the daisy chain, or aspirations-第4节

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long　table　was　a　goodly　sight。　　Few　ever　looked　happier　than　Dr。　and
Mrs。　May；　as　they　sat　opposite　to　each　other；　presenting　a
considerable　contrast　in　appearance　as　in　disposition。　　She　was　a
little　woman；　with　that　smooth　pleasant　plumpness　that　seems　to
belong　to　perfect　content　and　serenity；　her　complexion　fair　and
youthful；　her　face　and　figure　very　pretty；　and　full　of　quiet　grace
and　refinement；　and　her　whole　air　and　expression　denoting　a　serene；
unruffled；　affectionate　happiness；　yet　with　much　authority　in　her
mildnesswarm　and　open　in　her　own　family；　but　reserved　beyond　it；
and　shrinking　from　general　society。

The　doctor；　on　the　contrary；　had　a　lank；　bony　figure；　nearly　six　feet
high；　and　looking　more　so　from　his　slightness；　a　face　sallow；　thin；
and　strongly　marked；　an　aquiline　nose；　highly　developed　forehead；　and
peculiar　temples；　over　which　the　hair　strayed　in　thin　curling　flakes。
His　eyes　were　light　coloured；　and　were　seldom　seen　without　his　near…
sighted　spectacles；　but　the　expressions　of　the　Mouth　were　everything…
…so　varying；　so　bright；　and　so　sweet　were　his　smiles　that　showed
beautiful　white　teethmoreover；　his　hand　was　particularly　well　made；
small　and　delicate；　and　it　always　turned　out　that　no　one　ever
recollected　that　Dr。　May　was　plain；　who　had　heard　his　kindly
greeting。

The　sons　and　daughters　were　divided　in　likeness　to　father　and　mother；
Ethel　was　almost　an　exaggeration　of　the　doctor's　peculiarities；
especially　at　the　formed；　but　unsoftened　age　of　fifteen；　Norman　had
his　long　nose；　sallow　complexion；　and　tall　figure；　but　was　much
improved　by　his　mother's　fine　blue　eyes；　and　was　a　very　pleasant…
looking　boy；　though　not　handsome；　little　Tom　was　a　thin；　white；
delicate　edition　of　his　father；　and　Blanche　contrived　to　combine
great　likeness　to　him　with　a　great　deal　of　prettiness。　　Of　those
that；　as　nurse　said；　favoured　their　mamma；　Margaret　was　tall　and
blooming；　with　the　same　calm　eves；　but　with　the　brilliance　of　her
father's　smile；　Flora　had　greater　regularity　of　feature；　and　was　fast
becoming　a　very　pretty　girl；　while　Mary　and　Harry　could　not　boast　of
much　beauty；　but　were　stout　sturdy　pictures　of　health；　Harry's　locks
in　masses　of　small　tight　yellow　curls；　much　given　to　tangling　and
matting；　unfit　to　be　seen　all　the　week；　till　nurse　put　him　to　torture
every　Saturday；　by　combing　them　out　so　as；　at　least；　to　make　him　for
once　like；　she　said；　a　gentleman；　instead　of　a　young　lion。

Little　Aubrey　was　said　by　his　papa　to　be　like　nothing　but　the　full
moon。　　And　there　he　shone　on　them；　by　his　mamma's　side；　announcing　in
language　few　could　understand；　where　he　had　been　with　papa。

〃He　has　been　a　small　doctor；〃　said　his　father；　beginning　to　cut　the
boiled　beef　as　fast　as　if　his　hands　had　been　moved　by　machinery。　　〃He
has　been　with　me　to　see　old　Mrs。　Robins；　and　she　made　so　much　of　him；
that　if　I　take　him　again　he'll　be　regularly　spoiled。〃

〃Poor　old　woman；　it　must　have　been　a　pleasure　to　her；〃　said　Mrs。　May…
…〃it　is　so　seldom　she　has　any　change。〃

〃Who　is　she？〃　asked　Mr。　Ernescliffe。

〃The　butcher's　old　mother；〃　said　Margaret；　who　was　next　to　him。　〃She
is　one　of　papa's　pet　patients；　because　he　thinks　her　desolate　and
ill…used。〃

