the daisy chain, or aspirations-第74节

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lying　back　on　her　cushions；　very　pale；　and　panting　for　breath。　　She
tried　to　smile　and　say；　〃it　was　nothing；〃　and　〃she　was　silly；〃　but
the　words　were　faint；　from　the　palpitation　of　her　heart。

〃It　was　Harry's　trick；〃　said　Flora　indignantly；　as　she　flew　for　the
scent…bottle；　while　her　father　bent　over　Margaret。　　〃Harry　dressed
himself　up；　and　she　was　frightened。〃

〃Oh；　nonohe　did　not　mean　it；〃　gasped　Margaret；　〃don't。〃

〃Harry；　I　did　not　think　you　could　be　so　cowardly　and　unfeeling！〃　and
Dr。　May's　look　was　even　more　reproachful　than　his　words。

Harry　was　dismayed　at　his　sister's　condition；　but　the　injustice　of
the　wholesale　reproach　chased　away　contrition。　　〃I　did　nothing　to
frighten　any　one；〃　he　said　moodily。

〃Now；　Harry；　you　know　how　you　kept　on；〃　said　Flora；　〃and　when　you　saw
she　was　frightened〃

〃I　can　have　no　more　of　this；〃　said　Dr。　May；　seeing　that　the
discussion　was　injuring　Margaret　more　and　more。　　〃Go　away　to　my
study；　sir；　and　wait　till　I　come　to　you。　　All　of　you　out　of　the　room。
Flora；　fetch　the　sal　volatile。〃

〃Let　me　tell　you；〃　whispered　Margaret。　　〃Don't　be　angry　with　Harry。
It　was〃

〃Not　now；　not　now；　my　dear。　　Lie　quite　still。〃　　She　obeyed；　took　the
sal　volatile；　and　shut　her　eyes；　while　he　sat　leaning　anxiously　over；
watching　her。　　Presently　she　opened　them；　and；　looking　up；　said
rather　faintly；　and　trying　to　smile；　〃I　don't　think　I　can　be　better
till　you　have　heard　the　rights　of　it。　　He　did　not　mean　it。〃

〃Boys　never　do　mean　it；〃　was　the　doctor's　answer。　　〃I　hoped　better
things　of　Harry。〃

〃He　had　no　intention〃　began　Margaret；　but　she　still　was　unfit　to
talk；　and　her　father　silenced　her；　by　promising　to　go　and　hear　the
boy's　own　account。

In　the　hall；　he　was　instantly　beset　by　Ethel　and　Mary；　the　former
exclaiming；　〃Papa；　you　are　quite　mistaken！　　It　was　very　foolish　of
Margaret　to　be　so　frightened。　　He　did　nothing　at　all　to　frighten　any
one。〃

Ethel's　mode　of　pleading　was　unfortunate；　the　〃very　foolish　of
Margaret〃　were　the　very　words　to　displease。

〃Do　not　interfere！〃　said　her　father　sternly。　　〃You　only　encourage　him
in　his　wanton　mischief；　and　no　one　takes　any　heed　how　he　torments　my
poor　Margaret。〃

〃Papa；〃　cried　Harry；　passionately　bursting　open　the　study　door；
〃tormenting　Margaret　was　the　last　thing　I　would　do！〃

〃That　is　not　the　way　to　speak；　Harry。　　What　have　you　been　doing？〃

With　rapid　agitated　utterance；　Harry　made　his　confession。　　At　another
time　the　doctor　would　have　treated　the　matter　as　a　joke　carried　too
far；　but　which；　while　it　called　for　censure；　was　very　amusing；　but
now　the　explanation　that　the　disguise　had　been　assumed　to　impose　on
the　Andersons；　only　added　to　his　displeasure。

〃You　seem　to　think　you　have　a　licence　to　play　off　any　impertinent
freaks　you　please；　without　consideration　for　any　one；〃　he　said；　〃but
I　tell　you　it　is　not　so。　　As　long　as　you　are　under　my　roof；　you　shall
feel　my　authority；　and　you　shall　spend　the　rest　of　the　day　in　your
room。　　I　hope　quietness　there　will　bring　you　to　a　better　mind；　but　I
am　disappointed　in　you。　　A　boy　who　can　choose　such　a　time；　and　such
subjects；　for　insolent；　unfeeling；　practical　jokes；　cannot　be　in　a
fit　state　for　Confirmation。〃

