the daisy chain, or aspirations-第174节

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childhood；　he　writes　as　if　he　were　perfectly　contented；　and　saw　every
chance　of　happiness。〃

〃None　the　less　for　having　followed　his　father's　wishesI　am　glad　he
did；〃　said　Ethel；　coming　to　her　brother's　side。

〃I　dare　say　you　are　right；〃　was　Meta's　answer；　〃but　I　am　disappointed
in　him。　　He　always　promised　to　come　and　stay　with　you；　and　made　such
friends　at　Oxford；　and　he　never　came。〃

〃I　fancy　there　was　a　good　deal　to　hinder　him；〃　said　Norman；　and；　as
Mrs。　Arnott　proceeded　to　inquiries　after　the　Ogilvies　in　general；　the
master　of　Glenbracken　was　allowed　to　drop。

Meta；　however；　renewed　the　subject　when　walking　to　the　minster　that
evening　with　Norman。

〃You　may　defend　Mr。　Ogilvie；　Norman；　but　it　is　not　what　I　should　have
expected　from　him。　　Why　did　he　make　promises；　and　then　neglect　his
relations？〃

〃I　believe　that　conscientiously　he　did　not　dare　to　come；〃　said
Norman。　　〃I　know　that　he　was　greatly　struck　with　Ethel　at　the　time　of
the　Commemoration；　and　therefore　I　could　never　again　press　him　to
come　here。〃

〃Oh；　Norman；　you　hard…hearted　monster！　　What　a　bad　conductor！〃

〃I　do　not　wish　to　be　a　conductor；〃　said　Norman。　　〃If　you　had　seen
Glenbracken　and　the　old　people；　you　would　perceive　that　it　would　not
have　been　suitable　on　our　part　to　promote　anything　of　the　kind。〃

〃Would　they　have　been　so　violent？〃

〃Not　violent；　but　it　would　have　been　a　severe　struggle。　　They　are
good；　kind　people；　but　with　strong　prejudices；　and；　though　I　have　no
doubt　they　would　have　yielded　to　steady　attachment　on　their　son's
part；　and　such　conduct　as　Ethel's　would　have　been；　I　could　not　lead
in　that　direction。〃

〃Is　that　pride；　Norman？〃

〃I　hope　not。〃

〃It　is　doing　by　others　as　you　were　doing　by　yourself；〃　half　whispered
Meta；　〃but；　after　all；　if　he　had　no　constancy；　Ethel　had　an　escape。〃

〃I　was　afraid　that　she　had　been　rather　touched；　but　I　am　glad　to　find
myself　mistaken。〃

〃If　you　thought　so；　how　could　you　make　such　a　public　announcement？〃

He　laughed。　　〃I　had　made　myself　so　nervous　as　to　the　effect；　that；　in
desperation；　I　took　her　own　way；　and　came　out　at　once　with　it　as
unconsciously　as　I　could。〃

〃Very　naturally　you　acted　unconsciousness！　　It　was　better　than
insulting　her　by　seeming　to　condole。　　Not　that　I　do；　though；　for　she
deserves　more　steadiness　than　he　has　shown！　　If　a　man　could
appreciate　her　at　all；　I　should　have　thought　that　it　would　have　been
once　and　for　ever。〃

〃Remember；　he　had　barely　known　her　a　fortnight；　and　probably　had　no
reason　to　believe　that　he　had　made　any　impression　on　her。　　He　knew
how　such　an　attachment　would　grieve　his　parents；　and；　surely；　he　was
acting　dutifully；　and　with　self…denial　and　consideration；　in　not
putting　himself　in　the　way　of　being　further　attracted。〃

〃Umph！　　You　make　a　good　defence；　Norman；　but　I　cannot　forgive　him　for
marrying　somebody　else；　who　cannot　be　Ethel's　equal。〃

〃She　is　a　good　little　girl；　he　will　form　her；　and　be　very　happy；
perhaps　more　so　than　with　a　great　soul　and　strong　nature　like
Ethel's。〃

