the daisy chain, or aspirations-第69节

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wont　to　lecture　on　the　proper　care　of　her　niece。　　Miss　Rivers　was
likely　to　have　a　considerable　fortune；　and　Lady　Leonora　intended　her
to　be　a　very　fashionable　and　much　admired　young　lady；　under　her　own
immediate　protection。

The　two　cousins；　Leonora　and　Agatha；　talked　to　her；　the　one　of　her
balls；　the　other　of　her　musicpatronised　her；　and　called　her　their
good　little　cousinwhile　they　criticised　the　stiff　set　of　those
unfortunate　plaits　made　by　Susan；　and　laughed；　as　if　it　was　an
unheard…of　concession；　at　Bellairs's　holiday。

Nevertheless；　when　〃Honoured　Miss〃　received　a　note；　begging　for　three
days'　longer　grace；　till　a　niece　should　come；　in　whom　Bellairs　could
place　full　confidence；　she　took　it　on　herself　to　return　free　consent。
Lady　Leonora　found　out　what　she　had　done；　and　reproved　her；　telling
her　it　was　only　the　way　to　make　〃those　people〃　presume；　and　Mrs。
Larpent　was　also　taken　to　task；　but；　decidedly；　Meta　did　not　regret
what　she　had　done；　though　she　felt　as　if　she　had　never　before　known
how　to　appreciate　comfort；　when　she　once　more　beheld　Bellairs
stationed　at　her　toilette　table。

Meta　was　asked　about　her　friends。　　She　could　not　mention　any　one　but
Mrs。　Charles　Wilmot　and　the　Misses　May。

〃Physician's　daughters；　oh！〃　said　Lady　Leonora。

And　she　proceeded　to　exhort　Mr。　Rivers　to　bring　his　daughter　to
London；　or　its　neighbourhood；　where　she　might　have　masters；　and　be　in
the　way　of　forming　intimacies　suited　to　her　connections。

Mr。　Rivers　dreaded　Londonnever　was　well　there；　and　did　not　like　the
trouble　of　movingwhile　Meta　was　so　attached　to　the　Grange；　that　she
entreated　him　not　to　think　of　leaving　it；　and　greatly　dreaded　her
aunt's　influence。　　Lady　Leonora　did；　indeed；　allow　that　the　Grange
was　a　very　pretty　place；　her　only　complaint　was　the　want　of　suitable
society　for　Meta；　she　could　not　bear　the　idea　of　her　growing
accustomedfor　want　of　something　betterto　the　vicar's　wife　and　the
pet　doctor's　daughters。

Flora　had　been　long　desirous　to　effect　a　regular　call　at　Abbotstoke；
and　it　was　just　now　that　she　succeeded。　　Mrs。　Charles　Wilmot's　little
girl　was　to　have　a　birthday　feast；　at　which　Mary；　Blanche；　and　Aubrey
were　to　appear。　　Flora　went　in　charge　of　them；　and　as　soon　as　she　had
safely　deposited　them；　and　appointed　Mary　to　keep　Aubrey　out　of
mischief；　she　walked　up　to　the　Grange；　not　a　whit　daunted　by　the
report　of　the　very　fine　ladies　who　were　astonishing　the　natives　of
Abbotstoke。

She　was　admitted；　and　found　herself　in　the　drawing…room；　with　a　quick
lively…looking　lady；　whom　she　perceived　to　be　Lady　Leonora；　and　who
instantly　began　talking　to　her　very　civilly。　　Flora　was　never　at　a
loss；　and　they　got　on　extremely　well；　her　ease　and　self…possession；
without　forwardness；　telling　much　to　her　advantage。　　Meta　came　in；
delighted　to　see　her；　but；　of　course；　the　visit　resulted　in　no　really
intimate　talk；　though　it　was　not　without　effect。　　Flora　declared　Lady
Leonora　Langdale　to　be　a　most　charming　person；　and　Lady　Leonora；　on
her　side；　asked　Meta　who　was　that　very　elegant　conversible　girl。
〃Flora　May；〃　was　the　delighted　answer；　now　that　the　aunt　had
committed　herself　by　commendation。　　And　she　did　not　retract　it；　she
pronounced　Flora　to　be　something　quite　out　of　the　common　way；　and
supposed　that　she　had　had　unusual　advantages。

