the daisy chain, or aspirations-第65节

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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
her　for　your　counsellor；　my　boy。　　That　was　the　way　to　find　out　what
was　right。〃

〃Well；　there　was　something　in　the　place　and；　in　watching　poor　Lake's
windows；　that　made　me　not　able　to　dwell　so　much　on　getting　on；　and
having　prizes　and　scholarships。　　I　thought　that　caring　for　those　had
been　driven　out　of　me；　and　you　know　I　never　felt　as　if　it　were　my
right　when　I　was　made　dux；　but　now　I　find　it　is　all　come　back。　　It
does　not　do　for　me　to　be　first；　I　have　been　what　she　called　elated；
and　been　more　peremptory　than　need　with　the　lower　boys；　and　gone　on
in　my　old　way　with　Richard；　and　so　I　suppose　this　disgrace　has　come
to　punish　me。　　I　wish　it　were　not　disgrace；　because　of　our　name　at
school；　and　because　it　will　vex　Harry　so　much；　but　since　it　is　come；
considering　all　things；　I　suppose　I　ought　not　to　struggle　to　justify
myself　at　other　people's　expense。〃

His　eyes　were　so　dazzled　with　tears　that　he　could　hardly　see　to
drive；　nor　did　his　father　speak　at　first。　　〃I　can't　say　anything
against　it；　Norman；　but　I　am　sorry；　and　one　thing　more　you　should
consider。　　If　Dr。　Hoxton　should　view　this　absurd　business　in　the　way
he　seems　to　do；　it　will　stand　in　your　way　for　ever　in　testimonials；
if　you　try　for　anything　else。〃

〃Do　you　think　it　will　interfere　with　my　having　a　Confirmation
ticket？〃

〃Why　no；　I　should　not　thinksuch　a　boyish　escapade　could　be　no
reason　for　refusing　you　one。〃

〃Very　well　then；　it　had　better　rest。　　If　there　should　be　any
difficulty　about　my　being　confirmed；　of　course　we　will　explain　it。〃

〃I　wish　every　one　showed　themselves　as　well　prepared！〃　half　muttered
the　doctor；　then；　after　long　musing；　〃Well；　Norman；　I　give　up　the
scholarship。　　Poor　Mrs。　Anderson　wants　it　more　than　we　do；　and　if　the
boy　is　a　shabby　fellow　the　more　he　wants　a　decent　education。　　But
what　do　you　say　to　this？　　I　make　Hoxton　do　you　full　justice；　and
reinstate　you　in　your　proper　place；　and　then　I　take　you　away　at　once…
…send　you　to　a　tutoranything；　till　the　end　of　the　long　vacation。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Norman；　pausing。　　〃I　don't　know；　papa。　　I　am　very
much　obliged　to　you；　but　I　think　it　would　hardly　do。　　You　would　be
uncomfortable　at　seeming　to　quarrel　with　Dr。　Hoxton；　and　it　would　be
hardly　creditable　for　me　to　go　off　in　anger。〃

〃You　are　right；　I　believe；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃You　judge　wisely；　though
I　should　not　have　ventured　to　ask　it　of　you。　　But　what　is　to　become
of　the　discipline　of　the　school？　　Is　that　all　to　go　to　the　dogs？〃

〃I　could　not　do　anything　with　them　if　I　were　restored　in　this　way；
they　would　be　more　set　against　me。　　It　is　bad　enough　as　it　is；　but；
even　for　my　own　peace；　I　believe　it　is　better　to　leave　it　alone。　　All
my　comfort　in　school　is　over；　I　know！〃　and　he　sighed　deeply。

〃It　is　a　most　untoward　business！〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃I　am　very　sorry
your　schooldays　should　be　cloudedbut　it　can't　be　helped；　and　you
will　work　yourself　into　a　character　again。　　You　are　full　young；　and
can　stay　for　the　next　Randall。〃