〃Her　sons　bully　her；〃　said　the　doctor；　too　intent　on　carving　to
perceive　certain　deprecatory　glances　of　caution　cast　at　him　by　his
wife；　to　remind　him　of　the　presence　of　man　and　maid〃and　that　smart
daughter　is　worse　still。　　She　never　comes　to　see　the　old　lady　but　she
throws　her　into　an　agitated　state；　fit　to　bring　on　another　attack。　　A
meek　old　soul；　not　fit　to　contend　with　them！〃

〃Why　do　they　do　it？　〃　said　Ethel。

〃For　the　cause　of　all　evil！　　That　daughter　marries　a　grazier；　and
wants　to　set　up　for　gentility；　she　comes　and　squeezes　presents　out　of
her　mother；　and　the　whole　family　are　distrusting　each　other；　and
squabbling　over　the　spoil　before　the　poor　old　creature　is　dead！　　It
makes　one　sick！　　I　gave　that　Mrs。　Thorn　a　bit　of　my　mind　at　last；　I
could　not　stand　the　sight　any　longer。　　Madam；　said　I；　you'll　have　to
answer　for　your　mother's　death；　as　sure　as　my　name's　Dick　Maya
harpy　dressed　up　in　feathers　and　lace。〃

There　was　a　great　laugh；　and　an　entreaty　to　know　whether　this　was
really　his　addressEthel　telling　him　she　knew　he　had　muttered　it　to
himself　quite　audibly；　for　which　she　was　rewarded　by　a　pretended　box
on　the　ear。　　It　certainly　was　vain　to　expect　order　at　dinner　on
Saturday；　for　the　doctor　was　as　bad　as　the　boys；　and　Mrs。　May　took　it
with　complete　composure；　hardly　appearing　sensible　of　the　Babel　which
would　sometimes　almost　deafen　its　promoter；　papa；　and　yet　her
interference　was　all…powerful；　as　now　when　Harry　and　Mary　were
sparring　over　the　salt；　with　one　gentle　〃Mary！〃　and　one　reproving
glance；　they　were　reduced　to　quiescence。

Meanwhile　Dr。　May；　in　a　voice　above　the　tumult；　was　telling　〃Maggie；〃
as　he　always　called　his　wife；　some　piece　of　news　about　Mr。　Rivers；
who　had　bought　Abbotstoke　Grange；　and　Alan　Ernescliffe；　in　much　lower
tones；　saying　to　Margaret　how　he　delighted　in　the　sight　of　these　home
scenes；　and　this　free　household　mirth。

〃It　is　the　first　time　you　have　seen　us　in　perfection；〃　said　Margaret；
〃with　mamma　at　the　head　of　the　tableno；　not　quite　perfection
either；　without　Richard。〃

〃I　am　very　glad　to　have　seen　it；〃　repeated　Alan。　　〃What　a　blessing　it
must　be　to　your　brothers　to　have　such　a　home！〃

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　said　Margaret　earnestly。

〃I　cannot　fancy　any　advantage　in　life　equal　to　it。　　Your　father　and
mother　so　entirely　one　with　you　all。〃

Margaret　smiled；　too　much　pleased　to　speak；　and　glanced　at　her
mother's　sweet　face。

〃You　can't　think　how　often　I　shall　remember　it；　or　how　rejoiced　I〃
He　broke　off；　for　the　noise　subsided；　and　his　speech　was　not　intended
for　the　public　ear；　so　he　dashed　into　the　general　conversation；　and
catching　his　own　name；　exclaimed；　〃What's　that　base　proposal；　Ethel？〃

〃To　put　you　on　the　donkey；〃　said　Norman。

〃They　want　to　see　a　sailor　riding；〃　interposed　the　doctor。

〃Dr。　May！〃　cried　the　indignant　voice　of　Hector　Ernescliffe；　as　his
honest　Scottish　face　flushed　like　a　turkey　cock；　〃I　assure　you　that
Alan　rides　like〃

