the daisy chain, or aspirations-第77节

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again。　　Was　not　yonder　the　very　high…road　to　Milford　Haven；　and　thus
must　not　〃fair　Fidele's　grassy　tomb〃　be　in　the　immediate
neighbourhood？

Then　followed　the　suggestion　that　the　mound　in　the　middle　was　a　good
deal　like　an　ancient　tomb；　where；　as　Blanche　interposed　with　some　of
the　lore　lately　caught　from　Ethel's　studies；　〃they　used　to　bury　their
tears　in　wheelbarrows；〃　while　Norman　observed　it　was　the　more
probable；　as　fair　Fidele　never　was　buried　at　all。

The　idea　of　a　search　enchanted　the　young　ladies。　　〃It　was　the　right
sort　of　vehicle；　evidently；〃　said　Norman；　looking　at　Harry；　who　had
been　particularly　earnest　in　recommending　that　it　should　be　explored；
and　Meta　declared　that　if　they　could　but　find　the　least　trace；　her
papa　would　be　delighted　to　go　regularly　to　work；　and　reveal　all　the
treasures。

Richard　seemed　a　little　afraid　of　the　responsibility　of　treasure…
trove；　but　he　was　overruled　by　a　chorus　of　eager　voices；　and
dispossessed　of　the　trowel；　which　he　had　brought　to　dig　up　some　down…
gentians　for　the　garden。　　While　Norman　set　to　work　as　pioneer；　some
skipped　about　in　wild　ecstasy；　and　Ethel　knelt　down　to　peer　into　the
hole。

Very　soon　there　was　a　discoveryan　eager　outcrysome　pottery！
Roman　vesselsa　red　thing　that　might　have　been　a　lamp；　another　that
might　have　been　a　lachrymatory。

〃Well；〃　said　Ethel；　〃you　know；　Norman；　I　always　told　you　that　the
children's　pots　and　pans　in　the　clay　ditch　were　very　like　Roman
pottery。〃

〃Posthumus's　patty　pan！〃　said　Norman；　holding　it　up。　　〃No　doubt　this
was　the　bottle　filled　with　the　old　queen's　tears　when　Cloten　was
killed。〃

〃You　see　it　is　very　small；〃　added　Harry；　〃she　could　not　squeeze　out
many。〃

〃Come　now；　I　do　believe　you　are　laughing　at　it！〃　said　Meta；　taking
the　derided　vessels　into　her　hands。　　〃Now；　they　really　are　genuine；
and　very　curious　things；　are　not　they；　Flora？〃

Flora　and　Ethel　admired　and　speculated　till　there　was　a　fresh；　and
still　more　exciting　discoverya　coin；　actually　a　medal；　with　the
head　of　an　emperor　upon　itnot　a　doubt　of　his　high　nose　being　Roman。
Meta　was　certain　that　she　knew　one　exactly　like　him　among　her
father's　gems。　　Ethel　was　resolved　that　he　should　be　Claudius；　and
began　decyphering　the　defaced　inscription　THVRVS。　　She　tried
Claudius's　whole　torrent　of　names；　and；　at　last；　made　it　into　a
contraction　of　Tiberius；　which　highly　satisfied　her。

Then　Meta；　in　her　turn；　read　D。V。X。；　which；　as　Ethel　said；　was　all
she　could　wishof　course　it　was　dux　et　imperator；　and　Harry　muttered
into　Norman's　ear；　〃ducks　and　geese！〃　and　then　heaved　a　sigh；　as　he
thought　of　the　dux　no　longer。　　〃V。V。；〃　continued　Meta；　〃what　can　that
mean？〃

〃Five；　five；　of　course；〃　said　Flora。

〃No；　no！　　I　have　it；　Venus　Victrix〃　said　Ethel；　〃the　ancestral　Venus！
Ha！　don't　you　see？　　there　she　is　on　the　other　side；　crowning
Claudius。〃

〃Then　there　is　an　E。〃

〃Something　about　Aeneas；〃　suggested　Norman　gravely。　　But　Ethel　was
sure　that　could　not　be；　because　there　was　no　diphthong；　and　a　fresh
theory　was　just　being　started；　when　Blanche's　head　was　thrust　in　to
know　what　made　them　all　so　busy。

