the daisy chain, or aspirations-第170节

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slight　were　real；　it　ought　to　be　borne　forgivingly；　and　not　brooded
over。　　Ah！　you　are　laughing；　perhaps　you　have　said　the　same　about
me。〃

〃You　would　forgive　it　now；　I　think；〃　said　Ethel。

〃I　never　thought　I　did　not　forgive。　　I　did　not　see　that　brooding　over
vexations　was　not　pardoning　them。　　I　have　told　her　so　now；　and；　oh！
if　she　could　but　have　seen　how　true　sorrows　are　borne　here；　she　would
be　cured；　like　me；　of　making　imaginary　ones。〃

〃None　could　help　being　better　for　living　with　papa；〃　said　Ethel。

Ethel　made　Miss　Bracy　happy　by　a　kiss　before　she　left　her。　　It　was　a
cheering　belief　that；　whatever　the　future　trials　of　her　life　might
be；　the　gentle　little　lady　would　meet　them　with　a　healthier　mind；
more　vigorous　in　overlooking　troubles　and　without　punctilious
sensitiveness　on　the　lookout　for　affronts。　　〃Believing　all　things；
bearing　all　things；　hoping　all　things；　enduring　all　things；〃　would　be
to　her　the　true　secret　of　serenity　of　spirits。

Ethel　might　not　have　been　blameless　or　consistent　in　her　dealings　in
this　difficult　intercourse；　but　her　kind　heart；　upright　intention；
and　force　of　character；　had　influence　far　beyond　her　own　perception。
Indeed；　she　knew　not　that　she　had　personal　influence　at　all；　but　went
on　in　her　own　straightforward　humility。




CHAPTER　XXIV。



〃Enough　of　foresight　sad；　too　much
　Of　retrospect　have　I；
And　well　for　me；　that　I；　sometimes；
　Can　put　those　feelings　by。

There　speaks　the　man　we　knew　of　yore；
　Well　pleased；　I　hear　them　say；
Such　was　he；　in　his　lighter　moods；
　Before　our　heads　were　gray。

Buoyant　he　was　in　spirit；　quick
　Of　fancy；　light　of　heart；
And　care；　and　time；　and　change　have　left
　Untouch'd　his　better　part。〃SOUTHEY。


Etheldred　May　and　Meta　Rivers　were　together　in　the　drawing…room。　　The
timepiece　pointed　towards　ten　o'clock；　but　the　tea…things　were　on　the
table；　prepared　for　a　meal；　the　lamp　shone　with　a　sort　of
consciousness；　and　Ethel　moved　restlessly　about；　sometimes　settling
her　tea　equipage；　sometimes　putting　away　a　stray　book；　or　resorting
by　turns　to　her　book；　or　to　work　a　red　and　gold　scroll　on　coarse
canvas；　on　the　other　end　of　which　Meta　was　employed。

〃Nervous；　Ethel？〃　said　Meta；　looking　up　with　a　merry　provoking　smile；
knowing　how　much　the　word　would　displease。

〃That　is　for　you；〃　retorted　Ethel；　preferring　to　carry　the　war　into
the　enemy's　quarters。　　〃What；　don't　you　know　that　prudent　people　say
that　your　fate　depends　on　her　report？〃

〃At　least；〃　said　Meta；　laughing；　〃she　is　a　living　instance　that　every
one　is　not　eaten　up；　and　we　shall　see　if　she　fulfils　Tom's　prediction
of　being　tattooed；　or　of　having　a　slice　out　of　the　fattest　part　of
her　cheek。〃

〃I　know　very　well；〃　said　Ethel；　〃the　worst　she　said　it　would　be；　the
more　you　would　go。〃

〃Not　quite　that；〃　said　Meta；　blushing；　and　looking　down。

〃Come；　don't　be　deceitful！〃　said　Ethel。　　〃You　know　very　well　that　you
are　still　more　bent　on　it　than　you　were　last　year。〃

〃To　be　sure　I　am！〃　said　Meta；　looking　up　with　a　sudden　beamy　flash　of
her　dark　eyes。　　〃Norman　and　I　know　each　other　so　much　better　now；〃
she　added；　rather　falteringly。

