the daisy chain, or aspirations-第58节

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Norman；　taking　off　his　hat　and　passing　his　fingers　through　his　hair。

〃A　headache　againI　am　sorry　to　hear　it。〃

〃It　is　only　that　suffocating　den　of　yours。　　My　head　ached　from　the
moment　I　looked　into　it。　　How　can　you　take　Ethel　into　such　a　hole；
Richard？　　It　is　enough　to　kill　her　to　go　on　with　it　for　ever。〃

〃It　is　not　so　every　day；〃　said　the　elder　brother　quietly。　　〃It　is　a
warm　day；　and　there　was　an　unusual　crowd。〃

〃I　shall　speak　to　my　father；〃　exclaimed　Norman；　with　somewhat　of　the
supercilious　tone　that　he　had　now　and　then　been　tempted　to　address　to
his　brother。　　〃It　is　not　fit　that　Ethel　should　give　up　everything；
health　and　all；　to　such　a　set　as　these。　　They　look　as　if　they　had
been　picked　out　of　the　gutterdirt；　squalor；　everything　disgusting；
and　summer　coming　on；　too；　and　that　horrid　place　with　no　window　to
open！　　It　is　utterly　unbearable！〃

Richard　stooped　to　pick　up　a　heavy　basket；　then　smiled　and　said；　〃You
must　get　over　such　things　as　these　if　you　mean　to　be　a　clergyman；
Norman。〃

〃Whatever　I　am　to　be；　it　does　not　concern　the　girls　being　in　such　a
place　as　this。　　I　am　surprised　that　you　could　suffer　it。〃

There　was　no　answerRichard　was　walking　off　with　his　basket；　and
putting　it　into　the　carriage。　　Norman　was　not　pleased　with　himself；
but　thought　it　his　duty　to　let　his　father　know　his　opinion　of　Ethel's
weekly　resort。　　All　he　wished　was　to　avoid　Ethel　herself；　not　liking
to　show　her　his　sentiments；　and　he　was　glad　to　see　her　put　into　the
gig　with　Aubrey　and　Mary。

They　rushed　into　the　drawing…room；　full　of　glee；　when　they　came　home；
all　shouting　their　news　together；　and　had　not　at　first　leisure　to
perceive　that　Margaret　had　some　tidings　for　them　in　return。　　Mr。
Rivers　had　been　there；　with　a　pressing　invitation　to　his　daughter's
school…feast；　and　it　had　been　arranged　that　Flora　and　Ethel　should　go
and　spend　the　day　at　the　Grange；　and　their　father　come　to　dine；　and
fetch　them　home　in　the　evening。　　Margaret　had　been　much　pleased　with
the　manner　in　which　the　thing　was　done。　　When　Dr。　May；　who　seemed
reluctant　to　accept　the　proposal　that　related　to　himself；　was　called
out　of　the　room；　Mr。　Rivers　had；　in　a　most　kind　manner；　begged　her　to
say　whether　she　thought　it　would　be　painful　to　him；　or　whether　it
might　do　his　spirits　good。　　She　decidedly　gave　her　opinion　in　favour
of　the　invitation；　Mr。　Rivers　gained　his　point；　and　she　had　ever
since　been　persuading　her　father　to　like　the　notion；　and　assuring　him
it　need　not　be　made　a　precedent　for　the　renewal　of　invitations　to
dine　out　in　the　town。　　He　thought　the　change　would　be　pleasant　for
his　girls；　and　had；　therefore；　consented。

〃Oh；　papa；　papa！　thank　you！〃　cried　Ethel；　enraptured；　as　soon　as　he
came　into　the　room。　　〃How　very　kind　of　you！　　How　I　have　wished　to　see
the　Grange；　and　all　Norman　talks　about！　　Oh；　dear！　　I　am　so　glad　you
are　going　there　too！〃

〃Why；　what　should　you　do　with　me？〃　said　Dr。　May；　who　felt　and　looked
depressed　at　this　taking　up　of　the　world　again。

