the daisy chain, or aspirations-第17节

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Her　reflections　were　broken　off。　　Dr。　May　exclaimed；　〃Ethel；　don't
make　such　a　figure　of　yourself。　　Those　muddy　ankles　and　petticoats
are　not　fit　to　be　seenthere；　now　you　are　sweeping　the　pavement。
Have　you　no　medium？　　One　would　think　you　had　never　worn　a　gown　in
your　life　before！〃

Poor　Ethel　stepped　on　before　with　mud…encrusted　heels；　and　her　father
speaking　sharply　in　the　weariness　and　soreness　of　his　heart；　her
draggle…tailed　petticoats　weighing　down　at　once　her　missionary
projects　at　Cocksmoor；　and　her　tender　visions　of　comforting　her
widowed　father；　her　heart　was　full　to　overflowing；　and　where　was　the
mother　to　hear　her　troubles？

She　opened　the　hall　door；　and　would　have　rushed　upstairs；　but　nurse
happened　to　be　crossing　the　hall。　　〃Miss　Ethel！　　Miss　Ethel；　you
aren't　going　up　with　them　boots　on！　　I　do　declare　you　are　just　like
one　of　the　boys。　　And　your　frock！〃

Ethel　sat　submissively　down　on　the　lowest　step；　and　pulled　off　her
boots。　　As　she　did　so；　her　father　and　brother　came　inthe　former
desiring　Richard　to　come　with　him　to　the　study；　and　write　a　note　for
him。　　She　hoped　that　thus　she　might　have　Margaret　to　herself；　and
hurried　into　her　room。　　Margaret　was　alone；　maids　and　children　at
tea；　and　Flora　dressing。　　The　room　was　in　twilight；　with　the　red
gleam　of　the　fire　playing　cheerfully　over　it。

〃Well；　Ethel；　have　you　had　a　pleasant　walk？〃

〃YesnoOh；　Margaret！〃　and　throwing　herself　across　the　bottom　of
the　bed；　she　burst　into　tears。

〃Ethel；　dear；　what　is　the　matter？　　Papa〃

〃Nonoonly　I　draggled　my　frock；　and　Richard　threw　cold　water。　　And
I　am　good　for　nothing！　　Oh！　if　mamma　was　but　here！〃

〃Darling　Ethel；　dear　Ethel；　I　wish　I　could　comfort　you。　　Come　a
little　nearer　to　me；　I　can't　reach　you！　　Dear　Ethel；　what　has　gone
wrong？〃

〃Everything；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃NoI'm　too　dirty　to　come　on　your　white
bed；　I　forgot；　you　won't　like　it；〃　added　she；　in　an　injured　tone。

〃You　are　wet；　you　are　cold；　you　are　tired；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃Stay
here　and　dress；　don't　go　up　in　the　cold。　　There；　sit　by　the　fire　pull
off　your　frock　and　stockings；　and　we　will　send　for　the　others。　　Let
me　see　you　look　comfortablethere。　　Now　tell　me　who　threw　cold
water。〃

〃It　was　figurative　cold　water；〃　said　Ethel；　smiling　for　a　moment。　　〃I
was　only　silly　enough　to　tell　Richard　my　plan；　and　it's　horrid　to
talk　to　a　person　who　only　thinks　one　high…flying　and　nonsensicaland
then　came　the　dirt。〃

〃But　what　was　the　scheme；　Ethel？〃

〃Cocksmoor；〃　said　Ethel；　proceeding　to　unfold　it。

〃I　wish　we　could；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃It　would　be　an　excellent　thing。
But　how　did　Richard　vex　you？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Ethel；　〃only　he　thought　it　would　not　do。
Perhaps　he　said　right；　but　it　was　coldly；　and　he　smiled。〃

〃He　is　too　sober…minded　for　our　flights；〃　said　Margaret。　　I　know　the
feeling　of　it；　Ethel　dear；　but　you　know　if　he　did　see　that　some　of
your　plans　might　not　answer；　it　is　no　reason　you　should　not　try　to　do
something　at　once。　　You　have　not　told　me　about　the　girl。〃