Norman　felt　as　if；　while　his　father　looked　at　him　as　he　now　did；　the
rest　of　the　world　were　nothing　to　him；　but；　perhaps；　the　driving　past
the　school　brought　him　to　a　different　mind；　for　he　walked　into　the
house　slowly　and　dejectedly。

He　told　his　own　story　to　Ethel；　in　the　garden；　not　without　much
difficulty；　so　indignant　were　her　exclamations；　and　it　was　impossible
to　make　her　see　that　his　father's　interference　would　put　him　in　an
awkward　position　among　the　boys。　　She　would　argue　vehemently　that　she
could　not　bear　Mr。　Wilmot　to　think　ill　of　him；　that　it　was　a　great
shame　of　Dr。　Hoxton；　and　that　it　was　dreadful　to　let　such　a　boy　as
Harvey　Anderson　go　unpunished。　　〃I　really　do　think　it　is　quite　wrong
of　you　to　give　up　your　chance　of　doing　good；　and　leave　him　in　his
evil　ways！〃　　That　was　all　the　comfort　she　gave　Norman；　and　she　walked
in　to　pour　out　a　furious　grumbling　upon　Margaret。

Dr。　May　had　been　telling　the　elder　ones；　and　they　were　in
conversation　after　he　had　left　themMargaret　talking　with　animation；
and　Flora　sitting　over　her　drawing；　uttering　reluctant　assents。　　〃Has
he　told　you；　poor　fellow？〃　asked　Margaret。

〃Yes；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Was　there　ever　such　a　shame？〃

〃That　is　just　what　I　say；〃　observed　Flora。　　〃I　cannot　see　why　the
Andersons　are　to　have　a　triumph　over　all　of　us。〃

〃I　used　to　think　Harvey　the　best　of　the　two；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Now　I
think　he　is　a　great　deal　the　worst。　　Taking　advantage　of　such　a
mistake　as　this！　　How　will　he　ever　look　Norman　in　the　face！〃

〃Really；〃　said　Margaret；　〃I　see　no　use　in　aggravating　ourselves　by
talking　of　the　Andersons。〃

〃I　can't　think　how　papa　can　consent；〃　proceeded　Flora。　　〃I　am　sure；
if　I　were　in　his　place；　I　should　not！〃

〃Papa　is　so　much　pleased　with　dear　Norman's　behaviour　that　it　quite
makes　up　for　all　the　disappointment；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃Besides；　he　is
very　much　obliged　to　him　in　one　way；　he　would　not　have　liked　to　have
to　battle　the　matter　with　Dr。　Hoxton。　　He　spoke　of　Norman's　great
good　judgment。〃

〃Yes；　Norman　can　persuade　papa　to　anything；〃　said　Flora。

〃Yes；　I　wish　papa　had　not　yielded；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃It　would　have　been
just　as　noble　in　dear　Norman；　and　we　should　not　have　the　apparent
disgrace。〃

〃Perhaps　it　is　best　as　it　is；　after　all；〃　said　Flora。

〃Why；　how　do　you　mean？　〃　said　Ethel。

〃I　think　very　likely　things　might　have　come　out。　　Now　don't　look
furious；　Ethel。　　Indeed；　I　can't　help　it；　but　really　I　don't　think　it
is　explicable　why　Norman　should　wish　to　hush　it　up；　unless　there　were
something　behind！〃

〃Flora！〃　cried　Ethel；　too　much　shocked　to　bring　out　another　word。

〃If　you　are　unfortunate　enough　to　have　such　suspicions；〃　said
Margaret　quietly；　〃I　think　it　would　be　better　to　be　silent。〃

〃As　if　you　did　not　know　Norman！〃　stammered　Ethel。

〃Well；〃　said　Flora；　〃I　don't　wish　to　think　so。　　You　know　I　did　not
hear　Norman　himself；　and　when　papa　gives　his　vehement　accounts　of
things；　it　always　puzzles　us　of　the　cooler…minded　sort。〃

