the daisy chain, or aspirations-第180节

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〃Very　magnanimously；〃　said　Ethel；　smiling。　　〃In　fact；　nurse　has　had
but　little　to　do　with　Daisy　of　late；　and　would　have　been　very　forlorn
at　home。　　It　is　better　for　Aubrey　and　for　her；　not　to　return　to　be
babies　to　comfort　poor　nurse。　　I　have　been　breaking　up　the　nursery；
and　taking　Gertrude　to　live　with　me。〃

〃Have　you　gone　back　there　again？〃

〃It　would　not　have　been　better　for　waiting；〃　said　Ethel；　〃and
Gertrude　was　so　proud　to　come　to　me。　　I　could　not　have　done　it
without　her；　but　papa　must　not　have　vacancy　next　to　him。〃

〃It　has　been　hard　on　you　for　me　to　engross　him；〃　said　Flora；　〃but　oh；
Ethel；　I　could　not　spare　him。　　I　don't　think　even　you　can　tell　what
papa　is。〃

〃You　have　found　it　out；〃　said　Ethel；　in　an　odd；　dry　manner；　which　in
sound；　though　not　in　feeling；　was　a　contrast　to　the　soft；　whispering；
tearful　murmurs　of　her　sister。

〃And　my　aunt！〃　continued　Flora　〃that　I　should　have　taken　up　such　a
great　piece　of　her　short　visit！〃

〃Ah！　it　is　coming　to　an　end　very　fast；〃　said　Ethel；　sighing；　〃but　you
had　the　best　right　to　her；　and　she　and　Meta　have　seen　so　much　of　each
other。　　She　tells　me　she　is　quite　satisfied　about　Meta　now。〃

〃I　am　sorry　to　see　Meta　looking　out　of　spirits；〃　said　Flora。　　〃I
almost　made　her　cry　by　saying　something　about　Norman。　　Is　there
anything　going　wrong？〃

Ethel；　as　usual；　blundered　into　the　subject。　　〃Only　about　Norman's
going　out。〃

Flora　asked　further　questions；　and　she　was　obliged　to　explain。　　It
roused　Flora's　energies　at　once。

〃This　will　never　do！〃　she　said。　　〃They　must　marry；　and　go　with　my
aunt。〃

Ethel　was　aghast。　　〃They　would　not　hear　of　it　now！〃

〃They　must。　　It　is　the　only　reasonable　thing。　　Why；　Norman　would　be
miserable；　and　as　to　Meta　Imagine　his　going　out　and　returninga
year's　work；　such　an　expense　and　loss　of　time；　besides　the　missing
Aunt　Flora。〃

〃If　it　were　not　wrong〃

〃The　waste　would　be　the　wrong　thing。　　Besides〃　and　she　told　of
Margaret's　wishes。

〃But；　Flora；　thinkthe　last　week　in　Februaryand　you　so　ill！〃

〃I　am　not　to　marry　them；〃　said　Flora；　smiling。　　〃If　it　could　be　in　a
fortnight；　they　could　go　and　get　their　outfit　afterwards；　and　come
back　to　us　when　I　am　stronger。　　Let　me　seethere　need　be　no　fuss
about　settlementsMr。　Rivers's　will　arranges　everything　for　her。〃

〃It　would　be　a　good　thing　to　get　rid　of　a　fine　wedding；〃　said　Ethel；
〃but　they　will　never　consent！〃

〃Yes；　they　will；　and　be　grateful。〃

〃Papa　would　be　happier　about　Norman；〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　I　cannot　fancy
his　liking　it。　　And　youyou　can't　spare　Meta；　for　Aunt　Flora　must　go
to　the　Arnotts'　in　a　week　or　two　more。〃

〃Suppose　papa　was　to　let　me　have　you；〃　said　Flora。　　〃If　he　wants　you；
he　must　come　after　you。〃

Ethel　gasped　at　the　thought　that　her　occupation　at　home　was　gone；　but
she　said；　〃If　I　am　not　too　awkward　for　you；　dear　Flora。　　You　will
miss　Meta　terribly。〃

