the daisy chain, or aspirations-第20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！


best！〃

〃Don't　talk　nonsense。　　Your　best；　indeed！　　If　you　had　taken　the　most
moderate　care〃

〃I　believe　Ethel　took　rather　too　much　care；〃　said　Margaret；　much　more
harassed　by　the　scolding　than　by　the　pain。　　〃It　will　be　all　right
presently。　　Never　mind；　dear　papa。〃

But　he　was　not　only　grieved　for　the　present；　but　anxious　for　the
future；　and；　though　he　knew　it　was　bad　for　Margaret　to　manifest　his
displeasure；　he　could　not　restrain　it；　and　continued　to　blame　Ethel
with　enough　of　injustice　to　set　her　on　vindication；　whereupon　he
silenced　her；　by　telling　her　she　was　making　it　worse　by　self…
justification　when　Margaret　ought　to　be　quiet。　　Margaret　tried　to
talk　of　other　things；　but　was　in　too　much　discomfort　to　exert　herself
enough　to　divert　his　attention。

At　last　Flora　returned；　and　saw　in　an　instant　what　was　wanted。
Margaret　was　settled　in　the　right　posture；　but　the　pain　would　not
immediately　depart；　and　Dr。　May　soon　found　out　that　she　had　a
headache；　of　which　he　knew　he　was　at　least　as　guilty　as　Etheldred
could　be。

Nothing　could　be　done　but　keep　her　quiet；　and　Ethe1　went　away　to　be
miserable；　Flora　tried　to　comfort　her　by　saying　it　was　unfortunate；
but　no　doubt　there　was　a　knack；　and　everyone　could　not　manage　those
things；　Margaret　was　easier　now；　and　as　to　papa's　anger；　he　did　not
always　mean　all　he　said。

But　consolation　came　at　bedtime；　Margaret　received　her　with　open　arms
when　she　went　to　wish　her　goodnight。　　〃My　poor　Ethel；〃　she　said；
holding　her　close；　〃I　am　sorry　I　have　made　such　a　fuss。〃

〃Oh；　you　did　not；　it　was　too　bad　of　meI　am　grieved；　are　you　quite
comfortable　now？〃

〃Yes；　quite；　only　a　little　headache；　which　I　shall　sleep　off。　　It　has
been　so　nice　and　quiet。　　Papa　took　up　George　Herbert；　and　has　been
reading　me　choice　bits。　　I　don't　think　I　have　enjoyed　anything　so
much　since　I　have　been　ill。〃

〃I　am　glad　of　that；　but　I　have　been　unhappy　all　the　evening。　　I　wish
I　knew　what　to　do。　　I　am　out　of　heart　about　everything！〃

〃Only　try　to　mind　and　heed；　and　you　will　learn。　　It　will　be　a　step　if
you　will　only　put　your　shoes　side　by　side　when　you　take　them　off。〃

Ethel　smiled　and　sighed；　and　Margaret　whispered；　〃Don't　grieve　about
me；　but　put　your　clever　head　to　rule　your　hands；　and　you　will　do　for
home　and　Cocksmoor　too。　　Good…night；　dearest。〃

〃I've　vexed　papa；〃　sighed　Etheland　just　then　he　came　into　the　room。

〃Papa；〃　said　Margaret；　〃here's　poor　Ethel；　not　half　recovered　from
her　troubles。〃

He　was　now　at　ease　about　Margaret；　and　knew　he　had　been　harsh　to
another　of　his　motherless　girls。

〃Ah！　we　must　send　her　to　the　infant…school；　to　learn　'this　is　my
right　hand；　and　this　is　my　left；'〃　said　he；　in　his　half…gay；　half…sad
manner。

〃I　was　very　stupid；〃　said　Ethel。

〃Poor　child！〃　said　her　papa；　〃she　is　worse　off　than　I　am。　　If　I　have
but　one　hand　left；　she　has　two　left　hands。〃

〃I　do　mean　to　try；　papa。〃

〃Yes；　you　must；　Ethel。　　I　believe　I　was　hasty　with　you；　my　poor　girl。
I　was　vexed；　and　we　have　no　one　to　smooth　us　down。　　I　am　sorry；　my
dear；　but　you　must　bear　with　me；　for　I　never　learned　her　ways　with
you　when　I　might。　　We　will　try　to　have　more　patience　with　each
other。〃