Ethel　proceeded　to　tell　the　history。　　〃There！〃　said　Margaret
cheerfully；　〃there　are　two　ways　of　helping　Cocksmoor　already。　　Could
you　not　make　some　clothes　for　the　two　grandchildren？　　I　could　help
you　a　little；　and　then；　if　they　were　well　clothed；　you　might　get　them
to　come　to　the　Sunday…school。　　And　as　to　the　twins；　I　wonder　what　the
hire　of　a　cart　would　be　to　bring　the　christening　party？　　It　is　just
what　Richard　could　manage。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　those　are　only　little　isolated　individual
things！　〃

〃But　one　must　make　a　beginning。〃

〃Then；　Margaret；　you　think　it　was　a　real　vow？　　You　don't　think　it
silly　of　me？〃　said　Ethel　wistfully。

〃Ethel；　dear；　I　don't　think　dear　mamma　would　say　we　ought　to　make
vows；　except　what　the　church　decrees　for　us。　　I　don't　think　she　would
like　the　notion　of　your　considering　yourself　pledged；　but　I　do　think；
that；　after　all　you　have　said　and　felt　about　Cocksmoor；　and　being　led
there　on　that　day；　it　does　seem　as　if　we　might　be　intended　to　make　it
our　especial　charge。〃

〃Oh；　Margaret；　I　am　glad　you　say　so。　　You　always　understand。〃

〃But　you　know　we　are　so　young；　that　now　we　have　not　her　to　judge　for
us；　we　must　only　do　little　things　that　we　are　quite　sure　of；　or　we
shall　get　wrong。〃

〃That's　not　the　way　great　things　were　done。〃

〃I　don't　know；　Ethel；　I　think　great　things　can't　be　good　unless　they
stand　on　a　sure　foundation　of　little　ones。〃

〃Well；　I　believe　Richard　was　right；　and　it　would　not　do　to　begin　on
Sunday；　but　he　was　so　tame；　and　then　my　frock；　and　the　horrid
deficiency　in　those　little　neatnesses。〃

〃Perhaps　that　is　good　for　you　in　one　way；　you　might　get　very　high…
flying　if　you　had　not　the　discipline　of　those　little　tiresome　things；
correcting　them　will　help　you；　and　keep　your　high　things　trom　being
all　romance。　　I　know　dear　mamma　used　to　say　so；　that　the　trying　to
conquer　them　was　a　help　to　you。　　Oh；　here's　Mary！　　Mary；　will　you　get
Ethel's　dressing　things？　　She　has　come　home　wet…footed　and　cold；　and
has　been　warming　herself　by　my　fire。〃

Mary　was　happy　to　help；　and　Ethel　was　dressed　and　cheered　by　the　time
Dr。　May　came　in；　for　a　hurried　visit　and　report　of　his　doings；　Flora
followed　on　her　way　from　her　room。　　Then　all　went　to　tea；　leaving
Margaret　to　have　a　visit　from　the　little　ones　under　charge　of　nurse。
Two　hours'　stay　with　her；　that　precious　time　when　she　knew　that　sad
as　the　talk　often　was；　it　was　truly　a　comfort　to　him。　　It　ended　when
ten　o'clock　struck；　and　he　went　downMargaret　hearing　the　bell；　the
sounds　of　the　assembling　servants；　the　shutting　of　the　door；　the
stillness　of　prayer…time；　the　opening　again；　the　feet　moving　off　in
different　directions；　then　brothers　and　sisters　coming　in　to　kiss　her
and　bid　her　good…night；　nurse　and　Flora　arranging　her　for　the　night；
Flora　coming　to　sleep　in　her　little　bed　in　the　corner　of　the　room；
and；　lastly；　her　father's　tender　good…night；　and　melancholy　look　at
her；　and　all　was　quiet；　except　the　low　voices　and　movements　as
Richard　attended　him　in　his　own　room。

