that　I　am　like　those　girls　who　have　to　go　out　as　a
matter　of　obedience。〃

Dr。　May　considered；　but　could　only　say；　〃You　are　very　young。〃

〃Too　young　to　be　independent；〃　sighed　Meta。　　〃I　must　grow　old　enough
to　be　trusted　alone；　and　in　the　meantime〃

〃Probably　an　answer　will　be　found；〃　said　the　doctor。　　You　and　your
means　will　find　theirtheir　vocation。〃

〃Marriage；〃　said　Meta；　calmly　speaking　the　word　that　he　had　avoided。
〃I　think　not。〃

〃Why〃　he　began。

〃I　do　not　think　good　men　like　heiresses。〃

He　became　strongly　interested　in　a　corn…field；　and　she　resumed；

〃Perhaps　I　should　only　do　harm。　　It　may　be　my　duty　to　wait。　　All　I
wish　to　know　is；　whether　it　is？〃

〃I　see　you　are　not　like　girls　who　know　their　duty；　and　are　restless；
because　it　is　not　the　duty　they　like。〃

〃Oh！　　I　like　everything。　　It　is　my　liking　it　so　much　that　makes　me
afraid。〃

〃Even　going　to　Ryde？〃

〃Don't　I　like　the　sailing？　and　seeing　Harry　too？　　I　don't　feel　as　if
that　were　waste；　because　I　can　sometimes　spare　poor　Flora　a　little。
We　could　not　let　her　go　alone。〃

〃You　need　never　fear　to　be　without　a　mission　of　comfort；〃　said　Dr。
May。　　〃Your　'spirit　full　of　glee'　was　given　you　for　something。　　Your
presence　is　far　more　to　my　poor　Flora　than　you　or　she　guess。〃

〃I　never　meant　to　leave　her　now；〃　said　Meta　earnestly。　　〃I　only
wished　to　be　clear　whether　I　ought　to　seek　for　my　work。〃

〃It　will　seek　you；　when　the　time　comes。〃

〃And　meantime　I　must　do　what　comes　to　hand；　and　take　it　as
humiliation　that　it　is　not　in　the　more　obviously　blessed　tasks！　　A
call　might　come；　as　Cocksmoor　did　to　Ethel。　　But　oh！　my　money！　　Ought
it　to　be　laid　up　for　myself？〃

〃For　your　call；　when　it　comes；〃　said　Dr。　May；　smiling；　then　gravely；
〃There　are　but　too　many　calls　for　the　interest。　　The　principal　is
your　trust；　till　the　time　comes。〃

Meta　smiled；　and　was　pleased　to　think　that　her　first…fruits　would　be
offered　to…morrow。




CHAPTER　XXII。



〃Oh；　dear！〃　sighed　Etheldred；　as　she　fastened　her　white　muslin；　　〃I'm
afraid　it　is　my　nature　to　hate　my　neighbour。〃

〃My　dear　Ethel；　what　is　coming　next？〃　said　Margaret。

〃I　like　my　neighbour　at　home；　and　whom　I　have　to　work　for；　very
much；〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　oh！　my　neighbour　that　I　have　to　be　civil　to！〃

〃Poor　old　King！　　I　am　afraid　your　day　will　be　spoiled　with　all　your
toils　as　lady　of　the　house。　　I　wish　I　could　help　you。〃

〃Let　me　have　my　grumble　out；　and　you　will！〃　said　Ethel。

〃Indeed　I　am　sorry　you　have　this　bustle；　and　so　many　to　entertain；
when　I　know　you　would　rather　have　the　peaceful　feelings　belonging　to
the　day　undisturbed。　　I　should　like　to　shelter　you　up　here。〃

〃It　is　very　ungrateful　of　me；〃　said　Ethel；　〃when　Dr。　Spencer　works　so
hard　for　us；　not　to　be　willing　to　grant　anything　to　him。〃

〃Andbut　then　I　have　none　of　the　trouble　of　itI　can't　help　liking
the　notion　of　sending　out　the　Church　to　the　island　whence　the　Church
came　home　to　us。〃

