the daisy chain, or aspirations-第44节

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ecstasy。　〃Oppossum；　opottis；　opposse；　or　oh…pottery！〃

〃Harry；〃　said　Richard；　in　a　gentle　reasonable　voice；　〃I　wish　you
would　be　so　kind　as　not　to　stay；　if　you　cannot　help　distracting　him。〃

And　Harry；　who　really　had　a　tolerable　share　of　forbearance　and
consideration；　actually　obeyed；　contenting　himself　with　tossing　his
book　into　the　air　and　catching　it　again；　while　he　paused　at　the　door
to　give　his　last　unsolicited　assistance。　〃Decline　oppossum　you　say。
I'll　tell　you　how：　0…possum　re…poses　up　a　gum　tree。　　0…pot…you…I
will；　says　the　0…posse　of　Yankees；　come　out　to　ketch　him。　　Opossum
poses　them　and　declines　in　0…pot…esse　by　any　manner　of　means　of　o…
potting…di…do…dum；　was　quite　oppositum…oppotitu；　in　fact；　quite
contrairy。〃

Richard；　with　the　gravity　of　a　victim；　heard　this　sally　of　schoolboy
wit；　which　threw　Ethel　back　on　the　sofa　in　fits　of　laughing；　and
declaring　that　the　Opossum　declined；　not　that　he　was　declined；　but；
in　the　midst　of　the　disturbance　thus　created；　Tom　stepped　up　to　her；
and　whispered；　〃Do　tell　me；　Ethel！〃

〃Indeed　I　shan't；〃　said　she。　　〃Why　don't　you　say　fairly　if　you　don't
know？〃

He　was　obliged　to　confess　his　ignorance；　and　Richard　made　him
conjugate　the　whole　verb　opponor　from　beginning　to　end；　in　which　he
wanted　a　good　deal　of　help。

Ethel　could　not　help　saying；　〃How　did　you　find　out　the　meaning　of
that　word；　Tom；　if　you　didn't　look　out　the　verb？〃

〃Idon't　know；〃　drawled　Tom；　in　the　voice；　half　sullen；　half
piteous；　which　he　always　assumed　when　out　of　sorts。

〃It　is　very　odd；〃　she　said　decidedly；　but　Richard　took　no　notice；　and
proceeded　to　the　other　lessons；　which　went　off　tolerably　well；　except
the　arithmetic；　where　there　was　some　great　misunderstanding；　into
which　Ethel　did　not　enter　for　some　time。　　When　she　did　attend；　she
perceived　that　Tom　had　brought　a　right　answer；　without　understanding
the　working　of　the　sum；　and　that　Richard　was　putting　him　through　it。
She　began　to　be　worked　into　a　state　of　dismay　and　indignation　at
Tom's　behaviour；　and　Richard's　calm　indifference；　which　made　her
almost　forget　'Jane　Sparks'；　and　long　to　be　alone　with　Richard；　but
all　the　world　kept　coming　into　the　room；　and　going　out；　and　she　could
not　say　what　was　in　her　mind　till　after　dinner；　when；　seeing　Richard
go　up　into　Margaret's　room；　she　ran　after　him；　and　entering　it；
surprised　Margaret；　by　not　beginning　on　her　books；　but　saying　at
once；　〃Ritchie；　I　wanted　to　speak　to　you　about　Tom。　　I　am　sure　he
shuffled　about　those　lessons。〃

〃I　am　afraid　he　does；〃　said　Richard；　much　concerned。

〃What；　do　you　mean　that　it　is　often　so？〃

〃Much　too　often；〃　said　Richard；　〃but　I　have　never　been　able　to　detect
him；　he　is　very　sharp；　and　has　some　underhand　way　of　preparing　his
lessons　that　I　cannot　make　out。〃

〃Did　you　know　it；　Margaret？〃　said　Ethel；　astonished　not　to　see　her
sister　looked　shocked　as　well　as　sorry。

〃Yes；〃　said　Margaret；　〃Ritchie　and　I　have　often　talked　it　over；　and
tried　to　think　what　was　to　be　done。〃

