the daisy chain, or aspirations-第43节

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a　lucky　chance；〃　he　said；　〃that　they　brought　Norman　in。　　It　was
exactly　what　I　wanted　to　rouse　and　interest　him；　and　he　took　it　all
in　so　well；　that　I　am　sure　they　were　pleased　with　him。　　I　thought　he
looked　a　very　lanky　specimen　of　too　much　leg　and　arm　when　I　called
him　in；　but　he　has　such　good　manners；　and　is　so　ready　and
understanding；　that　they　could　not　help　liking　him。　　It　was　fortunate
I　had　him　instead　of　RichardRitchie　is　a　very　good　fellow；
certainly；　but　he　had　rather　look　at　a　steam…engine；　any　day；　than　at
Raphael　himself。〃

Norman　had　his　turn　by…and…by。　　He　came　up　after　tea；　reporting　that
papa　was　fast　asleep　in　his　chair；　and　the　others　would　go　on　about
Cocksmoor　till　midnight；　if　they　were　let　alone；　and　made　up　for　his
previous　yielding　to　Ethel；　by　giving；　with　much　animation；　and　some
excitement；　a　glowing　description　of　the　Grange；　so　graphic；　that
Margaret　said　she　could　almost　fancy　she　had　been　there。

〃Oh；　Margaret；　I　wonder　if　you　ever　will！　　I　would　give　something　for
you　to　see　the　beautiful　conservatory。　　It　is　a　real　bower　for　a
maiden　of　romance；　with　its　rich　green　fragrance　in　the　midst　of
winter。　　It　is　like　a　picture　in　a　dream。　　One　could　imagine　it　a
fairy　land；　where　no　care；　or　grief；　or　weariness　could　come；　all
choice　beauty　and　sweetness　waiting　on　the　creature　within。　　I　can
hardly　believe　that　it　is　a　real　place；　and　that　I　have　seen　it。〃

〃Though　you　have　brought　these　pretty　tokens　that　your　fairy　is　as
good　as　she　is　fair！〃　said　Margaret；　smiling。




CHAPTER　XVI。



EVANS。　　　Peace　your　tattlings。　What　is　fair；　William？
WILLIAM。　PULCHER。
QUICKLY。　Poulcats！　there　are　fairer　things　than　poulcats　sure！
EVANS。　　　I　pray　you　have　your　remembrance；　child；　accusative
　　　　　　　　　HING　HANG　HOG。
QUICKLY。　HANG　HOG　is　Latin　for　bacon；　I　warrant　you。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHAKESPEARE。


In　a　large　family　it　must　often　happen；　that　since　every　member　of　it
cannot　ride　the　same　hobby；　nor　at　the　same　time；　their　several
steeds　must　sometimes　run　counter　to　each　other；　and　so　Ethel　found
it；　one　morning　when　Miss　Winter；　having　a　bad　cold；　had　given　her　an
unwonted　holiday。

Mr。　Wilmot　had　sent　a　large　parcel　of　books　for　her　to　choose　from
for　Cocksmoor；　but　this　she　could　not　well　do　without　consultation。
The　multitude　bewildered　her；　she　was　afraid　of　taking　too　many　or
too　few；　and　the　being　brought　to　these　practical　details　made　her
sensible　that　though　her　schemes　were　very　grand　and　full　for　future
doings；　they　passed　very　lightly　over　the　intermediate　ground。　　The
Paulo　post　fulurum　was　a　period　much　more　developed　in　her
imagination　than　the　future；　that　the　present　was　flowing　into。

Where　was　her　coadjutor；　Richard？　　Writing　notes　for　papa；　and　not　to
be　disturbed。　　She　had　better　have　waited　tranquilly；　but　this　would
not　suit　her　impatience；　and　she　ran　up　to　Margaret's　room。　　There
she　found　a　great　display　of　ivy　leaves；　which　Norman；　who　had　been
turning　half　the　shops　in　the　town　upside　down　in　search　of
materials；　was　instructing　her　to　imitate　in　leather…worka　regular
mania　with　him；　and　apparently　the　same　with　Margaret。

