the daisy chain, or aspirations-第171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！



〃We　don't　keep　babies；　Gertrude　would　tell　you；〃　said　Dr。　May。
〃There　are　three　great　creatures；　whom　Ethel　barbarously　ordered　off
to　bed。　　Ethel　is　master　here；　you　must　know；　Florawe　all　mind　what
she　says。〃

〃Oh；　papa；〃　pleaded　Ethel；　distressed；　〃you　know　it　was　because　I
thought　numbers　might　be　oppressive。〃

〃I　never　dispute；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃We　bow　to　a　beneficial　despotism；
and　never　rebel；　do　we；　Meta？〃

Seeing　that　Ethel　took　the　imputation　to　heart；　Meta　rejoined；　　〃You
are　making　Mrs。　Arnott　think　her　the　strong…minded　woman　of　the
family；　who　winds　up　the　clock　and　cuts　the　bread。〃

〃No；　that　she　makes　you　do；　when　the　boys　are　away。〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Ethel；　〃I　can't　be　vituperated　about　hunches　of
bread。　　I　have　quite　enough　to　bear　on　the　score　of　tea。〃

〃Your　tea　is　very　good；〃　said　Richard。

〃See　how　they　propitiate　her；〃　maliciously　observed　the　doctor。

〃Not　at　all；　it　is　Richard　standing　up　for　his　pupil；〃　said　Ethel。
〃It　is　all　very　well　now；　with　people　who　know　the　capacities　of
mortal　tea；　but　the　boys　expect　it　to　last　from　seven　o'clock　to　ten；
through　an　unlimited　number　of　cups；　till　I　have　announced　that　a
teapot　must　be　carved　on　my　tombstone；　with　an　epitaph；　'Died　of
unreasonable　requirements。'〃

Mrs。　Arnott　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　amused；　observant；　and
perceiving　that　they　were　all　under　that　form　of　shyness　which　brings
up　family　wit　to　hide　embarrassment　or　emotion。

〃Is　Harry　one　of　these　unreasonable　boys？〃　she　asked。　　〃My　dear
HarryI　presume　Ethel　has　not　sent　him　to　bed。　　Is　there　any　hope　of
my　seeing　him？〃

〃Great　hope；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃He　has　been　in　the　Baltic　fleet；　a
pretty　little　summer　trip；　from　which　we　expect　him　to　return　any
day。　　My　old　Lion！　　I　am　glad　you　had　him　for　a　little　while；　Flora。

〃Dear　fellow！　his　only　fault　was　being　homesick；　and　making　me　catch
the　infection。〃

〃I　am　glad　you　did　not　put　off　your　coming；〃　said　Dr。　May　gravely。

〃You　are　in　time　for　the　consecration；〃　said　Richard。

〃Ah！　Cocksmoor！　　When　will　it　take　place？〃

〃On　St。　Andrew's　Day。　　It　is　St。　Andrew's　Church；　and　the　bishop
fixed　the　day；　otherwise　it　is　a　disappointment　that　Hector　cannot　be
present。〃

〃Hector？〃

〃Hector　Ernescliffepoor　Alan's　brother；　whom　we　don't　well　know
from　ourselves。〃

〃And　you　are　curate；　Ritchie？〃　said　his　aunt〃if　I　may　still　call
you　so。　　You　are　not　a　bit　altered　from　the　mouse　you　used　to　be。〃

〃Church　mouse　to　Cocksmoor；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃nearly　as　poor。　　We　are
to　invest　his　patrimony　in　a　parsonage　as　soon　as　our　architect　in
ordinary　can　find　time　for　it。　　Spenceryou　remember　him？〃

〃I　remember　how　you　and　he　used　to　be　inseparable！　　And　he　has
settled　down；　at　last；　by　your　side？〃

〃The　two　old　doctors　hope　to　bolster　each　other　up　till　Mr。　Tom　comes
down　with　modern　science　in　full　force。　　That　boy　will　do　great
thingshe　has　as　clear　a　head　as　I　ever　knew。〃