〃Dear　me！　why　don't　you　tell　papa？　　It　is　such　a　terrible　thing！〃

〃So　it　is；〃　said　Margaret；　〃but　we　have　nothing　positive　or　tangible
to　accuse　Tom　of；　we　don't　know　what　he　does；　and　have　never　caught
him　out。〃

〃I　am　sure　he　must　have　found　out　the　meaning　of　that　oppositum　in
some　wrong　wayif　he　had　looked　it　out；　he　would　only　have　found
opposite。　　Nothing　but　opponor　could　have　shown　him　the　rendering
which　he　made。〃

〃That's　like　what　I　have　said　almost　every　day；〃　said　Richard；　〃but
there　we　areI　can't　get　any　further。〃

〃Perhaps　he　guesses　by　the　context；〃　said　Margaret。

〃It　would　be　impossible　to　do　so　always；〃　said　both　the　Latin
scholars　at　once。

〃Well；　I　can't　think　how　you　can　take　it　so　quietly；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃I
would　have　told　papa　the　first　moment；　and　put　a　stop　to　it。　　I　have
a　great　mind　to　do　so；　if　you　won't。

〃Ethel；　Ethel；　that　would　never　do！〃　exclaimed　Margaret；　〃pray　don't。
Papa　would　be　so　dreadfully　grieved　and　angry　with　poor　Tom。〃

〃Well；　so　he　deserves；〃　said　Ethel。

〃You　don't　know　what　it　is　to　see　papa　angry；〃　said　Richard。

〃Dear　me；　Richard！〃　cried　Ethel；　who　thought　she　knew　pretty　well
what　his　sharp　words　were。　　〃I'm　sure　papa　never　was　angry　with　me；
without　making　me　love　him　more；　and；　at　least；　want　to　be　better。〃

〃You　are　a　girl；〃　said　Richard。

〃You　are　higher　spirited；　and　shake　off　things　faster；〃　said
Margaret。

〃Why；　what　do　you　think　he　would　do　to　Tom？〃

〃I　think　he　would　be　so　very　angry；　that　Tom；　who；　you　know；　is　timid
and　meek；　would　be　dreadfully　frightened；〃　said　Richard。

〃That's　just　what　he　ought　to　be；　frightened　out　of　these　tricks。〃

〃I　am　afraid　it　would　frighten　him　into　them　still　more；〃　said
Richard；　〃and　perhaps　give　him　such　a　dread　of　my　father　as　would
prevent　him　from　ever　being　open　with　him。〃

〃Besides；　it　would　make　papa　so　very　unhappy；〃　added　Margaret。　　〃Of
course；　if　poor　dear　Tom　had　been　found　out　in　any　positive　deceit；
we　ought　to　mention　it　at　once；　and　let　him　be　punished；　but　while　it
is　all　vague　suspicion；　and　of　what　papa　has　such　a　horror　of；　it
would　only　grieve　him；　and　make　him　constantly　anxious；　without；
perhaps；　doing　Tom　any　good。〃

〃I　think　all　that　is　expediency；〃　said　Ethel；　in　her　bluff；　abrupt
way。

〃Besides；〃　said　Richard；　〃we　have　nothing　positive　to　accuse　him　of；
and　if　we　had；　it　would　be　of　no　use。　　He　will　be　at　school　in　three
weeks；　and　there　he　would　be　sure　to　shirk；　even　if　he　left　it　off
here。　　Every　one　does；　and　thinks　nothing　of　it。〃

〃Richard！〃　cried　both　sisters；　shocked。　　〃You　never　did？〃

〃No；　we　didn't；　but　most　others　do；　and　not　bad　fellows　either。　　It
is　not　the　way　of　boys　to　think　much　of　those　things。〃

〃It　is　meanit　is　dishonourableit　is　deceitful！〃　cried　Ethel。

〃I　know　it　is　very　wrong；　but　you'll　never　get　the　general　run　of
boys　to　think　so；〃　said　Richard。

〃Then　Tom　ought　not　to　go　to　school　at　all　till　he　is　well　armed
against　it；〃　said　Ethel。