Mr。　Rivers　took　care　to　introduce　to　his　sister…in…law　Dr。　May　（who
would　fain　have　avoided　it）；　but　ended　by　being　in　his　turn　pleased
and　entertained　by　her　brilliant　conversation；　which　she　put　forth
for　him；　as　her　instinct　showed　her　that　she　was　talking　to　a　man　of
high　ability。　　A　perfect　gentleman　she　saw　him　to　be；　and　making　out
some　mutual　connections　far　up　in　the　family　tree　of　the　Mackenzies；
she　decided　that　the　May　family　were　an　acquisition；　and　very　good
companions　for　her　niece　at　present；　while　not　yet　come　out。　　So
ended　the　visit；　with　this　great　triumph　for　Meta；　who　had　a　strong
belief　in　Aunt　Leonora's　power　and　infallibility；　and　yet　had　not
consulted　her　about　Bellairs；　nor　about　the　school　question。

She　had　missed　one　Sunday's　school　on　account　of　her　aunt's　visit；
but　the　resolution　made　beside　Margaret's　sofa　had　not　been
forgotten。　　She　spent　her　Saturday　afternoon　in　a　call　on　Mrs。
Wilmot；　ending　with　a　walk　through　the　village；　she　confessed　her
ignorance；　apologised　for　her　blunders；　and　put　herself　under　the
direction　which　once　she　had　fancied　too　strict　and　harsh　to　be
followed。

And　on　Sunday　she　was　content　to　teach　the　stupid　girls；　and　abstain
from　making　much　of　the　smooth…faced　engaging　set。　　She　thought　it
very　dull　work；　but　she　could　feel　that　it　was　something　not　done　to
please　herself；　and　whereas　her　father　had　feared　she　would　be　dull
when　her　cousins　were　gone；　he　found　her　more　joyous　than　ever。

There　certainly　was　a　peculiar　happiness　about　Margaret　Rivers；　her
vexations　were　but　ripples；　rendering　the　sunny　course　of　her　life
more　sparkling；　and　each　exertion　in　the　way　of　goodness　was
productive　of　so　much　present　joy　that　the　steps　of　her　ladder
seemed；　indeed；　to　be　of　diamonds。

Her　ladderfor　she　was；　indeed；　mounting　upwards。　　She　was　very
earnest　in　her　Confirmation　preparation；　most　anxious　to　do　right　and
to　contend　with　her　failings；　but　the　struggle　at　present　was　easy；
and　the　hopes；　joys；　and　incentives　shone　out　more　and　more　upon　her
in　this　blithe　stage　of　her　life。

She　knew　there　was　a　dark　side；　but　hope　and　love　were　more　present
to　her　than　was　fear。　　Happy　those　to　whom　such　young　days　are
granted。




CHAPTER　XXIV。



It　is　the　generous　spirit；　who；　when　brought
Among　the　tasks　of　real　life；　hath　wrought
Upon　the　plan　that　pleased　his　childish　thought；
Whose　high　endeavours　are　an　inward　light；
Making　the　path　before　him　always　bright。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WORDSWORTH。


The　holidays　had　commenced　about　a　week　when　Harry；　now　duly
appointed　to　H。　M。　S。　Alcestis；　was　to　come　home　on　leave；　as　he
proudly　expressed　it。

A　glad　troop　of　brothers　and　sisters；　with　the　doctor　himself；　walked
up　to　the　station　to　meet　him；　and　who　was　happiest　when；　from　the
window；　was　thrust　out　the　rosy　face；　with　the　gold　band？　　Mary　gave
such　a　shriek　and　leap；　that　two　passengers　and　one　guard　turned
round　to　look　at　her；　to　the　extreme　discomfiture　of　Flora　and
Norman；　evidenced　by　one　by　a　grave　〃Mary！　Mary！〃　by　the　other；　by
walking　off　to　the　extreme　end　of　the　platform；　and　trying　to　look　as
if　he　did　not　belong　to　them；　in　which　he　was　imitated　by　his　shadow；
Tom。

