the daisy chain, or aspirations-第23节

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must　really　learn　not　to　draggle　your　frock。〃

〃Well；　well；　but　tell　me。〃

〃This　is　what　I　was　thinking。　　I　don't　think　I　can　go　back　to　Oxford
after　Christmas。　　It　is　not　fit　to　leave　you　while　papa　is　so
disabled。〃

〃Oh　no；　he　could　not　get　on　at　all。　　I　heard　him　tell　Mr。　Wilmot　the
other　day　that　you　were　his　right　hand。〃

Ethel　was　glad　she　had　repeated　this；　for　there　was　a　deepening
colour　and　smiling　glow　of　pleasure　on　her　brother's　face；　such　as
she　had　seldom　seen　on　his　delicate；　but　somewhat　impassive　features。

〃He　is　very　kind！〃　he　said　warmly。　　〃No；　I　am　sure　I　cannot　be　spared
till　he　is　better　able　to　use　his　arm；　and　I　don't　see　any　chance　of
that　just　yet。　　Then　if　I　stay　at　home；　Friday　is　always　at　my　own
disposal；　while　papa　is　at　the　hospital　meeting。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　and　we　could　go　to　Cocksmoor；　and　set　up　a　school。　　How
delightful！〃

〃I　don't　think　you　would　find　it　quite　so　delightful　as　you　fancy；〃
said　Richard；　〃the　children　will　be　very　wild　and　ignorant；　and　you
don't　like　that　at　the　National　School。〃

〃Oh；　but　they　are　in　such　need；　besides　there　will　be　no　Mrs。　Ledwich
over　me。　　It　is　just　rightI　shan't　mind　anything。　　You　are　a
capital　Ritchie；　for　having　thought　of　it！〃

〃I　don't　thinkif　I　am　ever　to　be　what　I　wish；　that　is；　if　I　can　get
through　at　OxfordI　don't　think　it　can　be　wrong　to　begin　this；　if
Mr。　Ramsden　does　not　object。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Ramsden　never　objects　to　anything。〃

〃And　if　Mr。　Wilmot　will　come　and　set　us　off。　　You　know　we　cannot
begin　without　that；　or　without　my　father's　fully　liking　it。〃

〃Oh！　there　can　be　no　doubt　of　that！〃

〃This　one　thing；　Ethel；　I　must　stipulate。　　Don't　you　go　and　tell　it
all　out　at　once　to　him。　　I　cannot　have　him　worried　about　our
concerns。〃

〃But　howno　one　can　question　that　this　is　right。　　I　am　sure　he　won't
object。〃

〃Stop；　Ethel；　don't　you　see；　it　can't　be　done　for　nothing？　　If　we
undertake　it；　we　must　go　on　with　it；　and　when　I　am　away　it　will　fall
on　you　and　Flora。　　Well；　then；　it　ought　to　be　considered　whether　you
are　old　enough　and　steady　enough；　and　if　it　can　be　managed　for　you　to
go　continually　all　this　way；　in　this　wild　place。　　There　will　be
expense　too。〃

Ethel　looked　wild　with　impatience；　but　could　not　gainsay　these
scruples；　otherwise　than　by　declaring　they　ought　not　to　weigh　against
the　good　of　Cocksmoor。

〃It　will　worry　him　to　have　to　consider　all　this；〃　said　Richard；　〃and
it　must　not　be　pressed　upon　him。〃

〃No；〃　said　Ethel　sorrowfully；　〃but　you　don't　mean　to　give　it　up。〃

〃You　are　always　in　extremes；　Ethel。　　All　I　want　is　to　find　a　good
time　for　proposing　it。〃

She　fidgeted　and　gave　a　long　sigh。

〃Mind；〃　said　Richard；　stopping　short；　〃I'll　have　nothing　to　do　with
it　except　on　condition　you　are　patient；　and　hold　your　tongue　about
it。〃

〃I　think　I　can；　if　I　may　talk　to　Margaret。〃

〃Oh　yes；　to　Margaret　of　course。　　We　could　not　settle　anything　without
her　help。〃

〃And　I　know　what　she　will　say；〃　said　Ethel。　〃Oh；　I　am　so　glad；〃　and
she　jumped　over　three　puddles　in　succession。