〃Oh；　papa！　papa！〃　cried　the　two　girls；　in　tones　of　entreatywhile
Harry；　with　a　burning　face　and　hasty　step；　dashed　upstairs　without　a
word。

〃You　have　been　as　bad！〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃I　say　nothing　to　you；　Mary；
you　knew　no　better；　but；　to　see　you；　Ethel；　first　encouraging　him　in
his　impertinence；　and　terrifying　Margaret　so；　that　I　dare　say　she　may
be　a　week　getting　over　it；　and　now　defending　him；　and　calling　her
silly；　is　unbearable。　　I　cannot　trust　one　of　you！〃

〃Only　listen；　papa！〃

〃I　will　have　no　altercation；　I　must　go　back　to　Margaret；　since　no　one
else　has　the　slightest　consideration　for　her。〃

An　hour　had　passed　away；　when　Richard　knocked　at　Ethel's　door　to　tell
her　that　tea　was　ready。

〃I　have　a　great　mind　not　to　go　down；〃　said　Ethel；　as　he　looked　in；
and　saw　her　seated　with　a　book。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　cannot　bear　to　go　down　while　poor　Harry　is　so　unjustly　used。〃

〃Hush；　Ethel！〃

〃I　cannot　hush。　　Just　because　Margaret　fancies　robbers　and　murderers；
and　all　sorts　of　nonsense；　as　she　always　did；　is　poor　Harry　to　be
accused　of　wantonly　terrifying　her；　and　shut　up；　and　cut　off　from
Confirmation？　and　just　when　he　is　going　away；　too！　　It　is　unkind；　and
unjust；　and〃

〃Ethel；　you　will　be　sorry〃

〃Papa　will　be　sorry；〃　continued　Ethel；　disregarding　the　caution。　　〃It
is　very　unfair；　that　I　will　say　so。　　It　was　all　nonsense　of
Margaret's；　but　he　will　always　make　everything　give　way　to　her。　　And
poor　Harry　just　going　to　sea！　　No；　Ritchie；　I　cannot　come　down；　I
cannot　behave　as　usual。〃

〃You　will　grieve　Margaret　much　more；〃　said　Richard。

〃I　can't　help　thatshe　should　not　have　made　such　a　fuss。〃

Richard　was　somewhat　in　difficulties　how　to　answer；　but　at　that
moment　Harry's　door；　which　was　next；　was　slightly　opened；　and　his
voice　said；　〃Go　down；　Ethel。　　The　captain　may　punish　any　one　he
pleases；　and　it　is　mutiny　in　the　rest　of　the　crew　to　take　his　part。〃

〃Harry　is　in　the　right；〃　said　Richard。　　〃It　is　our　duty　not　to
question　our　father's　judgments。　　It　would　be　wrong　of　you　to　stay
up。〃

〃Wrong？〃　said　Ethel。

〃Of　course。　　It　would　be　against　the　articles　of　war；〃　said　Harry；
opening　his　door　another　inch。　　〃But；　Ritchie；　I　say；　do　tell　me
whether　it　has　hurt　Margaret。〃

〃She　is　better　now；〃　said　Richard；　〃but　she　has　a　headache；　chiefly；
I　believe；　from　distress　at　having　brought　this　on　you。　　She　is　very
sorry　for　her　fright。〃

〃I　had　not　the　least　intention　of　frightening　the　most　fearsome
little　tender　mouse　on　earth；〃　said　Harry。

〃No；　indeed！〃　said　Ethel。

〃And　at　another　time　it　would　not　have　signified；〃　said　Richard；
〃but；　you　know；　Margaret　always　was　timid；　and　now；　the　not　being
able　to　move；　and　the　being　out　of　health；　has　made　her　nerves　weak；
so　that　she　cannot　help　it。〃

