the daisy chain, or aspirations-第73节

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gone　mad？〃

〃Hallo！　why　ho！　ha！　hurrah！〃　and　up　went　Harry's　book　of　decimals　to
the　ceiling；　coming　down　upon　a　candle；　which　would　have　been
overturned　on　Ethel's　work；　if　it　had　not　been　dexterously　caught　by
Richard。

〃Harry！〃　indignantly　cried　Ethel　and　Flora；　〃see　what　you　have　done；〃
and　the　doctor's　voice　called　to　order；　but　Harry　could　not　heed。
〃Hear！　hear！　he　has　a　fortune；　an　estate。〃

〃Who？　　Tell　usdon't　be　so　absurd。　　Who？〃

〃Who；　Mr。　Ernescliffe。　　Here　is　a　letter　from　Hector。　　Only　listen：

〃'Did　you　know　we　had　an　old　far…away　English　cousin；　one　Mr。
Halliday？　　I　hardly　did；　though　Alan　was　named　after　him；　and　he
belonged　to　my　mother。　　He　was　a　cross　old　fellow；　and　took　no　notice
of　us；　but　within　the　last　year　or　two；　his　nephew；　or　son；　or
something；　died；　and　now　he　is　just　dead；　and　the　lawyer　wrote　to
tell　Alan　he　is　heir…at…law。　　Mr。　Ernescliffe　of　Maplewood！　　Does　it
not　sound　well？　　It　is　a　beautiful　great　place　in　Shropshire；　and
Alan　and　I　mean　to　run　off　to　see　it　as　soon　as　he　can　have　any　time
on　shore。'〃

Ethel　could　not　help　looking　at　Margaret；　but　was　ashamed　of　her
impertinence；　and　coloured　violently；　whereas　her　sister　did　not
colour　at　all；　and　Norman；　looking　down；　wondered　whether　Alan　would
make　the　voyage。

〃Oh；　of　course　he　will；　he　must！〃　said　Harry。　　〃He　would　never　give
up　now。〃

Norman　further　wondered　whether　Hector　would　remain　on　the
Stoneborough　foundation；　and　Mary　hoped　they　should　not　lose　him；　but
there　was　no　great　readiness　to　talk　over　the　event；　and　there　soon
was　a　silence　broken　by　Flora　saying；　〃He　is　no　such　nobody；　as
Louisa　Anderson　said；　when　we〃

Another　shout；　which　caused　Flora　to　take　refuge　in　playing　waltzes
for　the　rest　of　the　evening。　　Moreover；　to　the　extreme　satisfaction
of　Mary；　she　left　her　crochet…needle　on　the　floor　at　night。　　While　a
tumultuous　party　were　pursuing　her　with　it　to　claim　the　penny；　and
Richard　was　conveying　Margaret　upstairs；　Ethel　found　an　opportunity
of　asking　her　father　if　he　were　not　very　glad　of　Mr。　Ernescliffe's
good　fortune。

〃Yes；　very。　　He　is　a　good　fellow；　and　will　make　a　good　use　of　it。〃

〃And　now；　papa；　does　it　not　makeYou　won't　say　now　you　are　sorry　he
came　here。〃

She　had　no　answer　but　a　sigh；　and　a　look　that　made　her　blush　for
having　ventured　so　far。　　She　was　so　much　persuaded　that　great　events
must　ensue；　that；　all　the　next　day；　she　listened　to　every　ring　of　the
bell；　and　when　one　at　last　was　followed　by　a　light；　though；　to　her
ears；　manly　sounding　tread；　she　looked　up　flushing　with　expectation。

Behold；　she　was　disappointed。　　〃Miss　Walkingham〃　was　announced；　and
she　rose　surprised；　for　the　lady　in　question　had　only　come　to
Stoneborough　for　a　couple　of　days　with　an　infirm　mother；　who；　having
known　Dr。　May　in　old　times；　had　made　it　her　especial　request　that　he
would　let　her　see　his　daughters。　　She　was　to　proceed　on　her　journey
to…day；　and　the　return　of　the　visit　had　been　by　no　means　expected。