〃And；　Ethel；　you　must　learn　to　keep　your　frock　out　of　the　dirt。〃

〃I'll　do　anything；　if　you'll　help　me　at　Cocksmoor。〃




CHAPTER　IX。



For　the　structure　that　we　raise；
　　Time　is　with　materials　filled；
Our　to…days　and　yesterdays；
　　Are　the　blocks　which　we　build。

Truly　shape　and　fashion　these；
　　Leave　no　yawning　gaps　between；
Think　not；　because　no　man　sees；
　　Such　things　will　remain　unseen。LONGFELLOW。


When　Ethel　came　home；　burning　with　the　tidings　of　the　newly…excited
hopes　for　Cocksmoor；　they　were　at　once　stopped　by　Margaret　eagerly
saying；　〃Is　Richard　come　in？　pray　call　him；〃　then　on　his　entrance；
〃Oh；　Richard；　would　you　be　so　kind　as　to　take　this　to　the　bank。　　I
don't　like　to　send　it　by　any　one　elseit　is　so　much；〃　and　she　took
from　under　her　pillows　a　velvet　bag；　so　heavy；　that　it　weighed　down
her　slender　white　hand。

〃What；　he　has　given　you　the　care　of　his　money？〃　said　Ethel。

〃Yes；　I　saw　him　turning　something　out　of　his　waistcoat…pocket　into
the　drawer　of　the　looking…glass；　and　sighing　in　that　very　sad　way。
He　said　his　fees　had　come　to　such　an　accumulation　that　he　must　see
about　sending　them　to　the　bank；　and　then　he　told　me　of　the　delight　of
throwing　his　first　fee　into　dear　mamma's　lap；　when　they　were　just
married；　and　his　old　uncle　had　given　up　to　him；　and　how　he　had
brought　them　to　her　ever　since；　he　said　she　had　spoiled　him　by　taking
all　trouble　off　his　hands。　　He　looked　at　it；　as　if　it　was　so
sorrowful　to　him　to　have　to　dispose　of　it；　that　I　begged　him　not　to
plague　himself　any　more；　but　let　me　see　about　it；　as　dear　mamma　used
to　do；　so　he　said　I　was　spoiling　him　too；　but　he　brought　me　the
drawer；　and　emptied　it　out　here：　when　he　was　gone；　I　packed　it　up；
and　I　have　been　waiting　to　ask　Richard　to　take　it　all　to　the　bank；
out　of　his　sight。〃

〃You　counted　it？〃　said　Richard。

〃Yesthere's　fiftyI　kept　seventeen　towards　the　week's　expenses。
Just　see　that　it　is　right；〃　said　Margaret；　showing　her　neat　packets。

〃Oh；　Ritchie；〃　said　Ethel；　〃what　can　expense　signify；　when　all　that
has　been　kicking　about　loose　in　an　open　drawer？　　What　would　not　one
of　those　rolls　do？〃

〃I　think　I　had　better　take　them　out　of　your　way；〃　said　Richard
quietly。　　〃Am　I　to　bring　back　the　book　to　you；　Margaret？〃

〃Yes；　do；〃　said　Margaret；　〃pray　do　not　tease　him　with　it。〃　　And　as
her　brother　left　the　room；　she　continued；　〃I　wish　he　was　better。　　I
think　he　is　more　oppressed　now　than　even　at　first。　　The　pain　of　his
arm；　going　on　so　long；　seems　to　me　to　have　pulled　him　down；　it　does
not　let　him　sleep；　and；　by　the　end　of　the　day；　he　gets　worn　and
fagged　by　seeing　so　many　people；　and　exerting　himself　to　talk　and
think；　and　often；　when　there　is　something　that　must　be　asked；　I　don't
know　how　to　begin；　for　it　seems　as　if　a　little　more　would　be　too　much
for　him。〃

〃Yes；　Richard　is　right；〃　said　Ethel　mournfully；　〃it　will　not　do　to
press　him　about　our　concerns；　but　do　you　think　him　worse　to…day？〃