〃Only　he　is　a　canny　Scot；　and　not　a　Dr。　Spencer！〃

〃Too　short　acquaintance！　besides；　there　were　the　parents。　　Moreover；
what　would　become　of　home　without　Ethel？〃

〃The　unanswerable　argument　to　make　one　contented；〃　said　Meta。　　And；
certainly；　to　be　wife　to　a　Member　of　Parliament　is　not　so　very
delightful　that　one　would　covet　it　for　her。〃

〃Any　more　than　she　does　for　herself。〃

Norman　was　right　in　his　view　of　his　friend's　motives；　as　well　as　of
Ethel's　present　feelings。　　If　there　had　ever　been　any　disappointment
about　Norman　Ogilvie；　it　had　long　since　faded　away。　　She　had　never
given　away　the　depths　of　her　heart；　though　the　upper　surface　had　been
stirred。　　All　had　long　subsided；　and　she　could　think　freely　of　him　as
an　agreeable　cousin；　in　whose　brilliant　public　career　she　should
always　be　interested；　without　either　a　wish　to　partake　it；　or　a　sense
of　injury　or　neglect。　　She　had　her　vocation；　in　her　father；　Margaret；
the　children；　home；　and　Cocksmoor；　her　mind　and　affections　were
occupied；　and　she　never　thought　of　wishing　herself　elsewhere。

The　new　church　and　the　expected　return　of　her　sisters　engrossed　many
more　of　her　thoughts　than　did　anything　relating　to　Glenbracken。

She　could　not　bear　to　talk　of　Flora；　though　almost　as　uneasy　as　was
Margaret；　and　not　able　to　lay　aside　misgivings；　lest　even　her　good
simple　Mary　might　have　had　her　head　turned　by　gaiety。

Mr。　and　Mrs。　Rivers　arrived　on　the　Saturday　before　the　Tuesday　fixed
for　the　consecration；　and　stopped　on　their　way；　that　they　might　see
Margaret；　deposit　Mary；　and　resume　Meta。

It　was　a　short　visit；　and　all　that　Ethel　could　discover　was；　that
Flora　was　looking　very　ill；　no　longer　able　to　conceal　the　worn　and
fagged　expression　of　her　countenance；　and　evidently　dreadfully
shocked　by　the　sight　of　the　havoc　made　by　disease　on　Margaret's
frame。　　Yet　she　talked　with　composure　of　indifferent　subjectsthe
yacht；　the　visits；　the　Bucephalus；　the　church；　and　the　arrangements
for　St。　Andrew's　Day。　　She　owned　herself　overworked；　and　in　need　of
rest；　and；　as　she　was　not　well　enough　to　venture　on　being　present　at
the　consecration；　she　undertook　to　spend　the　day　with　Margaret；　thus
setting　the　others　at　liberty。　　This　settled；　she　took　her　leave；　for
the　journey　had　fatigued　her　greatly。

During　the　short　visit；　Mary　had　moved　and　spoken　so　quietly；　and
looked　so　well…dressed　and　young…lady…like；　that；　in　spite　of　her
comfortable　plump　cheeks；　Ethel　felt　quite　afraid！

But　the　instant　the　carriage　had　driven　off；　there　was　a　skipping；　a
hugging；　a　screaming；　〃Oh；　it　is　so　nice　to　be　at　home　again！〃and
Ethel　knew　she　had　her　own　Mary。　　It　was　only　a　much　better　looking
and　more　mannerly　Mary；　in　the　full　bloom　of　seventeen；　open　and
honest…faced；　her　profuse　light　hair　prettily　disposed；　her　hands　and
arms　more　civilised；　and　her　powers　of　conversation　and　self…
possession　developed。　　Mary…like　were　her　caresses　of　Gertrude；　Mary…
like　her　inquiries　for　Cocksmoor；　Mary…like　her　insisting　on　bringing
her　boxes　into　Margaret's　room；　her　exulting　exhibition　of　all　the
pretty　things　that　Flora　and　George　had　given　to　her；　and　the　still
more　joyous　bestowal　of　presents　upon　everybody。