〃I　can't　keep　the　humming…bird　caged；　with　her　heart　far　away；〃　said
Flora。

Dr。　May　came　in　to　break　up　the　conversation；　and　Ethel　quickly
guessed　from　his　manner　that　Norman　had　been　talking　to　him。　　Flora
told　him　that　she　had　been　agreeing　with　Ethel　that　Meta　had　much
better　not　miss　this　opportunity。　　He　was　far　less　startled　than
Ethel　had　expected；　indeed；　the　proposal　was　rather　a　relief　to　his
mind；　and　his　chief　objection　was　the　fear　that　Flora　would　be
fatigued　by　the　extra　bustle；　but　she　promised　not　to　trouble　herself
about　it；　otherwise　than　that　if　Norman　could　not　persuade　Meta；　she
would。　　The　sisters　parted；　much　more　comfortable　than　before。　　Ethel
felt　as　if　she　had　found　something　like　a　dim　reflection　of　Margaret；
and　Flora's　fear　of　Ethel　had　fled　away　from　the　mere　force　of
sisterhood。

As　to　Norman；　he　declared　that　he　had　not　the　audacity　to　make　the
proposal　to　Meta；　though　he　was　only　too　grateful；　so　his　father
carried　it　to　the　humming…bird；　and；　as　soon　as　she　found　that　it　was
not　improper；　nor　would　hurt　any　one's　feelings；　she　gave　ready
consentonly　begging　that　it　might　be　as　best　suited　every　one；
especially　Flora；　and　ending　by　a　whisper　to　her　dear　fatherly
friend；　owning　that　she　was　〃very　gladshe　meant　she　was　very　glad
there　would　be　nobody　there。〃

So　Norman　and　Meta　settled　their　plans　as　they　walked　home　together
from　evening　service；　after　listening　to　the　prophecies　of　the
blessings　to　be　spread　into　the　waste　and　desolate　places；　which
should　yet　become　the　heritage　of　the　Chosen；　and　with　the　evening
star　shining　on　them；　like　a　faint　reflex　of　the　Star　of　the　East；
Who　came　to　be　a　Light　to　lighten　the　Gentiles。




CHAPTER　XXVII。



Euna　delle　facolta　singolari　ed　incommunicabili　della　religione
Cristiana　questa；　di　poter　dare　indirizzo　e　quiete　a　chiunoque；　in
qualsivoglia　congiuntura；　a　qualsivoglia　termine；　ricorra　ad　essa。
Se　al　passato　v'e　rimedio；　essa　lo　prescrive；　lo　somministra；　presta
lume　e　vigore　per　metterlo　in　opera　a　qualunque　costo；　se　non　v'e；
essa　da　il；　modo　di　fare　realmento　e　in　effeto；　cio　che　1'　uom　dice
in　proverbio；　della　necessita　virtu。　　Insegna　a　continuare　con
sapienza　cio　che　e　stato　intrapreso　per　leggerezza；　piega　l'animo　ad
abbracciare　con　propensione　cio　che　e　stato　imposto　dalla　prepotenza；
e　da　ad　un　elezione　che　fu　temeraria；　ma　che　e　irrevocabile；　tutta　la
santita；　tutto　il　consiglio；　diciamolo　pur　francamenta；　tutte　le
gioje　della　vocazione。MANZONI。


The　wedding…day　was　fixed　for　the　20th　of　January；　since　it　was　less
risk　to　Flora　as　an　absolute　invalid；　than　as　convalescent　enough　to
take　any　share　in　the　doings。

Meta　managed　her　correspondence　with　her　own　relatives；　and　obtained
her　uncle's　kind　approval；　since　he　saw　there　could　be　nothing　else；
while　her　aunt　treated　her　as　an　infatuated　victim；　but　wished；　for
her　mother's　sake；　to　meet　her　in　London　before　she　sailed。