〃Yes〃　said　Ethel；　〃if　we　could　do　it　without　holding　forth！〃

〃Come；　Ethel；　it　is　much　better　than　the　bazaarit　is　no　field　for
vanity。〃

〃Certainly　not；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃What　a　mess　every　one　will　make！　　Oh；
if　I　could　but　stay　away；　like　Harry！　　There　will　be　Dr。　Hoxton　being
sonorous　and　prosy；　and　Mr。　Lake　will　stammer；　and　that　will　be
nothing　to　the　misery　of　our　own　people's　work。　　George　will
flounder；　and　look　at　Flora；　and　she　will　sit　with　her　eyes　on　the
ground；　and　Dr。　Spencer　will　come　out　of　his　proper　self；　and　be
complimentary　to　people　who　deserve　it　no　more！　And　Norman！　　I　wish
I　could　run　away！〃

〃Richard　says　we　do　not　guess　how　well　Norman　speaks。〃

〃Richard　thinks　Norman　can　do　anything　he　can't　do　himself！　　It　is
all　chancehe　may　do　very　well；　if　he　gets　into　his　'funny　state'；
but　he　always　suffers　for　that；　and　he　will　certainly　put　one　into　an
agony　at　the　outset。　　I　wish　Dr。　Spencer　would　have　let　him　alone！
And　then　there　will　be　that　Sir　Henry；　whom　I　can't　abide！　　Oh；　I
wish　I　were　more　charitable；　like　Miss　Bracy　and　Mary；　who　will　think
all　so　beautiful！〃

〃So　will　you；　when　you　come　home；〃　said　Margaret。

〃If　I　could　only　be　talking　to　Cherry；　and　Dame　Hall！　　I　think　the
school　children　enter　into　it　very　nicely；　Margaret。　　Did　I　tell　you
how　nicely　Ellen　Reid　answered　about　the　hymn；　'From　Greenland's　icy
mountains'？　　She　did　not　seem　to　have　made　it　a　mere　geographical
lesson；　like　Fanny　Grigg〃

Ethel's　misanthropy　was　happily　conducted　off　via　the　Cocksmoor
children；　and　any　lingering　remains　were　dissipated　by　her　amusement
at　Dr。　Spencer's　ecstasy　on　seeing　Dr。　May　assume　his　red　robe　of
office；　to　go　to　the　minster　in　state；　with　the　Town　Council。　　He
walked　round　and　round　his　friend；　called　him　Nicholas　Randall
redivivus；　quoted　Dogberry；　and　affronted　Gertrude；　who　had　a　dim
idea　that　he　was　making　game　of　papa。

Ethel　was　one　of　those　to　whom　representation　was　such　a　penance；
that　a　festival；　necessitating　hospitality　to　guests　of　her　own　rank；
was　burden　enough　seriously　to　disturb　the　repose　of　thankfulness　for
the　attainment　of　her　object；　and　to　render　difficult　the
recueillement　which　she　needed　for　the　praise　and　prayer　that　she
felt　due　from　her；　and　which　seemed　to　oppress　her　heart；　by　a　sense
of　inadequacy　of　her　partial　expression。　　It　was　well　for　her　that
the　day　began　with　the　calm　service　in　the　minster；　where　it　was　her
own　fault　if　cares　haunted　her；　and　she　could　confess　the　sin　of　her
irritated　sensations；　and　wishes　to　have　all　her　own　way；　and　then；
as　ever；　be　led　aright　into　thanksgiving　for　the　unlooked…for
crowning　of　her　labours。

The　archdeacon's　sermon　amplified　what　Margaret　had　that　morning
expressed；　so　as　to　carry　on　her　sense　of　appropriateness　in　the
offerings　of　the　day　being　bestowed　on　distant　lands。

But　the　ordeal　was　yet　to　come；　and　though　blaming　herself；　she　was
anything　but　comfortable；　as　the　world　repaired　to　the　Town　Hall；　the
room　where　the　same　faces　so　often　met　for　such　diverse　purposesnow
an　orrery　displayed　by　a　conceited　lecturer；　now　a　ball；　now　a
magistrates'　meeting；　a　concert　or　a　poultry　show；　where　rival
Hamburg　and　Dorking　uplifted　their　voices　in　the　places　of　Mario　and
Grisi；　all　beneath　the　benignant　portrait　of　Nicholas　Randall；
ruffed；　robed；　square…toed；　his　endowment　of　the　scholarship　in　his
hand；　and　a　chequered　pavement　at　his　feet。

Who　knows　not　an　S。　P。　G。　meeting？　the　gaiety　of　the　serious；　and
the　first　public　spectacle　to　the　young；　who；　like　Blanche　and
Aubrey；　gaze　with　admiration　at　the　rows　of　bonnets；　and　with　awe　at
the　black　coats　on　the　platfo