In　came　Ethel。　　〃Oh；　Margaret；　will　you　look　at　these　'First　Truths？'
Do　you　think　they　would　be　easy　enough？　　Shall　I　take　some　of　the
Parables　and　Miracles　at　once；　or　content　myself　with　the　book　about
'Jane　Sparks？'〃

〃There's　some　very　easy　reading　in　'Jane　Sparks'；　isn't　there？　　I
would　not　make　the　little　books　from　the　New　Testament　too　common。〃

〃Take　care；　that　leaf　has　five　points；〃　said　Norman。

〃Shall　I　bring　you　up　'Jane　Sparks'　to　see？　　Because　then　you　can
judge；〃　said　Ethel。

〃There；　Norman；　is　that　right？what　a　beauty！　　I　should　like　to　look
over　them　by…and…by；　dear　Ethel；　very　much。〃

Ethel　gazed　and　went　away；　more　put　out　than　was　usual　with　her。
〃When　Margaret　has　a　new　kind　of　fancy　work；〃　she　thought；　〃she　cares
for　nothing　else！　as　if　my　poor　children　did　not　signify　more　than
trumpery　leather　leaves！〃　She　next　met　Flora。

〃Oh；　Flora；　see　here；　what　a　famous　parcel　of　books　Mr。　Wilmot　has
sent　us　to　choose　from。〃

〃All　those！〃　said　Flora；　turning　them　over　as　they　lay　heaped　on　the
drawing…room　sofa；　〃what　a　confusion！〃

〃See；　such　a　parcel　of　reading　books。　　I　want　to　know　what　you　think
of　setting　them　up　with　'Jane　Sparks'；　as　it　is　week…day　teaching。〃

〃You　will　be　very　tired　of　hearing　those　spelled　over　for　ever；　they
have　some　nicer　books　at　the　national　school。〃

〃What　is　the　name　of　them？　　Do　you　see　any　of　them　here？〃

〃No；　I　don't　think　I　do；　but　I　can't　wait　to　look　now。　　I　must　write
some　letters。　　You　had　better　put　them　together　a　little。　　If　you
were　to　sort　them；　you　would　know　what　is　there。　　Now；　what　a　mess
they　are　in。〃

Ethel　could　not　deny　it；　and　began　to　deal　them　out　in　piles；　looking
somewhat　more　fitting；　but　still　felt　neglected　and　aggrieved；　at　no
one　being　at　leisure　but　Harry；　who　was　not　likely　to　be　of　any　use
to　her。

Presently　she　heard　the　study　door　open；　and　hoped；　but　though　it　was
Richard　who　entered　the　room；　he　was　followed　by　Tom；　and　each　held
various　books　that　boded　little　good　to　her。　　Miss　Winter　had；　much
to　her　own　satisfaction；　been　relieved　from　the　charge　of　Tom；　whose
lessons　Richard　had　taken　upon　himself；　and　thus　Ethel　had　heard　so
little　about　them　for　a　long　time　past；　that　even　in　her　vexation　and
desire　to　have　them　over；　she　listened　with　interest；　desirous　to
judge　what　sort　of　place　Tom　might　be　likely　to　take　in　school。

She　did　not　perceive　that　this　made　Richard　nervous　and　uneasy。　　He
had　a　great　dislike　to　spectators　of　Latin　lessons；　he　never　had
forgotten　an　unlucky　occasion；　some　years　back；　when　his　father　was
examining　him　in　the　Georgics；　and　he；　dull　by　nature；　and　duller　by
confusion　and　timidity；　had　gone　on　rendering　word　for　wordenim
for；　seges　a　crop；　lini　of　mud；　urit　burns；　campum　the　field；　avenae
a　crop　of　pipe；　urit　burns　it；　when　Norman　and　Ethel　had　first　warned
him　of　the　beauty　of　his　translation　by　an　explosion　of　laughing；
when　his　father　had　shut　the　book　with　a　bounce；　shaken　his　head　in
utter　despair；　and　told　him　to　give　up　all　thoughts　of　doing
anythingand　when　Margaret　had　cried　with　vexation。　　Since　that
time；　he　had　never　been　happy　when　any　one　was　in　earshot　of　a
lesson；　but　to…day　he　had　no　escapeHarry　lay　on　the　rug　reading；
and　Ethel　sat　forlorn　over　her　books　on　the　sofa。　　Tom；　however；　was
bright　enough；　declined　his　Greek　nouns　irreproachably；　and　construed
his　Latin　so　well；　that　Ethel　could　not　help　putting　in　a　word　or　two
of　commendation；　and　auguring　the　third　form。　　〃Do　let　him　off　the
parsing；　Ritchie；〃　said　she　coaxingly〃he　has　said　it　so　well；　and　I
want　you　so　much。〃

