the daisy chain, or aspirations-第182节

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days　after；　when　Flora　was　making　arrangements　for　going　to　church；　a
moment　of　confidence　came　over　her；　and　she　said；　〃I　did　it；　Ethel！
I　have　spoken　to　Richard。〃

〃I　am　so　glad！〃

〃You　were　right。　　He　is　as　clear　as　he　is　kind；〃　said　Flora；　〃he
showed　me　that；　for　George's　sake；　I　must　bear　with　my　present　life；
and　do　the　best　I　can　with　it；　unless　some　leading　comes　for　an
escape；　and　that　the　glare；　and　weariness；　and　being　spoken　well　of；
must　be　taken　as　punishment　for　having　sought　after　these　things。〃

〃I　was　afraid　he　would　say　so；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃But　you　will　find
happiness　again；　Flora　dear。〃

〃Scarcelybefore　I　come　to　Margaret　and　to　my　child；〃　sighed　Flora。
〃I　suppose　it　was　Mercy　that　would　not　let　me　follow　when　I　wished
it。　　I　must　work　till　the　time　of　rest　comes！〃

〃And　your　own　little　Margaret　will　cheer　you！〃　said　Ethel；　more
hopefully；　as　she　saw　Flora　bend　over　her　baby　with　a　face　that　might
one　day　be　bright。

She　trusted　that　patient　continuance　in　well…doing　would　one　day　win
peace　and　joy；　even　in　the　dreary　world　that　poor　Flora　had　chosen。

For　her　own　part；　Ethel　found　Flora's　practical　good　sense　and
sympathy　very　useful；　in　her　present　need　of　the　counsel　she　had
always　had　from　Margaret。

The　visit　to　Flora　lasted　a　fortnight；　and　Ethel　was　much　benefited
by　the　leisure　for　reading　and　the　repose　after　the　long　nursing；
though；　before　the　end；　her　refreshed　energies　began　to　pine　for
Daisy　and　her　hymns；　for　Aubrey　and　his　Virgil；　for　Cherry　and　her
scholars；　and；　above　all；　for　her　father；　for；　come　as　often　as　he
would；　it　was　not　papa　at　home。

On　the　other　hand；　Mary　was　at　a　loss　for　Ethel　every　hour；　Richard
was　putting　off　his　affairs　till　Ethel　should　come　home；　Miss　Bracy
and　Blanche　longed　for　her　to　relieve　the　schoolroom　from　the
children；　Aubrey　could　not　perform　a　lesson　in　comfort　with　any　one
elsenever　ended　a　sum　without　groaning　for　Ethel；　and　sometimes
rode　to　Abbotstoke　for　the　mere　purpose　of　appealing　to　her；　in
short；　no　one　could　get　on　without　her；　and　the　doctor　least　of　all。

Dr。　Spencer；　and　Mr。　Wilmot；　and　all　his　sons　and　daughters；　had　done
their　best　for　him；　but；　in　spite　of　his　satisfaction　at　seeing　the
two　sisters　so　happy　together；　he　could　not　help　missing　Ethel　every
minute；　as　the　very　light　of　his　home；　and　when；　at　last；　Flora
brought　her　back；　she　was　received　with　uproarious　joy　by　Aubrey　and
Daisy；　while　the　rest　of　the　household　felt　a　revival　and　refreshment
of　spiritsthe　first　drawing　aside　of　the　cloud　that　had　hung　over
the　winter。　　The　pearl　of　their　home　might　be　missed　every　hour；　but
they　could　thankfully　rest　in　the　trust　that　she　was　a　jewel　stored
up　in　safety　and　peace；　to　shine　as　a　star　for　evermore。

A　few　weeks　more；　and　there　were　other　partings；　sad　indeed；　yet
cheery。　　Dr。　May　told　Mrs。　Arnott　that；　though　he　grieved　that　so
much　of　sorrow　had　come　to　dim　her　visit；　he　could　not　but　own　that
it　was　the　very　time　when　her　coming　could　be　most　comforting；　and
this；　as　she　truly　said；　was　satisfaction　enough　for　her；　besides
that　she　could　not　rejoice　enough　that　her　arrival　had　been　in　time
to　see　their　dear　Margaret。　　She　should　carry　away　most　precious
recollections；　and　she　further　told　Dr。　Spencer　that　she　was　far　more
comfortable　about　her　brother…in…law；　than　if　she　had　only　known　him
in　his　youthful　character；　which　had　seemed　so　little　calculated　to
bear　sorrow　or　care。　　She　looked　at　him　now　only　to　wonder　at；　and
reverence　the　change　that　had　been　gradually　wrought　by　the
affections　placed　above。

Norman　and　his　wife　went　with　herthe　one　grave　but　hopeful；　the
other　trying　to　wile　away　the　pain　of　parting；　by　her　tearful　mirth
making　all　sorts　of　odd　promises　and　touching　requests；　between　jest
and　earnest；　and　clinging　to　the　last　to　her　dear　father…in…law；　as
if　the　separation　from　him　were　the　hardest　of　all。

〃Well；　humming…birds　must　be　let　fly！〃　said　he　at　last。　　〃Ah！　ha！
Meta；　are　they　of　no　use？〃