〃The　fault　was　in　our　never　heeding　her　when　we　were　so　eager　to　hear
Harry's　story；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃That　was　what　made　the　palpitation　so
bad。　　But；　now　papa　knows　all；　does　he　not　understand　about　Harry？〃

〃He　was　obliged　to　go　out　as　soon　as　Margaret　was　better；〃　said
Richard；　〃and　was　scarcely　come　in　when　I　came　up。〃

〃Go　down；　Ethel；〃　repeated　Harry。　　〃Never　mind　me。　　Norman　told　me
that　sort　of　joke　never　answered；　and　I　might　have　minded　him。〃

The　voice　was　very　much　troubled；　and　it　brought　back　that　burning
sensation　of　indignant　tears　to　Ethel's　eyes。

〃Oh；　Harry！　you　did　not　deserve　to　be　so　punished　for　it。〃

〃That　is　what　you　are　not　to　say；〃　returned　Harry。　　〃I　ought　not　to
have　played　the　trick；　andand　just　now　toobut　I　always　forget
things〃

The　door　shut；　and　they　fancied　they　heard　sobs。　　Ethel　groaned；　but
made　no　opposition　to　following　her　brother　down　to　tea。　　Margaret
lay；　wan　and　exhausted；　on　the　sofathe　doctor　looked　very
melancholy　and　rather　stern；　and　the　others　were　silent。　　Ethel　had
begun　to　hope　for　the　warm　reaction　she　had　so　often　known　after　a
hasty　fit；　but　it　did　not　readily　come；　Harry　was　boy　instead　of
girlthe　fault　and　its　consequence　had　been　more　seriousand　the
anxiety　for　the　future　was　greater。　　Besides；　he　had　not　fully　heard
the　story；　Harry；　in　his　incoherent　narration；　had　not　excused
himself；　and　Margaret's　panic　had　appeared　more　as　if　inspired　by
him；　than；　as　it　was；　in　fact；　the　work　of　her　fancy。

Thus　the　evening　passed　gloomily　away；　and　it　was　not　till　the　others
had　said　good…night　that　Dr。　May　began　to　talk　over　the　affair　with
his　eldest　son；　who　then　was　able　to　lay　before　him　the　facts　of　the
case；　as　gathered　from　his　sisters。　　He　listened　with　a　manner　as
though　it　were　a　reproof；　and　then　said　sadly；　〃I　am　afraid　I　was　in
a　passion。〃

〃It　was　very　wrong　in　Harry；〃　said　Richard；　〃and　particularly　unlucky
it　should　happen　with　the　Andersons。〃

〃Very　thoughtless；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃no　more；　even　as　regarded
Margaret；　but　thoughtlessness　should　not　have　been　treated　as　a
crime。〃

〃I　wish　we　could　see　him　otherwise；〃　said　Richard。

〃He　wants〃　and　there　Dr。　May　stopped　short；　and；　taking　up　his
candle；　slowly　mounted　the　stairs；　and　looked　into　Harry's　room。　　The
boy　was　in　bed；　but　started　up　on　hearing　his　father's　step；　and
exclaimed；　〃Papa；　I　am　very　sorry！　　Is　Margaret　better？〃

〃Yes；　she　is；　and　I　understand　now；　Harry；　that　her　alarm　was　an
accident。　　I　beg　your　pardon　for　thinking　for　a　moment　that　it　was
otherwise〃

〃No；〃　interrupted　Harry；　〃of　course　I　could　never　mean　to　frighten
her；　but　I　did　not　leave　off　the　moment　I　saw　she　was　afraid；　because
it　was　so　very　ridiculous；　and　I　did　not　guess　it　would　hurt　her。〃

〃I　see；　my　honest　boy。　I　do　not　blame　you；　for　you　did　not　know　how
much　harm　a　little　terror　does　to　a　person　in　her　helpless　state。
But；　indeed；　Harry；　though　you　did　not　deserve　such　anger　as　mine
was；　it　is　a　serious　thing　that　you　should　be　so　much　set　on　fun　and
frolic　as　to　forget　all　considerations；　especially　at　such　a　time　as
this。　　It　takes　away　from　much　of　my　comfort　in　sending　you　into　the
world；　and　for　higher　thingshow　can　I　believe　you　really