the daisy chain, or aspirations-第64节

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and　making　Stoneborough　what　it　ought　to　be。

As　Dr。　May　lay　awake　in　the　summer's　morning；　meditating　on　his
address　to　Dr。　Hoxton；　he　heard　the　unwelcome　sound　of　a　ring　at　the
bell；　and；　in　a　few　minutes；　a　note　was　brought　to　him。

〃Tell　Adams　to　get　the　gig　readyI'll　let　him　know　whether　he　is　to
go　with　me。〃

And；　in　a　few　minutes；　the　doctor　opened　Norman's　door；　and　found　him
dressed；　and　standing　by　the　window；　reading。　〃What；　up　already；
Norman？　　I　came　to　tell　you　that　our　affairs　must　wait　till　the
afternoon。　　It　is　very　provoking；　for　Hoxton　may　be　gone　out；　but　Mr。
Lake's　son；　at　Groveswood；　has　an　attack　on　the　head；　and　I　must　go
at　once。　　It　is　a　couple　of　dozen　miles　off　or　more。　　I　have　hardly
ever　been　there；　and　it　may　keep　me　all　day。〃

〃Shall　you　go　in　the　gig？　　Shall　I　drive　you？〃　said　Norman；　looking
rather　blank。

〃That's　what　I　thought　of；　if　you　like　it。　　I　thought　you　would
sooner　be　out　of　the　way。〃

〃Thank　youyes；　papa。　　Shall　I　come　and　help　you　to　finish
dressing？〃

〃Yes；　do；　thank　you；　it　will　hasten　matters。　　Only；　first　order　in
some　breakfast。　　What　makes　you　up　so　early？　　Have　not　you　slept？〃

〃Not　muchit　has　been　such　a　hot　night。〃

〃And　you　have　a　headache。　　Well；　we　will　find　a　cure　for　that　before
the　day　is　over。　　I　have　settled　what　to　say　to　old　Hoxton。〃

Before　another　quarter　of　an　hour　had　passed；　they　were　driving
through　the　deep　lanes；　the　long　grass　thickly　laden　with　morning
dew；　which　beaded　the　webs　of　the　spiders　and　rose　in　clouds　of　mist
under　the　influence　of　the　sun's　rays。　　There　was　stillness　in　the
air　at　first；　then　the　morning　sounds；　the　labourer　going　forth；　the
world　wakening　to　life；　the　opening　houses；　the　children　coming　out
to　school。　　In　spite　of　the　tumult　of　feeling；　Norman　could　not　but
be　soothed　and　refreshed　by　the　new　and　fair　morning　scene；　and　both
minds　quitted　the　school　politics；　as　Dr。　May　talked　of　past
enjoyment　of　walks　or　drives　home　in　early　dawn；　the　more　delicious
after　a　sad　watch　in　a　sick…room；　and　told　of　the　fair　sights　he　had
seen　at　such　unwonted　hours。

They　had　far　to　go；　and　the　heat　of　the　day　had　come　on　before　they
entered　the　place　of　their　destination。　　It　was　a　woodland　village；
built　on　a　nook　in　the　side　of　the　hill；　sloping　greenly　to　the
river；　and　shut　in　by　a　white　gate；　which　seemed　to　gather　all　in　one
the　little　old…fashioned　church；　its　yard；　shaded　with　trees；　and
enclosed　by　long　white　rails；　the　parsonage；　covered　with　climbing
plants　and　in　the　midst　of　a　gay　garden；　and　one　or　two　cottages。
The　woods　cast　a　cool　shadow；　and；　in　the　meadows　by　the　river　rose
cocks　of　new…made　hay；　there　was　an　air　of　abiding　serenity　about　the
whole　place；　save　that　there　stood　an　old　man　by　the　gate；　evidently
watching　for　the　physician's　carriage；　and　where　the　sun　fell　on　that
parsonage…house　was　a　bedroom　window　wide　open；　with　the　curtains
drawn。

〃Thank　Heaven　you　are　come；　sir；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃he　is　fearfully
bad。〃