Sailor　already；　rather　than　schoolboy；　Harry　cared　not　for
spectators；　his　bound　from　the　carriage；　and　the　hug　between　him；　and
Mary　would　have　been　worthy　of　the　return　from　the　voyage。　　The　next
greeting　was　for　his　father；　and　the　sisters　had　had　their　share　by
the　time　the　two　brothers　thought　fit　to　return　from　their　calm　walk
on　the　platform。

Grand　was　it　to　see　that　party　return　to　the　townthe　naval　cadet；
with　his　arm　linked　in　Mary's；　and　Aubrey　clinging　to　his　hand；　and
the　others　walking　behind；　admiring　him　as　he　turned　his　bright　face
every　moment　with　some　glad　question　or　answer；　〃How　was　Margaret？〃
Oh；　so　much　better；　she　had　been　able　to　walk　across　the　room；　with
Norman's　arm　round　herthey　hoped　she　would　soon　use　crutchesand
she　sat　up　more。　　〃And　the　baby？〃　More　charming　than　everfour
teethwould　soon　walksuch　a　darling！　　Then　came　〃my　dirk；　the
ship；　our　berth。〃　　〃Papa；　do　ask　Mr。　Ernescliffe　to　come　here。　　I
know　he　could　get　leave。〃

〃Mr。　Ernescliffe！　　You　used　to　call　him　Alan！〃　said　Mary。

〃Yes；　but　that　is　all　over　now。　　You　forget　what　we　do　on　board。
Captain　Gordon　himself　calls　me　Mr。　May！〃

Some　laughed；　others　were　extremely　impressed。

〃Ha！　There's　Ned　Anderson　coming；〃　cried　Mary。　　〃Now！　Let　him　see
you；　Harry。〃

〃What　matters　Ned　Anderson　to　me？〃　said　Harry；　and；　with　an　odd
mixture　of　shamefacedness　and　cordiality；　he　marched　full　up　to　his
old　school…fellow；　and　shook　hands　with　him；　as　if　able；　in　the
plenitude　of　his　officership；　to　afford　plenty　of　good…humoured
superiority。　　Tom　had　meantime　subsided　out　of　all　view。　　But　poor
Harry's　exultation　had　a　fall。

〃Well！〃　graciously　inquired　'Mr。　May'；　〃and　how　is　Harvey？〃

〃Oh；　very　well。　　We　are　expecting　him　home　to…morrow。〃

〃Where　has　he　been？〃

〃To　Oxford；　about　the　Randall。〃

Harry　gave　a　disturbed；　wondering　look　round；　on　seeing　Edward's　air
of　malignant　satisfaction。　　He　saw　nothing　that　reassured　him；　except
the　quietness　of　Norman's　own　face；　but　even　that　altered　as　their
eyes　met。　　Before　another　word　could　be　said；　however；　the　doctor's
hand　was　on　Harry's　shoulder。

〃You　must　not　keep　him　now；　Ned；〃　said　he〃his　sister　has　not　seen
him　yet。〃

And　he　moved　his　little　procession　onwards；　still　resting　on　Harry's
shoulder；　while　a　silence　had　fallen　on　all；　and　even　the　young
sailor　ventured　no　question。　　Only　Tom's　lips　were　quivering；　and
Ethel　had　squeezed　Norman's　hand。　　〃Poor　Harry！〃　he　muttered；　〃this
is　worst　of　all！　　I　wish　we　had　written　it　to　him。〃

〃So　do　I　now；　but　we　always　trusted　it　would　come　right。　　Oh！　if　I
were　but　a　boy　to　flog　that　Edward！〃

〃Hush；　Ethel；　remember　w