the daisy chain, or aspirations-第24节

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that　she　would　have　forgotten　all；　in　proceeding　to　read　it；　curled
up　on　the　floor　amongst　the　heaps　of　pamphlets；　if　another　gentle
hint　from　Richard　had　not　made　her　finish　her　task　so　well；　as　to
make　Flora　declare　it　was　a　pleasure　to　look　in；　and　Harry　pronounce
it　to　be　all　neat　and　ship…shape。

There　was　no　speaking　to　Margaret　the　next　morningit　was　French
dayand　Ethel　had　made　strong　resolutions　to　behave　better；　and
whether　there　were　fewer　idioms；　or　that　she　was　trying　to
understand；　instead　of　carping　at　the　master's　explanations；　they
came　to　no　battle；　Flora　led　the　conversation；　and　she　sustained　her
part　with　credit；　and　gained　an　excellent　mark。

Flora　said　afterwards　to　Margaret；　〃I　managed　nicely　for　her。　　I
would　not　let　M。　Ballompre　blunder　upon　any　of　the　subjects　Ethel
feels　too　deeply　to　talk　of　in　good　French；　and　really　Ethel　has　a
great　talent　for　languages。　　How　fast　she　gets　on　with　Italian！〃

〃That　she　does；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃Suppose　you　send　her　up；　Florayou
must　want　to　go　and　draw　or　practice；　and　she　may　do　her　arithmetic
here；　or　read　to　me。〃

It　was　the　second　time　Margaret　had　made　this　proposal；　and　it　did
not　please　Flora；　who　had　learned　to　think　herself　necessary　to　her
sister；　and　liked　to　be　the　one　to　do　everything　for　her。　　She　was
within　six　weeks　of　seventeen；　and　surely　she　need　not　be　sent　down
again　to　the　school…room；　when　she　had　been　so　good　a　manager　of　the
whole　family。　　She　was　fond　of　study　and　of　accomplishments；　but　she
thought　she　might　be　emancipated　from　Miss　Winter；　and　it　was　not
pleasant　to　her　that　a　sister；　only　eighteen　months　older；　and　almost
dependant　on　her；　should　have　authority　to　dispose　of　her　time。

〃I　practise　in　the　evening；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　could　draw　here；　if　I
wished；　but　I　have　some　music　to　copy。〃

Margaret　was　concerned　at　the　dissatisfaction；　though　not
understanding　the　whole　of　it：　〃You　know；　dear　Flora；〃　she　said；
〃I　need　not　take　up　all　your　time　now。〃

〃Don't　regret　that；〃　said　Flora。　　〃I　like　nothing　so　well　as　waiting
on　you；　and　I　can　attend　to　my　own　affairs　very　well　here。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　why　I　proposed　it；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃I　think　it　would
be　a　relief　for　Ethel　to　escape　from　Miss　Winter's　beloved　Friday
questions。〃

〃Great　nonsense　they　are；〃　said　Flora。　　〃Why　don't　you　tell　Miss
Winter　they　are　of　no　use？〃

〃Mamma　never　interfered　with　them；〃　said　Margaret。　〃She　only　kept
Ethel　in　her　own　hands；　and　if　you　would　be　so　kind　as　to　change
sometimes　and　sit　in　the　school…room；　we　could　spare　Ethel；　without
hurting　Miss　Winter's　feelings。〃

〃Well；　I'll　call　Ethel；　if　you　like；　but　I　shall　go　and　practise　in
the　drawing…room。　　The　old　school…room　piano　is　fit　for　nothing　but
Mary　to　hammer　upon。〃

Flora　went　away；　evidently　annoyed；　and　Margaret's　conjectures　on　the
cause　of　it　were　cut　short　by　Ethel　running　in　with　a　slate　in　one
hand　and　two　books　in　the　other；　the　rest　having　all　tumbled　down　on
the　stairs。