Norman　knew　young　Lake；　who　had　been　a　senior　boy　when　he　first　went
to　school；　was　a　Randall　scholar；　and　had　borne　an　excellent
character；　and　highly　distinguished　himself　at　the　university。　　And
now；　by　all　accounts；　he　seemed　to　be　dyingin　the　height　of　honour
and　general　esteem。　　Dr。　May　went　into　the　house；　the　old　man　took
the　horse；　and　Norman　lingered　under　the　trees　in　the　churchyard；
watching　the　white　curtains　now　and　then　puffed　by　the　fitful　summer
breeze；　as　he　lay　on　the　turf　in　the　shade；　under　the　influence　of
the　gentle　sadness　around；　resting；　mind　and　body；　from　the　tossing
tumultuous　passionate　sensations　that　had　kept　him　restless　and
miserable　through　the　hot　night。

He　waited　longone　hour；　two　hours　had　passed　away；　but　he　was　not
impatient；　and　hardly　knew　how　long　the　time　had　been　before　his
father　and　Mr。　Lake　came　out　of　the　house　together；　and；　after　they
parted；　Dr。　May　summoned　him。　　He　of　course　asked　first　for　the
patient。　　〃Not　quite　so　hopeless　as　at　first；〃　and　the　reasons　for
having　been　kept　so　long　were　detailed；　with　many　circumstances　of
the　youth's　illness；　and　the　parents'　resignation；　by　which　Dr。　May
was　still　too　deeply　touched　to　have　room　in　his　mind　for　anything
besides。

They　were　more　than　half…way　home；　and　a　silence　had　succeeded　the
conversation　about　the　Lake　family；　when　Norman　spoke：

〃Papa；　I　have　been　thinking　about　it；　and　I　believe　it　would　be
better　to　let　it　alone；　if　you　please。〃

〃Not　apply　to　Dr。　Hoxton！〃　exclaimed　his　father。

〃Well；　I　think　not。　　I　have　been　considering　it；　and　it　does　hardly
seem　to　me　the　right　thing。　　You　see；　if　I　had　not　you　close　at　hand；
this　could　never　be　explained；　and　it　seems　rather　hard　upon
Anderson；　who　has　no　father；　and　the　other　fellows；　who　have　theirs
farther　off〃

〃Right；　Norman；　that　is　what　my　father　before　me　always　said；　and　the
way　I　have　always　acted　myself；　much　better　let　a　few　trifles　go　on
not　just　as　one　would　wish；　than　be　for　ever　interfering。　　But　I
really　think　this　is　a　case　for　it；　and　I　don't　think　you　ought　to
let　yourself　be　influenced　by　the　fear　of　any　party…spirit。〃

〃It　is　not　only　that；　papaI　have　been　thinking　a　good　deal　to…day；
and　there　are　other　reasons。　　Of　course　I　should　wish　Dr。　Hoxton　to
know　that　I　spoke　the　truth　about　that　walk；　and　I　hope　you　will　let
him　know；　as　I　appealed　to　you。　　But；　on　cooler　thoughts；　I　don't
believe　Dr。　Hoxton　could　seriously　suspect　me　of　such　a　thing　as
that；　and　it　was　not　on　that　ground　that　I　am　turned　down；　but　that　I
did　not　keep　up　sufficient　discipline；　and　allowed　the　outrage；　as　he
calls　it。　　Now；　you　know；　that　is；　after　a　fashion；　true。　　If　I　had
not　gone　on　like　an　ass　the　other　day；　and　incited　them　to　pull　down
the　fences；　they　would　not　have　done　it　afterwards；　and　perhaps　I
ought　to　have　kept　on　guard　longer。　　It　was　my　fault；　and　we　can't
deny　it。〃

Dr。　May　made　a　restless；　reluctant　movement。　　〃Well；　well；　I　suppose
it　wasbut　it　was　just　as　much　Harvey　Anderson'sand　is　he　to　get
the　scholarship　because　he　has　added　meanness　to　the　rest？〃