〃Ay！　　I　know　you　are　ready　to　go　through　thick　and　thin；　and　that　is
why　I　give　my　consent　and　approbation。　　You　are　not　to　be　stopped　for
nonsense。〃

〃Not　for　nonsense；　certainly；〃　said　Meta；　〃but〃and　her　voice　became
tremulous〃if　Dr。　May　deliberately　said　it　would　be　wrong；　and　that
I　should　be　an　encumbrance　and　perplexity；　I　am　making　up　my　mind　to
the　chance。〃

〃But　what　would　you　do？〃　asked　Ethel。

〃I　don't　know。　　You　should　not　ask　such　questions；　Ethel。〃

〃Well！　it　won't　happen；　so　it　is　no　use　to　talk　about　it；〃　said
Ethel。　　〃Fancy　my　having　made　you　cry。〃

〃Very　silly　of　me；〃　said　Meta；　brightening　and　laughing；　but　sighing。
〃I　am　only　afraid　Mrs。　Arnott　may　think　me　individually　unfit　for　the
kind　of　life；　as　if　I　could　not　do　what　other　women　can。　　Do　I　look
so？〃

〃You　look　as　if　you　were　meant　to　be　put　under　a　glass　case！〃　said
Ethel；　surveying　the　little　elegant　figure；　whose　great
characteristic　was　a　look　of　exquisite　finish；　not　only　in　the
features　and　colouring；　the　turn　of　the　head；　and　the　shape　of　the
small　rosy…tipped　fingers；　but　in　everything　she　wore；　from　the
braids　of　black　silk　hair；　to　the　little　shoe　on　her　foot；　and　even
in　the　very　lightness　and　gaiety　of　her　movements。

〃Oh；　Ethel！〃　cried　Meta；　springing　up　in　dismay；　and　looking　at
herself　in　the　glass。　　〃What　is　the　matter　with　me？　　Do　tell　me！〃

〃You'll　never　get　rid　of　it；〃　said　Ethel；　〃unless　you　get　yourself
tattooed！　　Even　separation　from　Bellairs　hasn't　answered。　　And；　after
all；　I　don't　think　it　would　be　any　satisfaction　to　Norman　or　papa。　　I
assure　you；　Meta；　whatever　you　may　think　of　it；　it　is　not　so　much
bother　to　be　prettier　than　needful；　as　it　is　to　be　uglier　than
needful。〃

〃What　is　needful？〃　said　Meta；　much　amused。

〃I　suppose　to　be　like　Mary；　so　that　nobody　should　take　notice　of　one；
but　that　one's　own　people　may　have　the　satisfaction　of　saying；　'she
is　pleasing；'　or　'she　is　in　good　looks。'　　I　think　Gertrude　will　come
to　that。　　That's　one　comfort。〃

〃That　is　your　own　case；　Ethel。　　I　have　heard　those　very　things　said
of　you。〃

〃Of　my　hatchet　face！〃　said　Ethel　contemptuously。　　〃Some　one　must　have
been　desperately　bent　on　flattering　the　Member's　family。〃

〃I　could　repeat　more；〃　said　Meta；　〃if　I　were　to　go　back　to　the
Commemoration；　and　to　the　day　you　went　home。〃

Ethel　crimsoned；　and　made　a　sign　with　her　hand；　exclaiming；　〃Hark！〃

〃It　went　past。〃

〃It　was　the　omnibus。　　She　must　be　walking　down！〃　Ethel　breathed
short；　and　wandered　aimlessly　about；　Meta　put　her　arm　round　her
waist。

〃I　did　not　think　this　would　be　so　much　to　you；〃　she　said。

〃Oh；　Meta；　it　seems　like　dear　mamma　coming　to　see　how　we　have　been
going　on。　　And　then　papa！　　I　wish　I　had　gone　up　to　the　station　with
him。〃

〃He　has　Richard。〃

〃Ay；　but　I　am　afraid　Margaret　is　listening　and　will　be　restless；　and
have　a　palpitation；　and　I　can't　go　and　see；　or　I　shall　disturb　her。
Oh；　I　wish　it　were　over。〃