〃Oh；　dear！　　I　should　not　like　it　at　all　without　you！　　It　would　be　no
fun　at　all　by　ourselves。　　I　wish　Flora　would　come　home。　　How　pleased
she　will　be！　　Papa；　I　do　wish　you　would　look　as　if　you　didn't　mind
it！　　I　can't　enjoy　it　if　you　don't　like　going。〃

〃I　shall　when　I　am　there；　my　dear；〃　said　the　doctor　affectionately；
putting　his　arm　around　her　as　she　stood　by　him。　　〃It　will　be　a　fine
day's　sport　for　you。〃

〃But　can't　you　like　it　beforehand；　papa？〃

〃Not　just　this　minute；　Ethel；〃　said　he；　with　his　bright；　sad　smile。
〃All　I　like　just　now　is　my　girl's　not　being　able　to　do　without　me；
but　we'll　do　the　best　we　can。　　So　your　flock　acquitted　themselves
brilliantly？　　Who　is　your　Senior　Wrangler？〃

Ethel　threw　herself　eagerly　into　the　history　of　the　examination；　and
had　almost　forgotten　the　invitation　till　she　heard　the　front　door
open。　　Then　it　was　not　she；　but　Margaret；　who　told　FloraEthel　could
not；　as　she　said；　enjoy　what　seemed　to　sadden　her　father。　　Flora
received　it　much　more　calmly。　　〃It　will　be　very　pleasant；〃　said　she；
〃it　was　very　kind　of　papa　to　consent。　　You　will　have　Richard　and
Norman；　Margaret；　to　be　with　you　in　the　evening。〃

And；　as　soon　as　they　went　upstairs；　Ethel　began　to　write　down　the
list　of　prizes　in　her　school　journal；　while　Flora　took　out　the　best
evening　frocks；　to　study　whether　the　crape　looked　fresh　enough。

The　invitation　was　a　convenient　subject　of　conversation；　for　Norman
had　so　much　to　tell　his　sisters　of　the　curiosities　they　must　look　for
at　the　Grange；　that　he　was　not　obliged　to　mention　Cocksmoor。　　He　did
not　like　to　mortify　Ethel　by　telling　her　his　intense　disgust；　and　he
knew　he　was　about　to　do　what　she　would　think　a　great　injury　by
speaking　to　his　father　on　the　subject；　but　he　thought　it　for　her　real
welfare；　and　took　the　first　opportunity　of　making　to　his　father　and
Margaret　a　most　formidable　description　of　Ethel's　black…hole。　　It
quite　alarmed　Margaret；　but　the　doctor　smiled；　saying；　〃Ay；　ay；　I
know　the　face　Norman　puts　on　if　he　looks　into　a　cottage。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Norman；　with　some　mortification；　〃all　I　know　is；　that　my
head　ached　all　the　rest　of　the　day。〃

〃Very　likely；　but　your　head　is　not　Ethel's；　and　there　were　twice　as
many　people　as　the　place　was　intended　to　hold。〃

〃A　stuffy　hole；　full　of　peat…smoke；　and　with　a　window　that　can't　open
at　the　best　of　times。〃

〃Peat…smoke　is　wholesome；〃　said　Dr。　May；　looking　provoking。

〃You　don't　know　what　it　is；　papa；　or　you　would　never　let　Ethel　spend
her　life　there。　　It　is　poisonous！〃

〃I'll　take　care　of　Ethel；〃　said　Dr。　May；　walking　off；　and　leaving
Norman　in　a　state　of　considerable　annoyance　at　being　thus　treated。
He　broke　out　into　fresh　exclamations　against　the　horrors　of
Cocksmoor；　telling　Margaret　she　had　no　idea　what　a　den　it　was。

〃But；　Norman；　it　can't　be　so　very　bad；　or　Richard　would　not　allow
it。〃

〃Richard　is　deluded！〃　said　Norman；　〃but　if　he　chooses　to　run　after
dirty　brats；　why　should　he　take　Ethel　there？〃