〃And　more〃　said　Ethel。

〃Ay；　as　sound　a　heart。　　I　must　find　you　his　tutor's　letter；　Flora。
They　have　had　a　row　in　his　tutor's　house　at　Eton；　and　our　boys　made　a
gallant　stand　for　the　right；　Tom　especially；　guarding　the　little
fellows　in　a　way　that　does　one　good　to　hear　of。〃

〃'I　must　express　my　strong　sense　of　gratitude　for　his　truth；
uprightness；　and　moral　courage；'〃　quoted　Meta。

〃Ah；　ha！　you　have　learned　it　by　heart！　　I　know　you　copied　it　out　for
Norman；　who　has　the　best　right　to　rejoice。〃

〃You　have　a　set　of　children　to　be　proud　of；　Richard！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。
Arnott。

〃To　be　surprised　atto　be　thankful　for；〃　said　Dr。　May；　almost
inarticulately。

To　see　her　father　so　happy　with　Mrs。　Arnott　necessarily　drew　Ethel's
heart　towards　her；　and；　when　they　had　bidden　him　goodnight；　the　aunt
instantly　assumed　a　caressing　confidence　towards　Ethel；　particularly
comfortable　to　one　consciously　backward　and　awkward；　and　making　her
feel　as　intimate　as　if　the　whole　space　of　her　rational　life　had　not
elapsed　since　their　last　meeting。

〃Must　you　go；　my　dear？〃　said　her　aunt；　detaining　her　over　her　fire。
〃I　can't　tell　how　to　spare　you。　　I　want　to　hear　of　your　dear　father。
He　looks　aged　and　thin；　Ethel；　and　yet　that　sweet　expression　is　the
same　as　ever。　　Is　he　very　anxious　about　poor　Margaret？〃

〃Not　exactly　anxious；〃　said　Ethel　mournfully〃there　is　not　much　room
for　that。〃

〃My　dear　Ethelyou　don't　mean？I　thought〃

〃I　suppose　we　ought　to　have　written　more　fully；〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　it
has　been　very　gradual；　and　we　never　say　it　to　ourselves。　　She　is　as
bright；　and　happy；　and　comfortable　as　ever；　in　general；　and；　perhaps；
may　be　so　for　a　long　time　yet；　but　each　attack　weakens　her。〃

〃What　kind　of　attack？〃

〃Faintness…sinking。　　It　is　suspended　action　of　the　heart。　　The　injury
to　the　spine　deranged　the　system；　and　then　the　long　suspense；　and　the
shock　It　is　not　one　thing　more　than　another；　but　it　must　go　on。
Dr。　Spencer　will　tell　you。　　You　won't　ask　papa　too　much　about　it？〃

〃No；　indeed。　　And　he　bears　it〃

〃He　bears　everything。　　Strength　comes　up　out　of　his　great　lovingness。
But；　oh！　I　sometimes　long　that　he　may　never　have　any　more　sorrows。〃

〃My　poor　child！〃　said　Mrs。　Arnott；　putting　her　arm　round　her　niece's
waist。

Ethel　rested　her　head　on　her　shoulder。　　〃Aunt　Flora！　　Aunt　Flora！　　If
any　words　could　tell　what　Margaret　has　been　ever　since　we　were　left。
Oh；　don't　make　me　talk　or　think　of　ourselves　without　her。　　It　is
wrong　to　wish。　　And　when　you　see　her；　that　dear　face　of　hers　will
make　you　happy　in　the　present。　　Then；〃　added　Ethel；　not　able　to　leave
off　with　such　a　subject；　〃you　have　our　Norman　to　see。〃

〃Ah！　　Norman's　project　is　too　delightful　to　us；　but　I　fear　what　it
may　be　to　your　father。〃

〃He　gives　dear　Norman；　as　his　most　precious　gift；　the　flower　and
pride　of　us　all。〃

〃But；　Ethel；　I　am　quite　frightened　at　Miss　Rivers's　looks。　　Is　it
possible　that〃

〃Aunt　Flora；〃　broke　in　Ethel；　〃don't　say　a　word　against　it。　　The
choicest　goods　wear　the　best；　and　whatever　woman　can　do；　Meta　Rivers
can。　　Norman　is　a　great　tall　fellow；　as　clever　as　possible；　but
perfectly　feckless。　　If　you　had　him　there　alone；　he　would　be　a　bee
without　a　queen。〃