〃Oh；　Margaret；　I　am　so　glad　to　come　to　you。　　Miss　Winter　has　set　Mary
to　read　〃To　be；　or　not　to　be；〃　and　it　would　have　driven　me　distracted
to　have　stayed　there。　　I　have　got　a　most　beautiful　sum　in　Compound
Proportion；　about　a　lion；　a　wolf；　and　a　bear　eating　up　a　carcase；　and
as　soon　as　they　have　done　it；　you　shall　hear　me　say　my　ancient
geography；　and　then　we　will　do　a　nice　bit　of　Tasso；　and　if　we　have
any　time　after　that；　I　have　got　such　a　thing　to　tell　youonly　I　must
not　tell　you　now；　or　I　shall　go　on　talking　and　not　finish　my
lessons。〃

It　was　not　till　all　were　done；　that　Ethel　felt　free　to　exclaim；　〃Now
for　what　I　have　been　longing　to　tell　youRichard　is　going　to〃　But
the　fates　were　unpropitious。　　Aubrey　trotted　in；　expecting　to　be
amused；　next　came　Norman；　and　Ethel　gave　up　in　despair；　and；　after
having　affronted　Flora　in　the　morning；　Margaret　was　afraid　of
renewing　the　offence；　by　attempting　to　secure　Ethel　as　her　companion
for　the　afternoon；　so　not　till　after　the　walk　could　Margaret　contrive
to　claim　the　promised；　communication；　telling　Ethel　to　come　and
settle　herself　cosily　by　her。

〃I　should　have　been　very　glad　of　you　last　evening；〃　said　she；　〃for
papa　went　to　sleep；　and　my　book　was　out　of　reach。〃

〃Oh；　I　am　sorry；　how　I　pity　you；　poor　Margaret！〃

〃I　suppose　I　have　grown　lazy；〃　said　Margaret；　〃for　I　don't　mind　those
things　now。　　I　am　never　sorry　for　a　quiet　time　to　recollect　and
consider。〃

〃It　must　be　like　the　waiting　in　the　dark　between　the　slides　of　a
magic　lantern；〃　said　Ethel；　〃I　never　like　to　be　quiet。　I　get　so
unhappy。〃

〃I　am　glad　of　resting　and　recollecting；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃It　has　all
been　so　like　a　dream；　that　merry　morning；　and　then；　slowly　waking　to
find　myself　here　in　dear　mamma's　place；　and　papa　watching　over　me。
Sometimes　I　think　I　have　not　half　understood　what　it　really　is；　and
that　I　don't　realise；　that　if　I　was　up　and　about；　I　should　find　the
house　without　her。〃

〃Yes；　that　is　the　aching　part！〃　said　Ethel。　　〃I　am　happy；　sitting　on
her　bed　here　with　you。　　You　are　a　little　of　her；　besides　being　my　own
dear　Peg…top！　　You　are　very　lucky　to　miss　the　mealtimes　and　the
evenings。〃

〃That　is　the　reason　I　don't　feel　it　wrong　to　like　to　have　papa
sitting　with　me　all　the　evening；〃　said　Margaret；　〃though　it　may　make
it　worse　for　you　to　have　him　away。　　I　don't　think　it　selfish　in　me　to
keep　him。　　He　wants　quiet　so　much；　or　to　talk　a　little　when　it　suits
him；　we　are　too　many　now；　when　he　is　tired。〃

〃Oh；　it　is　best；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Nothing　that　you　do　is　selfishdon't
talk　of　it；　dear　Margaret。　　It　will　be　something　like　old　times　when
you　come　down　again。〃

〃But　all　this　time　you　are　not　telling　me　what　I　want　so　much　to
hear；〃　said　Margaret；　〃about　Cocksmoor。　　I　am　so　glad　Richard　has
taken　it　up。〃

〃That　he　has。　　We　are　to　go　every　Friday；　and　hire　a　room；　and　teach
the　children。　　Once　a　week　will　do　a　great　deal；　if　we　can　but　make
them　wish　to　learn。　　It　is　a　much　better　plan　than　mine；　for　if　they
care　about　it；　they　can　come　to　school　here　on　Sunday。〃