〃My　dear　Norman；　you　know　it　is　all　Ethel's　doing。〃

〃Yes；　I　know　she　has　gone　crazy　after　them；　and　given　up　all　her
Greek　for　it。　　It　is　past　endurance！〃　said　Norman；　who　had　worked
himself　up　into　great　indignation。

〃Well；　but　surely；　Norman；　it　is　better　they　should　do　what　they　can
for　those　poor　creatures；　than　for　Ethel　to　learn　Greek。〃

〃I　don't　know　that。　　Let　those　who　are　fit　for　nothing　else　go　and
drone　over　A　B　C　with　ragged　children；　if　they　like。　　It　is　just
their　vocation；　but　there　is　an　order　in　everything；　Margaret；　and
minds　of　a　superior　kind　are　intended　for　higher　purposes；　not　to　be
wasted　in　this　manner。〃

〃I　don't　know　whether　they　are　wasted；〃　said　Margaret；　not　quite
liking　Norman's　tone；　though　she　had　not　much　to　say　to　his
arguments。

〃Not　wasted？　　Not　in　doing　what　any　one　can　do？　　I　know　what　you'll
say　about　the　poor。　　I　grant　it；　but　high　ability　must　be　given　for　a
purpose；　not　to　be　thrown　away。　　It　is　common…sense；　that　some　one
must　be　meant　to　do　the　dirty　work。〃

〃I　see　what　you　mean；　Norman；　but　I　don't　quite　like　that　to　be
called　by　such　a　name。　　I　think〃　she　hesitated。　　〃Don't　you　think
you　dislike　such　things　more　than〃

〃Any　one　must　abominate　dirt　and　slovenliness。　　I　know　what　you　mean。
My　father　thinks　'tis　all　nonsense　in　me；　but　his　profession　has　made
him　insensible　to　such　things；　and　he　fancies　every　one　else　is　the
same！　　Now；　Margaret；　am　I　unreasonable？〃

〃I　am　sure　I　don't　know；　dear　Norman；〃　said　Margaret；　hesitating；　and
feeling　it　her　duty　to　say　something；　〃I　dare　say　it　was　very
disagreeable。〃

〃And　you　think；　too；　that　I　made　a　disturbance　for　nothing？〃

〃No；　indeed　I　don't；　nor　does　dear　papa。　　I　have　no　doubt　he　will　see
whether　it　is　proper　for　Ethel。　　All　I　think　he　meant　is；　that
perhaps　your　not　being　well　last　winter　has　made　you　a　little　more
sensitive　in　such　things。〃

Norman　paused；　and　coloured。　He　remembered　the　pain　it　had　given　him
to　find　himself　incapable　of　being　of　use　to　his　father；　and　that　he
had　resolved　to　conquer　the　weakness　of　nerve　of　which　he　was
ashamed；　but　he　did　not　like　to　connect　this　with　his　fastidious
feelings　of　refinement。　　He　would　not　own　to　himself　that　they　were
over　nice；　and；　at　the　bottom　of　all　this　justification；　rankled
Richard's　saying；　that　he　who　cared　for　such　things　was　unfit　for　a
clergyman。　　Norman's　secret　thought　was；　it　was　all　very　well　for
those　who　could　only　aspire　to　parish　work　in　wretched　cottages
people　who　could　distinguish　themselves　were　more　useful　at　the
university；　forming　minds；　and　opening　new　discoveries　in　learning。

Was　Norman　quite　proof　against　the　consciousness　of　daily　excelling
all　his　competitors？　　His　superiority　had　become　even　more　manifest
this　Easter；　when　Cheviot　and　Forder；　the　two　elder　boys　whom　he　had
outstripped；　left　the　school；　avowedly；　because　it　was　not　worth
while　for　them　to　stay；　since　they　had　so　little　chance　of　the
Randall　scholarship。　　Norman　had　now　only　to　walk　over　the　course；　no
one　even　approaching　him　but　Harvey　Anderson。

Meta　Rivers　always　said　that　fine　weather　came　at　her　call；　and　so　it
didglowing　sunshine　streaming　over　the　shaven　turf；　and　penetrating
even　th