Her　tastes　were　not　a　whit　altered；　nor　her　simplicity　diminished。
If　she　was　pleased　by　joining　a　large　dinner…party；　her　satisfaction
was　in　the　amusement　of　seeing　well…dressed　people；　and　a　grand
table；　her　knowledge　of　the　world　only　reached　to　pronouncing
everything　unlike　home；　〃so　funny；〃　she　had　relished　most　freshly　and
innocently　every　pleasure　that　she　could　understand；　she　had　learned
every　variety　of　fancy　work　to　teach　Blanche　and　Miss　Bracy；　had　been
the　delight　of　every　schoolroom　and　nursery；　had　struck　up　numberless
eternal　friendships；　and　correspondences　with　girls　younger　and　shyer
than　herself；　and　her　chief　vexations　seemed　to　have　been　first；　that
Flora　insisted　on　her　being　called　Miss　May；　secondly；　that　all　her
delights　could　not　be　shared　by　every　one　at　home；　and　thirdly；　that
poor　Flora　could　not　bear　to　look　at　little　children。

Grievous　complaints　were　preferred　by　the　dwellers　in　the　attics　the
next　morning；　that　Mary　and　Blanche　had　talked　to　an　unmentionable
hour　of　the　night；　but；　on　the　whole；　Blanche　was　rather　doubtful
whether　Mary　had　made　the　most　of　her　opportunities　of　observation。




CHAPTER　XXV。



Behold；　with　pearls　they　glittering　stand；
Thy　peaceful　gates　to　all　expand；
By　grace　and　strength　divinely　shed；
Each　mortal　thither　may　be　led；
Who；　kindled　by　Christ's　love；　will　dare
All　earthly　sufferings　now　to　bear。

By　many　a　salutary　stroke；
By　many　a　weary　blow；　that　broke；
Or　polished；　with　a　workman's　skill；
The　stones　that　form　that　glorious　pile；
They　all　are　fitly　framed　to　lie
In　their　appointed　place　on　high。
　　　　　　　　Ancient　Hymn　for　the　Dedication　of　a　Church。


The　thirtieth　of　November　dawned　with　the　grave　brightness　of　an
autumn　day；　as　the　sun　slowly　mounted　from　the　golden　east；　drinking
up　the　mists　that　rose　tardily；　leaving　the　grass　thickly　bedewed。

The　bells　of　Stoneborough　Minster　were　ringing　gladsome　peals；　and
the　sunshine　had　newly　touched　the　lime　trees；　whose　last　bright
yellow　leaves　were　gently　floating　down；　as　the　carriage；　from　the
Grange；　drew　up　at　Dr。　May's　door。

Norman　opened　it；　to　claim　Meta　at　once　for　the　walk；　Mrs。　Arnott　and
Mary　had　gone　on　to　assist　Richard　in　his　final　arrangements；　but
even　before　Cocksmoor；　with　Ethel；　was　now　the　care　of　Margaret；　and
she　had　waited　with　her　father　to　keep　all　bustle　from　her　room；　and
to　commit　her　into　the　charge　of　Flora　and　of　nurse。　　Ethel　seemed
quite　unwilling　to　go。　　There　was　that　strange　oppressed　feeling　on
her　as　if　the　attainment　of　her　wishes　were　joy　too　great　to　be　real…
…as　if　she　would　fain　hold　off　from　it　at　the　climax；　and　linger　with
the　sister　who　had　shared　all　with　her；　and　to　whom　that　church　was
even　more　than　to　herself。　　She　came　back；　and　back　again；　with　fresh
injunctions；　sometimes　forgetting　the　very　purpose　of　her　return；　as
if　it　had　been　only　an　excuse　for　looking　at　Margaret's　countenance；
and　drinking　in　her　sympathy　from　her　face；　bu