〃He　was　not　dux；〃　said　Norman；　with　a　sigh。　　〃It　was　more　shabby　than
I　thought　was　even　in　him。　　But　I　don't　know　that　the　feeling　about
him　is　not　one　reason。　　There　has　always　been　a　rivalry　and
bitterness　between　us　two；　and　if　I　were　to　get　the　upper　hand　now；
by　means　not　in　the　usual　course；　such　as　the　fellows　would　think　ill
of；　it　would　be　worse　than　ever；　and　I　should　always　feel　guilty　and
ashamed　to　look　at　him。〃

〃Over…refining；　Norman；〃　muttered　Dr。　May。

〃Besides；　don't　you　remember；　when　his　father　died；　how　glad　you　and
everyone　were　to　get　him　a　nomination；　and　it　was　said　that　if　he
gained　a　scholarship　it　would　be　such　a　relief　to　poor　Mrs。　Anderson？
Now　he　has　this　chance；　it　does　seem　hard　to　deprive　her　of　it。　　I
should　not　like　to　know　that　I　had　done　so。〃

〃Whew！〃　the　doctor　gave　a　considering　whistle。

〃You　could　not　make　it　straight；　papa；　without　explaining　about　the
dealing　with　Ballhatchet；　and　that　would　be　unfair　to　them　all；　even
the　old　rogue　himself；　for　I　promised　to　say　nothing　about　former
practices；　as　long　as　he　did　not　renew　them。〃

〃Well！　　I　don't　want　to　compromise　you；　Norman。　　You　know　your　own
ground　best；　but　I　don't　like　it　at　all。　　You　don't　know　the
humiliation　of　disgrace。　　Those　who　have　thought　highly　of　you；　now
thinking　you　changedI　don't　know　how　to　bear　it　for　you。〃

〃I　don't　mind　anything　while　you　trust　me；〃　said　Norman；　eagerly；
〃not　much　I　mean；　except　Mr。　Wilmot。　　You　must　judge；　papa；　and　do　as
you　please。〃

〃No；　you　must　judge；　Norman。　　Your　confidence　in　me　ought　not　to　be　a
restraint。　　It　has　always　been　an　understood　thing　that　what　you　say
at　home　is　as　if　it　had　not　been　said；　as　regards　my　dealings　with
the　masters。〃

〃I　know；　papa。　　Well；　I'll　tell　you　what　brought　me　to　this。　　I
tumbled　about　all　night　in　a　rage；　when　I　thought　how　they　had　served
me；　and　of　Hoxton's　believing　it　all；　and　how　he　might　only　half　give
in　to　your　representation；　and　then　I　gloried　in　Anderson's　coming
down　from　his　height；　and　being　seen　in　his　true　colours。　　So　it　went
on　till　morning　came；　and　I　got　up。　　You　know　you　gave　me　my　mother's
little　'Thomas　a　Kempis'。　　I　always　read　a　bit　every　morning。　　To…day
it　was；　'Of　four　things　that　bring　much　inward　peace'。　　And　what　do
you　think　they　were？


　　　　'Be　desirous；　my　son；　to　do　the　will　of　another
　　　　　　　　rather　than　thine　own。
　　　　　Choose　always　to　have　less　rather　than　more。
　　　　　Seek　always　the　lowest　place；　and　to　be　inferior
　　　　　　　　to　everyone。
　　　　　Wish　always　and　pray　that　the　will　of　God　may　be
　　　　　　　　wholly　fulfilled　in　thee。'


I　liked　them　the　more；　because　it　was　just　like　her　last　reading　with
us；　and　like　that　letter。　　Well；　then　I　wondered　as　I　lay　on　the
grass　at　Groveswood；　whether　she　would　have　thought　it　best　for　me　to
be　reinstated；　and　I　found　out　that　I　should　have　been　rather　afraid
of　what　you　might　say　when　she　had　talked　it　over　with　you。〃

Dr。　May　smiled　a　little　at　the　simplicity　with　which　this　last　was
said；　but　his　smile　ended　in　one　of　his　heavy　sighs。　　〃So　you　took
he