What　could　Ethel　do　but　hang　round　his　neck　and　cry；　till　he　said；
but　tenderly；　that　they　had　given　Margaret　quite　disturbance　enough
to…day；　and　sent　her　to　bed；　vowing　to　watch　each　little　action；　lest
she　should　again　give　pain　to　such　a　father　and　sister。




CHAPTER　VIII。



〃Tis　not　enough　that　Greek　or　Roman　page
　At　stated　hours；　his　freakish　thoughts　engage；
　Even　in　his　pastimes　he　requires　a　friend
　To　warn　and　teach　him　safely　to　unbend；
　O'er　all　his　pleasures　gently　to　preside；
　Watch　his　emotions；　and　control　their　tide。〃COWPER。


The　misfortunes　of　that　day　disheartened　and　disconcerted　Etheldred。
To　do　mischief　where　she　most　wished　to　do　good；　to　grieve　where　she
longed　to　comfort；　seemed　to　be　her　fate；　it　was　vain　to　attempt
anything　for　anyone's　good；　while　all　her　warm　feelings　and　high
aspirations　were　thwarted　by　the　awkward　ungainly　hands　and　heedless
eyes　that　Nature　had　given　her。　　Nor　did　the　following　day；　Saturday；
do　much　for　her　comfort；　by　giving　her　the　company　of　her　brothers。
That　it　was　Norman's　sixteenth　birthday　seemed　only　to　make　it　worse。
Their　father　had　apparently　forgotten　it；　and　Norman　stopped　Blanche
when　she　was　going　to　put　him　in　mind　of　it；　stopped　her　by　such　a
look　as　the　child　never　forgot；　though　there　was　no　anger　in　it。　　In
reply　to　Ethel's　inquiry　what　he　was　going　to　do　that　morning；　he
gave　a　yawn　and　stretch；　and　said；　dejectedly；　that　he　had　got　some
Euripides　to　look　over；　and　some　verses　to　finish。

〃I　am　sorry；　this　is　the　first　time　you　ever　have　not　managed　so　as
to　make　a　real　holiday　of　your　Saturday！〃

〃I　could　not　help　it；　and　there's　nothing　to　do；〃　said　Norman
wearily。

〃I　promised　to　go　and　read　to　Margaret　while　Flora　does　her　music；〃
said　Ethel；　〃I　shall　come　after　that　and　do　my　Latin　and　Greek　with
you。〃

Margaret　would　not　keep　her　long；　saying　she　liked　her　to　be　with
Norman；　but　she　found　him　with　his　head　sunk　on　his　open　book；　fast
asleep。　　At　dinner…time；　Harry　and　Tom；　rushing　in；　awoke　him　with　a
violent　start。

〃Halloo！　Norman；　that　was　a　jump！〃　said　Harry；　as　his　brother
stretched　and　pinched　himself。　　〃You'll　jump　out　of　your　skin　some　of
these　days；　if　you　don't　take　care！〃

〃It's　enough　to　startle　any　one　to　be　waked　up　with　such　a　noise；〃
said　Ethel。

〃Then　he　ought　to　sleep　at　proper　times；〃　said　Harry；　〃and　not　be
waking　me　up　with　tumbling　about；　and　hallooing　out；　and　talking　in
his　sleep　half　the　night。〃

〃Talking　in　his　sleep！　why；　just　now；　you　said　he　did　not　sleep；〃
said　Ethel。

〃Harry　knows　nothing　about　it；〃　said　Norman。

〃Don't　I？　Well；　I　only　know；　if　you　slept　in　school；　and　were　a
junior；　you　would　get　a　proper　good　licking　for　going　on　as　you　do　at
night。〃

〃And　I　think　you　might　chance　to　get　a　proper　good　licking　for　not
holding　your　tongue；〃　said　Norman；　which　hint　reduced　Harry　to
silence。