Margaret　could　think：　〃Dear；　dear　Ethel；　how　noble　and　high　she　is！
But　I　am　afraid！　　It　is　what　people　call　a　difficult；　dangerous　age；
and　the　grander　she　is；　the　greater　danger　of　not　managing　her
rightly。　　If　those　high　purposes　should　run　only　into　romance　like
mine；　or　grow　out　into　eccentricities　and　unfemininesses；　what　a
grievous　pity　it　would　be！　　And　I；　so　little　older；　so　much　less
clever；　with　just　sympathy　enough　not　to　be　a　wise　restraintI　am
the　person　who　has　the　responsibility；　and　oh；　what　shall　I　do？
Mamma　trusted　to　me　to　be　a　mother　to　them；　papa　looks　to　me；　and　I
so　unfit；　besides　this　helplessness。　　But　God　sent　it；　and　put　me　in
my　place。　　He　made　me　lie　here；　and　will　raise　me　up　if　it　is　good；
so　I　trust　He　will　help　me　with　my　sisters。〃

〃Grant　me　to　have　a　right　judgment　in　all　things；　and　evermore　to
rejoice　in　Thy　holy　comfort。〃




CHAPTER　VII。



Something　between　a　hindrance　and　a　help。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WORDSWORTH。


Etheldred　awoke　long　before　time　for　getting　up；　and　lay　pondering
over　her　visions。　　Margaret　had　sympathised；　and　therefore　they　did
not　seem　entirely　aerial。　　To　earn　money　by　writing　was　her　favourite
plan；　and　she　called　her　various　romances　in　turn　before　her　memory；
to　judge　which　might　be　brought　down　to　sober　pen　and　ink。　　She
considered　till　it　became　not　too　unreasonably　early　to　get　up。　　It
was　dark；　but　there　was　a　little　light　close　to　the　window：　she　had
no　writing…paper；　but　she　would　interline　her　old　exercise…book。
Down　she　ran；　and　crouching　in　the　school…room　window…seat；　she　wrote
on　in　a　trance　of　eager　composition；　till　Norman　called　her；　as　he
went　to　school；　to　help　him　to　find　a　book。

This　done；　she　went　up　to　visit　Margaret；　to　tell　her　the　story；　and
consult　her。　　But　this　was　not　so　easy。　　She　found　Margaret　with
little　Daisy　lying　by　her；　and　Tom　sitting　by　the　fire　over　his
Latin。

〃Oh；　Ethel；　good…morning；　dear！　you　are　come　just　in　time。〃

〃To　take　baby？〃　said　Ethel；　as　the　child　was　fretting　a　little。

〃Yes；　thank　you；　she　has　been　very　good；　but　she　was　tired　of　lying
here；　and　I　can't　move　her　about；〃　said　Margaret。

〃Oh；　Margaret；　I　have　such　a　plan；〃　said　Ethel；　as　she　walked　about
with　little　Gertrude；　but　Tom　interrupted。

〃Margaret；　will　you　see　if　I　can　say　my　lesson？〃　and　the　thumbed
Latin　grammar　came　across　her　just　as　Dr。　May's　door　opened；　and　he
came　in　exclaiming；　〃Latin　grammar！　　Margaret；　this　is　really　too
much　for　you。　　Good…morning；　my　dears。　　Ha！　Tommy；　take　your　book
away；　my　boy。　　You　must　not　inflict　that　on　sister　now。　　There's　your
regular　master；　Richard；　in　my　room；　if　it　is　fit　for　his　ears　yet。
What；　the　little　one　here　too？〃

〃How　is　your　arm；　papa？〃　said　Margaret。　　〃Did　it　keep　you　awake？〃

〃Not　longit　set　me　dreaming　though；　and　a　very　romantic　dream　it
was；　worthy　of　Ethel　herself。〃

〃What　was　it；　papa？〃

〃Oh；　it　was　an　odd　thing；　joining　on　strangely　enough　with　one　I　had
three　or　four　and　twenty　years　ago；　when　I　was　a　young　man；　hearing
lectures　at　Edinburgh；　and　courting〃he　stopped；　and　felt　Margaret's
pulse；　asked　her　a　few　questions；　and　t