〃Stay　till　you　hear！〃　said　Meta　archlythen　turning　back　once　more。
〃Oh！　how　I　have　thanked　you；　Ethel；　for　those　first　hints　you　gave　me
how　to　make　my　life　real。　　If　I　had　only　sat　still　and　wished；
instead　of　trying　what　could　be　done　as　I　was；　how　unhappy　I　should
have　been！〃

〃Come；　take　your　sprite　away；　Norman；　if　you　don't　want　me　to　keep
her　for　good！　　God　bless　you；　my　dear　children！　　Good…bye！　　Who　knows
but　when　Doctor　Tom　sets　up　in　my　place；　Ethel　and　I　may　come　out　and
pay　you　a　visit？〃

It　had　all　been　over　for　some　weeks；　and　the　home…party　had　settled
down　again　into　what　was　likely　to　be　their　usual　course；　excepting
in　the　holidays；　to　which　the　doctor　looked　forward　with　redoubled
interest；　as　Tom　was　fast　becoming　a　very　agreeable　and　sensible
companion；　for　his　moodiness　had　been　charmed　away　by　Meta；　and
principle　was　teaching　him　true　command　of　temper。　　He　seemed　to　take
his　father　as　a　special　charge；　bequeathed　to　him　by　Norman；　and　had
already　acquired　that　value　and　importance　at　home　which　comes　of　the
laying　aside　of　all　self…importance。

It　was　a　clear　evening　in　March；　full　of　promise　of　spring；　and　Ethel
was　standing　in　the　church　porch　at　Cocksmoor；　after　making　some
visits　in　the　parish；　waiting　for　Richard；　while　the　bell　was　ringing
for　the　Wednesday　evening　service；　and　the　pearly　tints　of　a
cloudless　sunset　were　fading　into　the　western　sky。

Ethel　began　to　wonder　where　Norman　might　be　looking　at　the　sun
dipping　into　the　western　sea；　and　thence　arose　before　her　the　visions
of　her　girlhood；　when　she　had　first　dreamt　of　a　church　on　Cocksmoor；
and　of　Richard　ministering　before　a　willing　congregation。　　So　strange
did　the　accomplishment　seem；　that　she　even　touched　the　stone　to
assure　herself　of　the　reality；　and　therewith　came　intense
thanksgiving　that　the　work　had　been　taken　out　of　her　hands；　to　be　the
more　fully　blessed　and　accomplishedthat　is；　as　far　as　the　building
went；　as　to　the　people；　there　was　far　more　labour　in　store；　and　the
same　Hand　must　be　looked　to　for　the　increase。

For　herself；　Ethel　looked　back　and　looked　on。　　Norman　Ogilvie's
marriage　seemed　to　her　to　have　fixed　her　lot　in　life；　and　what　was
that　lot？　　Home　and　Cocksmoor　had　been　her　choice；　and　they　were
before　her。　　Home！　but　her　eyes　had　been　opened　to　see　that　earthly
homes　may　not　endure；　nor　fill　the　heart。　　Her　dear　father　might；
indeed；　claim　her　full…hearted　devotion；　but；　to　him；　she　was　only
one　of　many。　　Norman　was　no　longer　solely　hers；　and　she　had　begun　to
understand　that　the　unmarried　woman　must　not　seek　undivided　return　of
affection；　and　must　not　set　her　love；　with　exclusive　eagerness；　on
aught　below；　but　must　be　ready　to　cease　in　turn　to　be　first　with　any。
Ethel　was　truly　a　mother　to　the　younger　ones；　but　she　faced　the
probability　that　they　would　find　others　to　whom　she　would　have　the
second　place。　　To　love　each　heartily；　to　do　her　utmost　for　each　in
turn；　and　to　be　grateful　for　their　fondness；　was　her　call；　but　never
to　count　on　their　affection　as　her　sole　right　and　inalienable
possession。　　She　felt　that　this　was　the　probable　course；　and　that　she
might　look　to　becoming　comparatively　solitary　in　the　course　of　years…
…then　tried　to　realise　what　her　lonely　life　might　be；　but　broke　off
smiling　at　herself；　〃What　is　that　to　me？　　What　will　it　be　when　it　is
over？　　My　course　and　aim　are　straight　on；　and　He　will　direct　my
paths。　　I　don't　know　that　I　shall　be　alone；　and　I　shall　have　the
memorythe　communion　with　them；　if　not　their　presence。　　Some　one
there　must　be　to　be　loved　and　helped；　and　the　poor　for　certain。　　Only
I　must　have　my　treasure　above；　and　when　I　think　what　is　there；　and
of　Oh！　that　bliss　of　being　perfectly　able　to　praisewith　no　bad
old　self　to　mar　the　full　joy　of　giving　thanks；　and　blessing；　and
honour；　and　power！　　Need　I　dread　a　few　short　years？and　they　have
not　begun　yetperhaps　they　won't　Oh！　here　is　actually　papa　coming
home　this　way！　how　delightful！　　Papa；　are　you　coming　to　church　here？〃

〃Ay；　Ethel。　　That　weathercock　of　Spencer's　is　a　magnet；　I　believe！
It　draws　me　from　all　parts　of　the　country　to　hear　Richard　in　St。
Andrew's　Church。〃







End