〃Like　a　horse　marine；〃　said　Norman。

Hector　and　Harry　both　looked　furious；　but　〃June〃　was　too　great　a　man
in　their　world　for　them　to　attempt　any　revenge；　and　it　was　left　for
Mary　to　call　out；　〃Why；　Norman；　nonsense！　　Mr。　Ernescliffe　rode　the
new　black　kicking　horse　till　he　made　it　quite　steady。〃

〃Made　it　steady！　　No；　Mary；　that　is　saying　too　much　for　it；〃　said　Mr。
Ernescliffe。

〃It　has　no　harm　in　itcapital　horsesplendid；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃I
shall　take　you　out　with　it　this　afternoon；　Maggie。〃

〃You　have　driven　it　several　times？〃　said　Alan。

〃Yes；　I　drove　him　to　Abbotstoke　yesterdaynever　started；　except　at　a
fool　of　a　woman　with　an　umbrella；　and　at　the　trainand　we'll　take
care　not　to　meet　that。〃

〃It　is　only　to　avoid　the　viaduct　at　half…past　four；〃　said　Mrs。　May；
and　that　is　easily　done。〃

〃So　you　are　bound　for　Cocksmoor？〃　said　the　doctor。　〃I　told　the　poor
fellow　you　were　going　to　see　his　wife；　and　he　was　so　thankful；　that
it　did　one's　heart　good。〃

Is　he　better？　　I　should　like　to　tell　his　wife；〃　said　Flora。

The　doctor　screwed　up　his　face。　　〃A　bad　business；〃　he　said；　he　is　a
shade　better　to…day；　he　may　get　through　yet；　but　he　is　not　my
patient。　　I　only　saw　him　because　I　happened　to　be　there　when　he　was
brought　in；　and　Ward　was　not　in　the　way。〃

〃And　what's　his　name？〃

〃I　can't　telldon't　think　I　ever　heard。〃

〃We　ought　to　know；〃　said　Miss　Winter；　〃it　would　be　awkward　to　go
without。〃

〃To　go　roaming　about　Cocksmoor　asking　where　the　man　in　the　hospital
lives！〃　said　Flora。　　〃We　can't　wait　till　Monday。〃

〃I've　done；〃　said　Norman；　〃I'll　run　down　to　the　hospital　and　find
out。　　May　I；　mamma？〃

〃Without　your　pudding；　old　fellow？〃

〃I　don't　want　pudding；〃　said　Norman；　slipping　back　his　chair。
〃May　I；　mamma？〃

〃To　be　sure　you　may；〃　and　Norman；　with　a　hand　on　the　back　of　Ethel's
chair；　took　a　flying　leap　over　his　own；　that　set　all　the　glasses
ringing。

〃Stop；　stop！　know　what　you　are　going　after；　sir；〃　cried　his　father。
〃What　will　they　know　there　of　Cocksmoor；　or　the　man　whose　wife　has
twins？　　You　must　ask　for　the　accident　in　number　five。〃

〃And　oh；　Norman；　come　back　in　time！〃　said　Ethel。

〃I'll　be　bound　I'm　back　before　Etheldred　the　Unready　wants　me；〃　he
answered；　bounding　off　with　an　elasticity　that　caused　his　mother　to
say　the　boy　was　made　of　india…rubber；　and　then　putting　his　head　in　by
the　window　to　say；　〃By…the…bye；　if　there's　any　pudding　owing　to　me；
that　little　chorister　fellow　of　ours；　Bill　Blake；　has　got　a　lot　of
voracious　brothers　that　want　anything　that's　going。　　Tom　and　Blanche
might　take　it　down　to　'em；　I'm　off！　　Hooray！〃　and　he　scampered
headlong　up　the　garden；　prolonging　his　voice　into　a　tremendous　shout
as　he　got　farther　off；　leaving　every　one　laughing；　and　his　mother
tenderly　observing　that　he　was　going　to　run　a　quarter　of　a　mile　and
back；　and　lose　his　only　chance　of　pudding　for　the　weekold　Bishop
Whichcote's　rules　contemplating　no　fare　but　daily　mutton；　to　be
bought　at　a　shilling　per　sheep。　　A　little　private　discussion　ensued
between　Harr