〃Why；　Ethel；　what　are　you　doing　with　Harry's　old　medal　of　the　Duke　of
Wellington？〃

Poor　Meta　and　Ethel；　what　a　downfall！　　Meta　was　sure　that　Norman　had
known　it　the　whole　time；　and　he　owned　to　having　guessed　it　from
Harry's　importunity　for　the　search。　　Harry　and　Mary　had　certainly
made　good　use　of　their　time；　and　great　was　the　mirth　over　the　trap　so
cleverly　setthe　more　when　it　was　disclosed　that　Dr。　May　had　been　a
full　participator　in　the　scheme；　had　suggested　the　addition　of　the
pottery；　had　helped　Harry　to　some　liquid　to　efface　part　of　the
inscription；　and　had　even　come　up　with　them　to　plant　the　snare　in　the
most　plausible　corner　for　researches。

Meta；　enchanted　with　the　joke；　flew　off　to　try　to　take　in　her
governess　and　Mrs。　Wilmot；　whom　she　found　completing　their　leisurely
promenade；　and　considering　where　they　should　spread　the　dinner。

The　sight　of　those　great　baskets　of　good　fare　was　appetising；　and　the
company　soon　collected　on　the　shady　turf；　where　Richard　made　himself
extremely　useful；　and　the　feast　was　spread　without　any　worse　mishap
than　Nipen's　running　away　with　half　a　chicken；　of　which　he　was
robbed；　as　Tom　reported；　by　a　surly…looking　dog　that　watched　in　the
outskirts　of　the　camp；　and　caused　Tom　to　return　nearly　as　fast　as　the
poor　little　white　marauder。

Meta　〃very　immorally；〃　as　Norman　told　her；　comforted　Nipen　with　a
large　share　of　her　sandwiches。　　Harry　armed　himself　with　a　stick　and
Mary　with　a　stone；　and　marched　off　to　the　attack；　but　saw　no　signs　of
the　enemy；　and　had　begun　to　believe　him　a　figment　of　Tom's
imagination；　when　Mary　spied　him　under　a　bush；　lying　at　the　feet　of　a
boy；　with　whom　he　was　sharing　the　spoil。

Harry　called　out　rather　roughly；　〃Hallo！　what　are　you　doing　there？〃

The　boy　jumped　up；　the　dog　growled；　Mary　shrank　behind　her　brother；
and　begged　him　not　to　be　cross　to　the　poor　boy；　but　to　come　away。
Harry　repeated　his　question。

〃Please；　sir；　Toby　brought　it　to　me。〃

〃What；　is　Toby　your　dog？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Are　you　so　hungry　as　to　eat　dog's　meat？〃

〃I　have　not　had　nothing　before　to…day；　sir。〃

〃Why；　where　do　you　live？　hereabouts？〃

〃Oh；　no；　sir；　I　lived　with　grandmother　up　in　Cheshire；　but　she　is
dead　now；　and　father　is　just　come　home　from　sea；　and　he　wrote　down　I
was　to　be　sent　to　him　at　Portsmouth；　to　go　to　sea　with　him。〃

〃How　do　you　live？　do　you　beg　your　way？〃

〃No；　sir；　father　sent　up　a　pound　in　a　letter；　only　Nanny　Brooks　said
I　owed　some　to　her　for　my　victuals；　and　I　have　not　much　of　it　left；
and　bread　comes　dear；　so　when　Toby　brought　me　this　bit　of　meat　I　was
glad　of　it；　sir；　but　I　would　not　have　taken　it〃

The　boy　was　desired　to　wait　while　the　brother　and　sister；　in
breathless　excitement；　rushed　back　with　their　story。

Mrs。　Wilmot　was　at　first　inclined　to　fear　that　the　naval　part　of　it
had　been　inspired　by　Harry's　uniform；　but　the　examination　of　Jem
Jennings　put　it　beyond　a　doubt　that　he　spoke　nothing　but　the　truth；
and　the　choicest　delight　of　the　feast　was　the　establishing　him　and
Toby　behind　the　barrow；　and　feeding　them　with　such　viands　as　they　had
probably　never　seen　before。