〃It　is　as　great　a　shame　as　ever　I　heard！〃　cried　Ethel；　recovering　her
utterance。　　〃Who　would　you　trust；　if　not　your　own　father　and
brother？〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Flora；　not　by　any　means　wishing　to　displease　her
sisters。　　〃If　there　is　such　a　thing　as　an　excess　of　generosity；　it　is
sure　to　be　among　ourselves。　　I　only　know　it　does　not　suit　me。　　It
will　make　us　all　uncomfortable　whenever　we　meet　the　Andersons　or　Mr。
Wilmot；　or　any　one　else；　and　as　to　such　tenderness　to　Harvey
Anderson；　I　think　it　is　thrown　away。〃

〃Thrown　away　on　the　object；　perhaps；〃　said　Margaret；　〃but　not　in
Norman。〃

〃To　be　sure；〃　broke　out　Ethel。　　〃Better　be　than　seem！　　Oh；　dear！
I　am　sorry　I　was　vexed　with　dear　old　June　when　he　told　me。　　I　had
rather　have　him　now　than　if　he　had　gained　everything；　and　every　one
was　praising　himthat　I　had！　　Harvey　Anderson　is　welcome　to　be　dux
and　Randall　scholar　for　what　I　care；　while　Norman　iswhile　he　is；
just　what　we　thought　of　the　last　time　we　read　that　Gospelyou　know；
Margaret？〃

〃He　isthat　he　is；〃　said　Margaret；　〃and；　indeed；　it　is　most
beautiful　to　see　how　what　has　happened　has　brought　him　at　once　to
what　she　wished；　when；　perhaps；　otherwise　it　would　have　been　a　work
of　long　time。〃

Ethel　was　entirely　consoled。　　Flora　thought　of　the　words　〃tete
exaltee〃　and　considered　herself　alone　to　have　sober　sense　enough　to
see　things　in　a　true　lightnot　that　she　went　the　length　of　believing
that　Norman　had　any　underhand　motives；　but　she　thought　it　very
discreet　in　her　to　think　a　prudent　father　would　not　have　been
satisfied　with　such　a　desire　to　avoid　investigation。

Dr。　May　would　not　trust　himself　to　enter　on　the　subject　with　Dr。
Hoxton　in　conversation；　he　only　wrote　a　note。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃June　16th。

〃Dear　Dr。　Hoxton；

〃My　son　has　appealed　to　me　to　confirm　his　account　of　himself　on
Thursday　evening　last。　　I　therefore　distinctly　state　that　he　came　in
at　half…past　nine；　with　his　hands　full　of　plants　from　the　river；　and
that　he　then　went　out　again；　by　my　desire；　to　look　for　his　little
brother。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours　very　truly；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　R。　May。〃


A　long　answer　came　in　return；　disclaiming　all　doubt　of　Norman's
veracity；　and　explaining　Dr。　Hoxton's　grounds　for　having　degraded
him。　　There　had　been　misconduct　in　the　school；　he　said；　for　some　time
past；　and　he　did　not　consider　that　it　was　any　very　serious　reproach；
to　a　boy　of　Norman's　age；　that　he　had　not　had　weight　enough　to　keep
up　his　authority；　and　had　been　carried　away　by　the　general　feeling。
It　had　been　necessary　to　make　an　example　for　the　sake　of　principle；
and　though　very　sorry　it　should　have　fallen　on　one　of　such　high
promise　and　general　good　conduct；　Dr。　Hoxton　trusted　that　it　would
not　be　any　permanent　injury　to　his　prospects；　as　his　talents　had
raised　him　to　his　former　position　in　the　school　so　much　earlier　than
usual。

〃The　fact　was；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃that　old　Hoxton　did　it　in　a　passion；
feeling　he　must　punish　somebody；　and　now；　finding　there's　no　uproar
about　it；　he　begins　to　be　sorry。　　I　won't　answer　this　note。　　I'll
sto