〃It　is　excellent；〃　said　Margaret；　〃and　if　he　is　at　home　till　Easter；
it　will　give　it　a　start；　and　put　you　in　the　way　of　it；　and　get　you
through　the　short　days　and　dark　evenings；　when　you　could　not　so　well
walk　home　without　him。〃

〃Yes；　and　then　we　can　all　teach；　Flora；　and　Mary；　and　you；　when　you
are　well　again。　Richard　says　it　will　be　disagreeable；　but　I　don't
think　sothey　are　such　unsophisticated　people。　　That　Granny　Hall　is
such　a　funny　old　woman；　and　the　whole　place　wants　nothing　but　a
little　care；　to　do　very　well。〃

〃You　must　prepare　for　disappointments；　dear　Ethel。〃

〃I　know；　I　know　nothing　is　done　without　drawbacks；　but　I　am　so　glad
to　make　some　beginning。〃

〃So　am　I。　　Do　you　know；　mamma　and　I　were　one　day　talking　over　those
kind　of　things；　and　she　said　she　had　always　regretted　that　she　had　so
many　duties　at　home；　that　she　could　not　attend　as　much　to　the　poor　as
she　would　like；　but　she　hoped　now　we　girls　were　growing　up；　we　should
be　able　to　do　more。

〃Did　she？〃　was　all　Ethel　said；　but　she　was　deeply　gratified。

〃I've　been　wanting　to　tell　you。　　I　knew　you　would　like　to　hear　it。
It　seems　to　set　us　to　work　so　happily。〃

〃I　only　wish　we　could　begin；〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　Richard　is　so　slow！
Of　course　we　can't　act　without　papa's　consent　and　Mr。　Wilmot's　help；
and　he　says　papa　must　not　be　worried　about　it；　he　must　watch　for　his
own　time　to　speak　about　it。〃

〃Yes〃　said　Margaret。

I　knowI　would　not　have　it　otherwise；　but　what　is　tiresome　is　this。
Richard　is　very　good；　but　he　is　so　dreadfully　hard　to　stir　up；　and
what's　worse；　so　very　much　afraid　of　papa；　that　while　he　is　thinking
about　opportunities；　they　will　all　go　by；　and　then　it　will　be　Easter；
and　nothing　done！〃

〃He　is　not　so　much　afraid　of　papa　as　he　was；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃He　has
felt　himself　useful　and　a　comfort；　and　papa　is　gentler；　and　that　has
cheered　him　out　of　the　desponding　way　that　kept　him　back　from
proposing　anything。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　I　wish　it　was　you。　　Can't　you？　you　always
know　how　to　manage。〃

〃No；　it　is　Richard's　affair；　and　he　must　do　as　he　thinks　fit。　　Don't
sigh；　dear　Ethelperhaps　he　may　soon　speak；　and；　if　not；　you　can　be
preparing　in　a　quiet　way　all　the　time。　　Don't　you　remember　how　dear
mamma　used　to　tell　us　that　things；　hastily　begun；　never　turn　out
well？〃

〃But　this　is　not　hasty。　　I've　been　thinking　about　it　these　six
weeks；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃If　one　does　nothing　but　think；　it　is　all　no
better　than　a　vision。　　I　want　to　be　doing。〃

〃Well；　you　can　be　doinglaying　a　sound　foundation；〃　said　Margaret。
〃The　more　you　consider；　and　the　wiser　you　make　yourself；　the　better
it　will　be　when　you　do　set　to　work。〃

〃You　mean　by　curing　myself　of　my　slovenly　ways　and　impatient　temper？〃

〃I　don't　know　that　I　was　exactly　thinking　of　that；〃　said　Margaret；
〃but　that　ought　to　be　the　way。　　If　we　are　not　just　the　thing　in　our
niche　at　home；　I　don't　think　we　can　do　much　real　good　elsewhere。〃

〃It　would　be　hollow；　show…goodness；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Yes；　that　is　true；
and　it　comes　across　me　now；　and　then　what　a　horrid　wretch　I　am；　to　be
wanting　to　undertake　so　much；　when　I　leave　so　much　undone。　　But；　do
you　know；　Margare