Flora　went　forward　to　receive　her；　wondering　to　see　her　so　young
looking；　and　so　unformed。　　She　held　out　her　hand；　with　a　red　wrist；
and；　as　far　as　could　be　seen　under　her　veil；　coloured　when　presented
to　the　recumbent　Margaret。　　How　she　got　into　her　chair；　they　hardly
knew；　for　Flora　was　at　that　moment　extremely　annoyed　by　hearing　an
ill…bred　peal　of　Mary's　laughter　in　the　garden；　close　to　the　window；
but　she　thought　it　best　to　appear　unconscious；　since　she　had　no　power
to　stop　it。

Margaret　thought　the　stranger　embarrassed；　and　kindly　inquired　for
Lady　Walkingham。

〃Much　the　same；　thank　you；〃　mumbled　a　voice　down　in　the　throat。

A　silence；　until　Margaret　tried　another　question；　equally　briefly
answered；　and；　after　a　short　interval；　the　young　lady　contrived　to
make　her　exit；　with　the　same　amount　of　gaucherie　as　had　marked　her
entrance。

Expressions　of　surprise　at　once　began；　and　were　so　loud；　that　when
Harry　entered　the　room；　his　inquiry　was；　〃What's　the　row？〃

〃Miss　Walkingham；〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　you　won't　understand。　　She　seemed
half　wild！　　Worse　than　me！〃

〃How　did　you　like　the　pretty　improving　manners？〃　asked　Harry。

〃Manners！　she　had　none；〃　said　Flora。　　〃She；　highly　connected！　used　to
the　best　society！〃

〃How　do　you　know　what　the　best　society　do？〃　asked　Harry。

〃The　poor　thing　seemed　very　shy；〃　said　Margaret。

〃I　don't　know　about　shyness；〃　said　Flora。

〃She　was　stifling　a　laugh　all　the　time；　like　a　rude　schoolboy。　　And　I
thought　papa　said　she　was　pretty！〃

〃Ay？　　Did　you　think　her　so？　〃　asked　Harry。

〃A　great　broad　red　faceand　so　awkward！〃　cried　Flora　indignantly。

〃If　one　could　have　seen　her　face；　I　think　she　might　have　been　nice…
looking；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃She　had　pretty　golden　curls；　and　merry
blue　eyes；　rather　like　Harry's。〃

〃Umph！　said　Flora；　〃beauty　and　manners　seemed　to　me　much　on　a　par。
This　is　one　of　papa's　swans；　indeed！〃

〃I　can't　believe　it　was　Miss　Walkingham　at　all；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃It
must　have　been　some　boy　in　disguise。〃

〃Dear　me！〃　cried　Margaret；　starting　with　the　painful　timidity　of
helplessness。

〃Do　look　whether　anything　is　gone。　　Where's　the　silver　inkstand？〃

〃You　don't　think　she　could　put　that　into　her　pocket；〃　said　Ethel；
laughing　as　she　held　it　up。

〃I　don't　know。　　Do；　Harry；　see　if　the　umbrellas　are　safe　in　the　hall。
I　wish　you　would；　for　now　I　come　to　remember；　the　Walkinghams　went　at
nine　this　morning。　　Miss　Winter　said　that　she　saw　the　old　lady　helped
into　the　carriage；　as　she　passed。〃　　Margaret's　eyes　looked　quite
large　and　terrified。　　〃She　must　have　been　a　spythe　whole　gang　will
come　at　night。　　I　wish　Richard　was　here。　　Harry；　it　really　is　no
laughing　matter。　　You　had　better　give　notice　to　the　police。〃

The　more　Margaret　was　alarmed；　the　more　Harry　laughed。　　〃Never　mind；
Margaret；　I'll　take　care　of　you！　　Here's　my　dirk。　　I'll　stick　all　the
robbers。〃

〃Harry！　Harry！　　Oh；　don't！〃　cried　Margaret；　raising　herself　up　in　an
agony　of　nervous　terror。　　〃Oh；　where　is　papa？　　Will　nobody　ring　the
bell；　and　send　George　for　the　police？〃

〃Police；　police！　　Thieves！　　Murder！　　Robbers！　　Fire！　　All　hands
ahoy！〃　shouted　Harry；　his　hands　making　a　trumpet　over　his　mouth。