The　worst　stroke　of　all　was　to　Bellairs；　who　had　never　chosen　to
believe　that　her　mistress　could　move　without　her；　and　though　mortally
afraid　in　crossing　to　the　Isle　of　Wight；　and　utterly　abhorring　all
〃natives；〃　went　into　hysterics　on　finding　that　her　young　lady　would
take　out　no　maid　but　a　little　hard…working　village　girl；　and　though
transferred　in　the　most　flattering　manner　to　Mrs。　Rivers's　service；
shed　a　tear　for　every　stitch　she　set　in　the　trousseau；　and　assured
her　betrothed　butler　that；　if　Miss　Rivers　would　only　have　heard
reason；　she　would　have　followed　her　to　the　world's　end；　rather　than
that　her　beautiful　hair　should　never　look　like　anything　again。

So　the　wedding…day　came；　and　grass　and　trees　wore　a　fitting　suit　of
crisp　hoariness。　　Nothing　could　be　quieter。　　Meta　was　arrayed　by　the
sobbing　Bellairs　in　her　simple　bridal　white；　wrapped　herself　in　a
large　shawl；　took　her　brother's　arm；　and　walked　down　the　frosty　path
with　him　and　Mrs。　Arnott；　as　if　going　merely　to　the　daily　service。

The　time　had　not　been　made　known；　and　there　was　hardly　an　addition　to
the　ordinary　congregation；　except　the　May　family　and　Dr。　Spencer；　but
the　Christmas　evergreens　still　adorned　aisle　and　chancel；　and　over
the　altar　stood　the　motto　that　Meta　herself　had　woven　of　holly；　on
that　Christmas　Eve　of　grief　and　anxiety；　without　knowing　how　it　would
speak　to　her。


　　Fear　not；　for　behold　I　bring　unto　you　glad　tidings　of　great　joy；
　　that　shall　be　unto　you　and　to　all　people。


Fear　not；　for　length　of　voyage；　for　distance　from　kindred；　for
hardship；　privation；　misunderstanding；　disappointment。　　The　glad
tidings　are　to　all　people；　even　to　the　utmost　parts　of　the　earth。　　Ye
have　your　portion　in　the　great　joyye　have　freely　cast　in　your　lot
with　those；　whose　feet　are　beautiful　on　the　mountains；　who　bear　the
good　tidings。　　Fear　not；　for　He　is　with　you；　who　will　never　forsake。

Thus　Dr。　May　read　the　words　with　swelling　heart；　as　he　looked　at　his
son's　clear；　grave；　manful　look；　even　as　it　had　been　when　he　made　his
Confirmation　vowhis　natural　nervous　excitability　quelled　by　a
spirit　not　his　own；　and　chastened　into　strong　purpose；　and　the　bride；
her　young　face　the　more　lovely　for　the　depth　of　enthusiasm　restrained
by　awe　and　humility；　as　she　stood　without　trembling　or　faltering；　the
strength　of　innocence　expressed　in　the　whole　bearing　of　her　slight
figure　in　her　white　drapery。　　Around　were　the　four　sisterly　bride's…
maids；　their　black　dresses　showing　that　these　were　still　the　twilight
days　of　mourning；　and　that　none　would　forget　her；　whose　prayers　might
still　bless　their　labour　of　love。

When　Margaret　Agatha　May；　on　her　husband's　arm；　turned　for　a　last
look　at　the　altar　of　her　own　church；　〃Fear　not；〃　in　evergreen
letters；　was　the　greeting　she　bore　away。

Ethel　was　left　at　the　Grange　for　the　ensuing　fortnighta　time　of
unusual　leisure　both　to　her　and　to　Flora；　which　they　both　prized
highly；　for　it　taught　them　to　know　each　other　as　they　had　never　done
before。　　Flora's　confidence　to　her　aunt　had　been　a　good　thing　for
her；　though　so　partial；　it　opened　the　way　for　further　unreserve　to
one　who　knew　the　circumstances　better；　and；　as　to　dread　of　Ethel；
that　could　seldom　prevail　in　her　presence；　partly　from　long　habit；
partly　from　her　deficiency　of　manner；　and　still　more　from　her　true
humility　and　affection。　　Gradually　she　arrived　at　the　pe