Meta　stroked　her；　and　soothed　her；　and　assured　her　that　all　would　do
well；　and　presently　they　heard　the　click　of　the　door。　　Ethel　flew
into　the　hall；　where　she　stopped　short；　her　heart　beating　high　at　the
sound　of　overpoweringly　familiar　accents。

She　was　almost　relieved　by　detecting　otherwise　little　resemblance；
the　height　was　nearly　the　same；　but　there　was　not　the　plump　softness
of　outline。　　Mrs。　Arnott　was　small；　thin；　brisk　and　active；　with　a
vivacious　countenance；　once　evidently　very　fair　and　pretty；　but　aged
and　worn　by　toil；　not　trouble；　for　the　furrows　were　the　traces　of
smiles　around　her　merry　mouth；　and　beautiful　blue　eyes；　that　had　a
tendency　lo　laugh　and　cry　both　at　once。　　Dr。　May　who　had　led　her　into
the　light；　seemed　to　be　looking　her　all　over；　while　Richard　was
taking　the　wraps　from　her；　and　Ethel　tried　to　encourage　herself　to　go
forward。

〃Ay！〃　said　the　doctor；　kissing　her。　　〃I　see　you；　Flora；　now。　　I　have
found　you　again。〃

〃I　found　you　as　soon　as　I　heard　your　voice；　Richard；〃　said　she。　　〃And
now　for　the　bairnies。〃

〃Here　is　one；　but　there　is　but　a　poor　show　forthcoming　to…night。　　Do
you　know　her？〃

There　was　an　unspeakable　joy　in　being　pressed　in　Aunt　Flora's　arms；
like　a　returning　beam　from　the　sunshine　of　seven　years　ago。

〃This　must　be　Ethel！　　My　dear；　how　you　tower　above　meyou　that　I
left　in　arms！　　And；〃　as　she　advanced　into　the　drawing…room〃why；
surely　this　is　not　Margaret！〃

〃A　Margaretnot　the　Margaret。　　I　wish　I　were；〃　said　Meta；　as　Mrs。
Arnott　stood　with　an　arm　on　her　shoulder；　in　the　midst　of　an　embrace；
Dr。　May　enjoying　her　perplexity　and　Meta's　blushes。　　〃See；　Flora；
these　black　locks　never　belonged　to　Calton　Hill　daisies；　yet　a　daisy
of　my　own　she　is。　　Can't　you　guess？〃

〃Miss　Rivers！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Arnott；　and　though　she　kissed　her
cordially；　Meta　suspected　a　little　doubt　and　disappointment。

〃Yes；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃We　change　Mary　for　this　little　woman　as
Flora's　lady…in…waiting；　when　she　and　her　husband　go　out　yachting　and
shooling。〃

〃Flora　and　her　husband！　　There's　a　marvellous　sound！　　Where　are
they？〃

〃They　are　staying　at　Eccleswood　Castle；〃　said　Ethel；　〃and　Mary　with
them。　　They　would　have　been　at　home　to　receive　you；　but　your　note
yesterday　took　us　all　by　surprise。　　Norman　is　away　too；　at　a　college
meeting。〃

〃And　Margaretmy　Margaret！　　Does　not　she　come　downstairs？〃

〃Ah！　poor　dear；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃she　has　not　been　in　this　room　since
that　sultry　day　in　July。〃

〃The　eighteenth；〃　said　Richard；　the　precision　of　the　date　marking　but
too　well　the　consciousness　that　it　was　an　epoch。

〃We　can　keep　her　quieter　upstairs；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃but　you　must　not
see　her　to…night。　　She　will　enjoy　you　very　much　to…morrow；　but
excitement　at　night　always　does　her　harm；　so　we　put　her　to　bed；　and
told　her　to　think　about　no　one。〃

Mrs。　Arnott　looked　at　him　as　if　longing；　but　dreading；　to　ask
further；　and　allowed　her　nephew　and　niece　to　seat　her　at　the　table；
and　attend　to　her　wants；　before　she　spoke　again。　　〃Then　the　babies。〃

〃We　don't　keep　babies；　Gertrude　would　tell　you；〃　said　Dr。　May。
〃There　are　three　great　cre