〃Harry；　how　can　you？〃　said　Ethel；　hastily；　〃don't　you　see　that
Margaret　is　terribly　frightened。　　Can't　you　say　at　once　that　it　was
you？〃

〃You！〃　and　Margaret　sank　back；　as　there　was　a　general　outcry　of
laughter　and　wonder。

〃Did　you　know　it；　Ethel？〃　asked　Flora　severely。

〃I　only　guessed　at　this　moment；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃How　well　you　did　it；
Harry！〃

〃Well！〃　said　Flora；　〃I　did　think　her　dress　very　like　Margaret's　shot
silk。　　I　hope　you　did　not　do　that　any　harm。〃

〃But　how　did　you　manage？〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Where　did　your　bonnet　come
from？〃

〃It　was　a　new　one　of　Adams's　wife。　　Mary　got　it　for　me。　　Come　in；
Polly；　they　have　found　it　out。　　Did　you　not　hear　her　splitting　with
laughing　outside　the　window？　　I　would　not　let　her　come　in　for　fear
she　should　spoil　all。〃

〃And　I　was　just　going　to　give　her　such　a　scolding　for　giggling　in　the
garden；〃　said　Flora；　〃and　to　say　we　had　been　as　bad　as　Miss
Walkingham。　　You　should　not　have　been　so　awkward；　Harry；　you　nearly
betrayed　yourself。〃

〃He　had　nobody　to　teach　him　but　Mary；〃　said　Ethel。

〃Ah！　you　should　have　seen　me　at　my　ease　in　Minster　Street。
No　one　suspected　me　there。〃

〃In　Minster　Street。　　Oh；　Harry；　you　don't　really　mean　it！〃

〃I　do。　　That　was　what　I　did　it　for。　　I　was　resolved　to　know　what　the
nameless　ones　said　of　the　Misses　May。〃

Hasty　and　eager　inquiries　broke　out　from　Flora　and　Ethel。

〃Oh；　Dr。　May　was　very　clever；　certainly；　very　clever。　　Had　I　seen　the
daughters？　　I　said　I　was　going　to　call　there；　and　they　said〃

〃What；　oh；　what；　Harry？〃

〃They　said　Flora　was　thought　pretty；　butand　as　to　Ethel；　now；　how
do　you　think　you　came　off；　Unready？〃

〃Tell　me。　　They　could　not　say　the　same　of　me；　at　any　rate。〃

〃Quite　the　reverse！　　They　called　Ethel　very　odd；　poor　girl。〃

〃I　don't　mind；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃They　may　say　what　they　please　of　me；
besides　that；　I　believe　it　is　all　Harry's　own　invention。〃

〃Nay；　that　is　a　libel　on　my　invention！〃　exclaimed　Harry。　　〃If　I　had
drawn　on　that；　could　I　not　have　told　you　something　much　droller？〃

〃And　was　that　really　all？〃　said　Flora。

〃They　saidlet　me　seethat　all　our　noses　were　too　long；　and；　that
as　to　Flora's　being　a　beauty！　when　their　brothers　called　herso
droll　of　thembut　Harvey　called　her　a　stuck…up　duchess。　　In　fact；　it
was　the　fashion　to　make　a　great　deal　of　those　Mays。〃

〃I　hope　they　said　something　of　the　sailor　brother；〃　said　Ethel。

〃No；　I　found　if　I　stayed　to　hear　much　more；　I　should　be　knocking　Ned
down；　so　I　thought　it　time　to　take　leave　before　he　suspected。〃

All　this　had　passed　very　quickly；　with　much　laughter；　and　numerous
interjections　of　amusement；　and　reprobation；　or　delight。　　So　excited
were　the　young　people；　that　they　did　not　perceive　a　step　on　the
gravel；　till　Dr。　May　entered　by　the　window；　and　stood　among　them。
His　first　exclamation　was　of　consternation。　　〃Margaret；　my　dear
child；　what　is　the　matter？〃

Only　then　did　her　brother　and　sisters　perceive　that　Margaret　was
lying　back　on　her　cushions；　very　pale；　and　panting　for　breath。　　She
tried　to　smil