〃That　can't　be　helped；〃　said　Richard。　　〃He　will　get　clear　of　it　in
time；　when　he　knows　better。〃

〃I　will　talk　to　him；〃　said　Margaret；　〃and；　indeed；　I　think　it　would
be　better　than　worrying　papa。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Ethel；　〃of　course　I　shan't　tell；　because　it　is　not　my
business；　but　I　think　papa　ought　to　know　everything　about　us；　and　I
don't　like　your　keeping　anything　back。　　It　is　being　almost　as　bad　as
Tom　himself。〃

With　which　words；　as　Flora　entered；　Ethel　marched　out　of　the　room　in
displeasure；　and　went　down；　resolved　to　settle　Jane　Sparks　by
herself。

〃Ethel　is　out　of　sorts　to…day；〃　said　Flora。　　〃What's　the　matter？〃

〃We　have　had　a　discussion；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃She　has　been　terribly
shocked　by　finding　out　what　we　have　often　thought　about　poor　little
Tom；　and　she　thinks　we　ought　to　tell　papa。　　Her　principle　is　quite
right；　but　I　doubt〃

〃I　know　exactly　how　Ethel　would　do　it！〃　cried　Flora；　〃blurt　out　all
on　a　sudden；　'Papa；　Tom　cheats　at　his　lessons！'　then　there　would　be　a
tremendous　uproar；　papa　would　scold　Tom　till　he　almost　frightened　him
out　of　his　wits；　and　then　find　out　it　was　only　suspicion。〃

〃And　never　have　any　comfort　again；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃He　would　always
dread　that　Tom　was　deceiving　him；　and　then　think　it　was　all　for　want
of　Oh；　no；　it　will　never　do　to　speak　of　it；　unless　we　find　out　some
positive　piece　of　misbehaviour。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Flora。

〃And　it　would　do　Tom　no　good　to　make　him　afraid　of　papa；〃　said
Richard。

〃Ethel's　rule　is　right　in　principle；〃　said　Margaret　thoughtfully；
〃that　papa　ought　to　know　all　without　reserve；　and　yet　it　will　hardly
do　in　practice。　　One　must　use　discretion；　and　not　tease　him　about
every　little　thing。　　He　takes　them　so　much　to　heart；　that　he　would　be
almost　distracted；　and；　with　so　much　business　abroad；　I　think　at　home
he　should　have　nothing　but　rest；　and；　as　far　as　we　can；　freedom　from
care　and　worry。　　Anything　wrong　about　the　children　brings　on　the
grief　so　much；　that　I　cannot　bear　to　mention　it。〃

Richard　and　Flora　agreed　with　her；　admiring　the　spirit　which　made
her；　in　her　weakness　and　helplessness；　bear　the　whole　burden　of
family　cares　alone；　and　devote　herself　entirely　to　spare　her　father。
He　was；　indeed；　her　first　object；　and　she　would　have　sacrificed
anything　to　give　him　ease　of　mind；　but；　perhaps；　she　regarded　him
more　as　a　charge　of　her　own；　than　as；　in　very　truth；　the　head　of　the
family。　　She　had　the　government　in　her　hands；　and　had　never　been　used
to　see　him　exercise　it　much　in　detail　（she　did　not　know　how　much　her
mother　had　referred　to　him　in　private）；　and　had　succeeded　to　her
authority　at　a　time　when　his　health　and　spirits　were　in　such　a　state
as　to　make　it　doubly　needful　to　spare　him。　　It　was　no　wonder　that　she
sometimes　carried　her　consideration　beyond　what　was　strictly　right；
and　forgot　that　he　was　the　real　authority；　more　especially　as　his
impulsive　nature　sometimes　carried　him　away；　and　his　sound　judgment
was　not　certain　to　come　into　play　at　the　first　moment；　so　that　it
required　some　moral　courage　to　excite　displeasure；　so　easy　of
manifestation；　and　of　such　courage　there　was；　perhaps；　a　deficiency
in　her　character。　　Nor　had　she　yet　detected　her　own　satisfaction　in
being　the　first　with　e