Dr。　May　was　not　come　home；　he　had　gone　with　Richard　far　into　the
country；　and　was　to　return　to　tea。　　He　was　thought　to　be　desirous　of
avoiding　the　family　dinners　that　used　to　be　so　delightful。　　Harry　was
impatient　to　depart；　and　when　Mary　and　Tom　ran　after　him；　he　ordered
them　back。

〃Where　can　he　be　going？〃　said　Mary；　as　she　looked　wistfully　after
him。

〃I　know；〃　said　Tom。

〃Where？　　Do　tell　me。〃

〃Only　don't　tell　papa。　　I　went　down　with　him　to　the　playground　this
morning；　and　there　they　settled　it。　　The　Andersons；　and　Axworthy；　and
he；　are　going　to　hire　a　gun；　and　shoot　pee…wits　on　Cocksmoor。〃

But　they　ought　not；　should　they？〃　said　Mary。　　Papa　would　be　very
angry。〃

Anderson　said　there　was　no　harm　in　it；　but　Harry　told　me　not　to　tell。
Indeed；　Anderson　would　have　boxed　my　ears　for　hearing；　when　I　could
not　help　it。〃

〃But　Harry　would　not　let　him？〃

〃Ay。　　Harry　is　quite　a　match　for　Harvey　Anderson；　though　he　is　so
much　younger；　and　he　said　he　would　not　have　me　bullied。〃

〃That's　a　good　Harry！　　But　I　wish　he　would　not　go　out　shooting！〃　said
Mary。

〃Mind；　you　don't　tell。〃

〃And　where's　Hector　Ernescliffe？　　Would　not　he　go？〃

〃No。　　I　like　Hector。　　He　did　not　choose　to　go；　though　Anderson　teased
him；　and　said　he　was　a　poor　Scot；　and　his　brother　didn't　allow　him
tin　enough　to　buy　powder　and　shot。　　If　Harry　would　have　stayed　at
home；　he　would　have　come　up　here；　and　we　might　have　had　some　fun　in
the　garden。〃

〃I　wish　he　would。　　We　never　have　any　fun　now；〃　said　Mary；　〃but　oh！
there　he　is；〃　as　she　spied　Hector　peeping　over　the　gate　which　led
from　the　field　into　the　garden。　　It　was　the　first　time　that　he　had
been　to　Dr。　May's　since　his　brother's　departure；　and　he　was　rather
shy；　but　the　joyful　welcome　of　Mary　and　Tom　took　off　all　reluctance；
and　they　claimed　him　for　a　good　game　at　play　in　the　wood…house。　　Mary
ran　upstairs　to　beg　to　be　excused　the　formal　walk；　and；　luckily　for
her；　Miss　Winter　was　in　Margaret's　room。　　Margaret　asked　if　it　was
very　wet　and　dirty；　and　hearing　〃not　very；〃　gave　gracious　permission；
and　off　went　Mary　and　Blanche　to　construct　some　curious　specimens　of
pottery；　under　the　superintendence　of　Hector　and　Tom。　　There　was　a
certain　ditch　where　yellow　mud　was　attainable；　whereof　the　happy
children　concocted　marbles　and　vases；　which　underwent　a　preparatory
baking　in　the　boys'　pockets；　that　they　might　not　crack　in　the　nursery
fire。　　Margaret　only　stipulated　that　her　sisters　should　be　well
fenced　in　brown　holland；　and　when　Miss　Winter　looked　grave；　said；
〃Poor　things；　a　little　thorough　play　will　do　them　a　great　deal　of
good。〃

Miss　Winter　could　not　see　the　good　of　groping　in　the　dirt；　and
Margaret　perceived　that　it　would　be　one　of　her　difficulties　to　know
how　to　follow　out　her　mother's　views　for　the　children；　without　vexing
the　good　governess　by　not　deferring　to　her。

In　the　meantime；　Norman　had　disconsolately　returned　to　his　Euripides；
and　Ethel；　who　wanted　to　stay　with　him　and　look　out　his　words；　was
ordered　out　by　Miss　Winter；　because　she　had　spent　all　yesterday
indoors。　　Miss　Winter　was　going　to　stay　with　Margaret；　and　Ethel　and
Flora　co