〃I　am　afraid　I　must　not；〃　said　Richard；　who；　to　her　surprise；　did　not
look　pleased　or　satisfied　with　the　prosperous　translation；　〃but　come；
Tom；　you　shan't　have　many　words；　if　you　really　know　them。〃

Tom　twisted　and　looked　rather　cross；　but　when　asked　to　parse　the　word
viribus；　answered　readily　and　correctly。

〃Very　well；　only　two　moreaffuit？〃

〃Third　person　singular；　praeter　perfect　tense　of　the　verb　affo；
affis；　affui；　affere；　gabbled　off　Tom　with　such　confidence；　that
though　Ethel　gave　an　indignant　jump；　Richard　was　almost　startled　into
letting　it　pass；　and　disbelieving　himself。　　He　remonstrated　in　a
somewhat　hesitating　voice。　　〃Did　you　find　that　in　the　dictionary？〃
said　he；　〃I　thought　affui　came　from　adsum。〃

〃Oh；　to　be　sure；　stupid　fool　of　a　word；　so　it　does！〃　said　Tom
hastily。　　〃I　had　forgotadsum；　ades；　affui；　adesse。〃

Richard　said　no　more；　but　proposed　the　word　oppositus。

〃Adjective。〃

Ethel　was　surprised；　for　she　remembered　that　it　was；　in　this　passage；
part　of　a　passive　verb；　which　Tom　had　construed　correctly；　〃it　was
objected；〃　and　she　had　thought　this　very　creditable　to　him；　whereas
he　now　evidently　took　it　for　opposite；　however；　on　Richard's　reading
the　line；　he　corrected　himself　and　called　it　a　participle；　but　did
not　commit　himself　further；　till　asked　for　its　derivation。

〃From　oppositor。〃

〃Hallo！〃　cried　Harry；　who　hitherto　had　been　abstracted　in　his　book；
but　now　turned；　raised　himself　on　his　elbow；　and；　at　the　blunder；
shook　his　thick　yellow　locks；　and　showed　his　teeth　like　a　young　lion。

〃No；　now；　Tom；　pay　attention；〃　said　Richard　resignedly。　　〃If　you
found　out　its　meaning；　you　must　have　seen　its　derivation。〃

〃Oppositus；〃　said　Tom；　twisting　his　fingers；　and　gazing　first　at
Ethel；　then　at　Harry；　in　hopes　of　being　prompted；　then　at　the　ceiling
and　floor；　the　while　he　drawled　out　the　word　with　a　whine；　〃why；
oppositus　from　op…posor。〃

〃A　poser！　ain't　it？〃　said　Harry。

〃Don't；　Harry；　you　distract　him；〃　said　Richard。　　〃Come；　Tom；　say　at
once　whether　you　know　it　or　notit　is　of　no　use　to　invent。〃

〃From　op…〃　and　a　mumble。

〃What？　　I　don't　hearop〃

Tom　again　looked　for　help　to　Harry；　who　made　a　mischievous　movement
of　his　lips；　as　if　prompting；　and；　deceived　by　it；　he　said　boldly；
〃From　op…possum。〃

〃That's　right！　let　us　hear　him　decline　it！〃　cried　Harry；　in　an
ecstasy。　〃Oppossum；　opottis；　opposse；　or　oh…pottery！〃

〃Harry；〃　sai