〃He　did　not　sleep　last　night；　and　he　is　always　worse　when　he　does　not
drive　out　into　the　country；　the　fresh　air；　and　being　alone　with
Richard；　are　a　rest　for　him。　　To…day　is　especially　trying；　he　does
not　think　poor　old　Mr。　Southern　will　get　through　the　evening；　and　he
is　so　sorry　for　the　daughter。〃
〃Is　he　there　now？〃

〃Yes；　he　thought　of　something　that　might　be　an　alleviation；　and　he
would　go；　though　he　was　tired。　　I　am　afraid　the　poor　daughter　will
detain　him；　and　he　is　not　fit　to　go　through　such　things　now。〃

〃No；　I　hope　he　will　soon　come；　perhaps　Richard　will　meet　him。　　But；
oh；　Margaret；　what　do　you　think　Richard　and　I　have　been　talking　of？〃
and；　without　perception　of　fit　times　and　seasons；　Ethel　would　have
told　her　story；　but　Margaret；　too　anxious　to　attend　to　her；　said；
〃Hark！　was　not　that　his　step？〃　and　Dr。　May　came　in；　looking　mournful
and　fatigued。

〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃I　was　just　too　late。　　He　died　as　I　got　there；　and　I
could　not　leave　the　daughter　till　old　Mrs。　Bowers　came。〃

〃Poor　thing；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃He　was　a　good　old　man。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Dr。　May；　sitting　wearily　down；　and　speaking　in　a　worn…out
voice。　　〃One　can't　lightly　part　with　a　man　one　has　seen　at　church
every　Sunday　of　one's　life；　and　exchanged　so　many　friendly　words　with
over　his　counter。　　'Tis　a　strong　bond　of　neighbourliness　in　a　small
place　like　this；　and；　as　one　grows　old；　changes　come　heavier'the
clouds　return　again　after　the　rain。'　　Thank　you；　my　dear；〃　as　Ethel
fetched　his　slippers；　and　placed　a　stool　for　his　feet；　feeling
somewhat　ashamed　of　thinking　it　an　achievement　to　have；　unbidden；
performed　a　small　act　of　attention　which　would　have　come　naturally
from　any　of　the　others。

〃Papa；　you　will　give　me　the　treat　of　drinking　tea　with　me？〃　said
Margaret；　who　saw　the　quiet　of　her　room　would　suit　him　better　than
the　bustle　of　the　children　downstairs。　　〃Thank　you；〃　as　he　gave　a
smile　of　assent。

That　Margaret　could　not　be　made　to　listen　this　evening　was　plain；　and
all　that　Ethel　could　do；　was　to　search　for　some　books　on　schools。　　In
seeking　for　them；　she　displayed　such　confusion　in　the　chiffonier；
that　Flora　exclaimed；　〃Oh；　Ethel；　how　could　you　leave　it　so？〃

〃I　was　in　a　hurry；　looking　for　something　for　Norman。　　I'll　set　it　to
rights；〃　said　Ethel；　gulping　down　her　dislike　of　being　reproved　by
Flora；　with　the　thought　that　mamma　would　have　said　the　same。

〃My　dear！〃　cried　Flora　presently；　jumping　up；　〃what　are　you　doing？
piling　up　those　heavy　books　on　the　top　of　the　little　ones；　how　do　you
think　they　will　ever　stand？　let　me　do　it。〃

〃No；　no；　Flora；〃　and　Richard；　in　a　low　voice；　gave　Ethel　some　advice；
which　she　received；　seated　on　the　floor；　in　a　mood　between　temper　and
despair。

〃He　is　going　to　teach　her　to　do　it　on　the　principles　of　gravitation；〃
said　Flora。

Richard　did　not　do　it　himself；　but；　by　his　means；　Ethel；　without
being　in　the　least　irritated；　gave　the　chiffonier　a　thorough　dusting
and　setting…to…rights；　sorting　magazines；　burning　old　catalogues；　and
finding　her　own　long…lost　'Undine'；　at　which　she　was　so　delighted
that　she　would　have　forgotten　all；　in　proceeding　to　read　it；　curled
up　on　the　floor　amongst　the　heaps　of　pamphlets；　if　another