〃Well；　but〃

〃Listen；〃　continued　Ethel。　　〃Meta　is　a　concentration　of　spirit　and
energy；　delights　in　practical　matters；　is　twice　the　housewife　I　am；
and　does　all　like　an　accomplishment。　　Between　them；　they　will　make　a
noble　missionary〃

〃But　she　looks〃

〃Hush；〃　continued　the　niece。　　〃You　will　think　me　domineering；　but
please　don't　give　any　judgment　without　seeing；　for　they　look　to　you
as　an　arbitrator；　and　casual　words　will　weigh。〃

〃Thank　you；　Ethel；　perhaps　you　are　right。　　When　does　he　think　of
coming　out？〃

〃When　he　is　ordainedsome　time　next　year。〃

〃Does　she　live　with　you？〃

〃I　suppose　she　lives　with　Flora；　but　we　always　manage　to　get　her　when
Norman　is　at　home。〃

〃You　have　told　me　nothing　of　Flora　or　Mary。〃

〃I　have　little　real　to　tell。　　Good　old　Mary！　　I　dare　say　Harry　talked
to　you　plentifully　of　her。　　She　is　aa　nice　old　darling；〃　said　Ethel
fondly。　　〃We　want　her　again　very　much；　and　did　not　quite　bargain　for
the　succession　of　smart　visits　that　she　has　been　paying。〃

〃With　Flora？〃

〃Yes。　　Unluckily　George　Rivers　has　taken　an　aversion　to　the　Grange；
and　I　have　not　seen　Flora　this　whole　year。〃

Ethel　stopped　short；　and　said　that　she　must　not　keep　Margaret
expecting　her。　　Perhaps　her　aunt　guessed　that　she　had　touched　the
true　chord　of　anxiety。

The　morning　brought　a　cheering　account　of　Margaret；　and　Mrs。　Arnott
was　to　see　her　directly　after　breakfast。　　In　the　meantime；　the　firm
limbs；　blue　eyes；　and　rosy　face　of　Gertrude　seemed　a　fair
representation　of　the　little　bride's…maid；　whom　she　remembered。

A　very　different　niece　did　she　find　upstairs；　though　the　smiling；
overflowing　eyes；　and　the　fond；　eager　look　of　recognition；　as　if
asking　to　be　taken　to　her　bosom；　had　in　them　all　the　familiarity　of
old　tenderness。　　〃Auntie！　dear　auntie！　that　you　should　have　come　back
to　me　again！〃

Mrs。　Arnott　fondly　caressed　her；　but　could　not　speak　at　first；　for
even　her　conversation　with　Ethel　had　not　prepared　her　for　so　wasted
and　broken　an　appearance。　　Dr。　May　spoke　briskly　of　Margaret's　having
behaved　very　well　and　slept　like　a　good　child；　told　Margaret　where　he
had　to　go　that　morning；　and　pointed　out　to　Mrs。　Arnott　some　relics　of
herself　still　remaining；　but　the　nervous　tremulousness　of　manner　did
not　much　comfort　her；　although　Margaret　answered　cheerfully。　　Nothing
was　so　effectual　in　composing　the　aunt　as　Aubrey's　coming　headlong　in
to　announce　the　gig；　and　to　explain　to　Margaret　his　last　design　for　a
cathedraldrawing　plans　being　just　now　his　favourite　sport。

〃Architecture　is　all　our　rage　at　present；〃　said　Margaret；　as　her
father　hurried　away。

〃I　am　so　glad　to　have　come　in　time　for　the　consecration！〃　said　Mrs。
Arnott；　following　her　niece's　lead。　　〃Is　that　a　model　of　the　church？〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　cried　Margaret；　lighting　up。　　〃Richard　made　it　for　me。〃

〃May　I　show　it　to　Aunt　Flora？〃　said　Aubrey。

〃Bring　it　here；　if　you　can　lift　it；〃　said　Margaret；　and；　Aunt　Flora
helping；　the　great　cumbersome　thing　was　placed　beside　her；　whilst　she
smiled　and　welcomed　it　like　a　child；　and　began　an　eager　exhibi