The　boy　could　not　read　writing；　but　he　had　his　father's　letter　in　his
pocket；　and　Mary　capered　at　the　delightful　coincidence；　on　finding
that　Jem　Jennings　was　actually　a　quarter…master　on　board　the
Alcestis。　　It　gave　a　sort　of　property　in　the　boy；　and　she　almost
grudged　Meta　the　having　been　first　to　say　that　she　would　pay　for　the
rest　of　his　journey；　instead　of　doing　it　by　subscription。

However；　Mary　had　a　consolation；　she　would　offer　to　take　charge　of
Toby；　who；　as　Harry　observed；　would　otherwise　have　been　drownedhe
could　not　be　taken　on　board。　　To　be　sure；　he　was　a　particularly　ugly
animal；　rough；　grisly；　short…legged；　long…backed；　and　with　an　apology
for　a　tailbut　he　had　a　redeeming　pair　of　eyes；　and　he　and　Jem　lived
on　terms　of　such　close　friendship；　that　he　would　have　been　miserable
in　leaving　him　to　the　mercy　of　Nanny　Brooks。

So；　after　their　meal；　Jem　and　Toby　were　bidden　to　wait　for　Dr。　May's
coming；　and　fell　asleep　together　on　the　green　bank；　while　the　rest
either　sketched；　or　wandered；　or　botanised。　　Flora　acted　the　grown…up
lady　with　Mrs。　Wilmot；　and　Meta　found　herself　sitting　by　Ethel；
asking　her　a　great　many　questions　about　Margaret；　and　her　home；　and
what　it　could　be　like　to　be　one　of　such　a　numerous　family。　　Flora　had
always　turned　aside　from　personal　matters；　as　uninteresting　to　her
companion；　and；　in　spite　of　Meta's　admiration；　and　the　mutual　wish　to
be　intimate；　confidence　did　not　spring　up　spontaneously；　as　it　had
done　with　the　doctor；　and；　in　that　single　hour；　with　Margaret。　　Blunt
as　Ethel　was；　her　heartiness　of　manner　gave　a　sense　of　real　progress
in　friendship。　　Their　Confirmation　vows　seemed　to　make　a　link；　and
Meta's　unfeigned　enthusiasm　for　the　doctor　was　the　sure　road　to
Ethel's　heart。　　She　was　soon　telling　how　glad　Margaret　was　that　he
had　been　drawn　into　taking　pleasure　in　to…day's　scheme；　since；　not
only　were　his　spirits　tried　by　the　approach　of　Harry's　departure；　but
he　had；　within　the　last　few　days；　been　made　very　sad　by　reading　and
answering　Aunt　Flora's　first　letter　on　the　news　of　last　October's
misfortune。

〃My　aunt　in　New　Zealand；〃　explained　Ethel。

〃Have　you　an　aunt　in　New　Zealand？〃　cried　Meta。　　〃I　never　heard　of
her！〃

〃Did　not　you？　　Oh！　she　does　write　such　charming　long　letters！〃

〃Is　she　Dr。　May's　sister？〃

〃No；　he　was　an　only　child。　　She　is　dear　mamma's　sister。　　I　don't
remember　her；　for　she　went　out　when　I　was　a　baby；　but　Richard　and
Margaret　were　so　fond　of　her。　　They　say　she　used　to　play　with　them；
and　tell　them　stories；　and　sing　Scotch　songs　to　them。　　Margaret　says
the　first　sorrow　of　her　life　was　Aunt　Flora's　going　away。〃

〃Did　she　live　with　them？〃

〃Yes；　after　grandpapa　died；　she　came　to　live　with　them；　but　then　Mr。
Arnott　came　about。　　I　ought　not　to　speak　evil　of　him；　for　he　is　my
godfather；　but　we　do　wish　he　had　not　carried　off　Aunt　Flora！　　That
letter　of　hers　showed　me　what　a　comfort　it　would　be　to　papa　to　have
her　here。〃

〃Perhaps　she　will