the daisy chain, or aspirations-第80节

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because　it　seemed　merely　a　vain　and　profitless　creature。　　The
nightingale　sang　praise；　and　the　woods　sounded　with　the　glory　of　its
strains；　the　fowl　was　valued　for　its　flesh；　the　ostrich　for　its
plume；　but　what　could　the　little　humming…bird　do；　save　rejoice　in　the
glory　of　the　flood　of　sunbeams；　and　disport　itself　over　the　flowers；
and　glance　in　the　sunny　light；　as　its　bright　breastplate　flashed　from
rich　purple　to　dazzling　flame…colour；　and　its　wings　supported　it；
fluttering　so　fast　that　the　eye　could　hardly　trace　them；　as　it　darted
its　slender　beak　into　the　deep…belled　blossoms。　　So　the　little　bird
grieved；　and　could　not　rest；　for　thinking　that　it　was　useless　in　this
world；　that　it　sought　merely　its　own　gratification；　and　could　do
nothing　that　could　conduce　to　the　glory　of　its　master。　　But　one　night
a　voice　spoke　to　the　little　bird；　'Why　hast　thou　been　placed　here；'
it　said；　'but　at　the　will　of　thy　master？　　Was　it　not　that　he　might
delight　himself　in　thy　radiant　plumage；　and　see　thy　joy　in　the
sunshine？　　His　gifts　are　thy　buoyant　wing；　thy　beauteous　colours；　the
love　of　all　around；　the　sweetness　of　the　honey…drop　in　the　flowers；
the　shade　of　the　palm　leaf。　　Esteem　them；　then；　as　his；　value　thine
own　bliss；　while　it　lasts；　as　the　token　of　his　care　and　love；　and
while　thy　heart　praises　him　for　them；　and　thy　wings　quiver　and　dance
to　the　tune　of　that　praise；　then；　indeed；　thy　gladness　conduces　to　no
vain…glory　of　thine　own；　in　beauty；　or　in　graceful　flight；　but　thou
art　a　creature　servingas　best　thou　canst　to　his　glory。'〃

〃I　know　the　word；〃　half　whispered　Meta；　not　without　a　trembling　of
the　lip。　　〃I　know　why　you　told　the　story；　Dr。　May；　but　one　is　not　as
good　as　the　humming…birds。〃

The　elder　ladies　had　begun　to　look　at　watches；　and　talk　of　time　to　go
home；　and　Jem　Jemmings　having　been　seen　rearing　himself　up　from
behind　the　barrow；　the　doctor　proceeded　to　investigate　his　case；　was
perfectly　satisfied　of　the　boy's　truth；　and　as　ready　as　the　young
ones　to　befriend　him。　　A　letter　should　be　written　at　once；　desiring
his　father　to　look　out　for　him　on　Friday；　when　he　should　go　by　the
same　train　as　Harry；　who　was　delighted　at　the　notion　of　protecting
him　so　far；　and　begged　to　be　allowed　to　drive　him　home　to
Stoneborough　in　the　gig。

Consent　was　given；　and　Richard　being　added　to　give　weight　and
discretion；　the　gig　set　out　at　oncethe　doctor；　much　to　Meta's
delight；　took　his　place　in　the　brake。　　Blanche；　who；　in　the　morning；
had　been　inclined　to　despise　it　as　something　akin　to　a　cart；　now
finding　it　a　popular　conveyance；　was　urgent　to　return　in　it；　and
Flora　was　made　over　to　the　carriage；　not　at　all　unwillingly；　for；
though　it　separated　her　from　Meta；　it　made　a　senior　of　her。

Norman's　fate　conveyed　him　to　the　exalted　seat　beside　the　driver　of
the　brake；　where　he　could　only　now　and　then　catch　the　sounds　of　mirth
from　below。　　He　had　enjoyed　the　day　exceedingly；　with　that　sort　of
abandon　more　than　ordinarily　delicious　to　grave　or　saddened
temperaments；　when　roused　or　drawn　out　for　a　time。　　Meta's　winning
grace　and　sweetness　had　a　peculiar　charm　for　him；　and；　perhaps；　his
having　been　originally　introduced　to　her　as　ill；　and　in　sorrow；　had
given　her　manner　towards　him　a　sort　of　kindness　which　was　very
gratifying。

And　now　he　felt　as　if　he　was　going　back　to　a　very　dusky　dusty　world；
the　last　and　blithest　day　of　his　holidays　was　past；　and　he　must
return　to　the　misapprehensions　and　injustice　that　had　blighted　his
school　career；　be　kept　beneath　boys　with　half　his　ability；　and
without　generous　feeling；　and　find　all　his　attainments　useless　in
restoring　his　position。　　Dr。　Hoxton's　dull　scholarship　would　chill
all　pleasure　in　his　studiesthere　would　be　no　companionship　among
the　boyseven　his　supporters；　Ernescliffe　and　Larkins；　were　gone；
and　Harry　would　leave　him　still　under　a　cloud。

Norman　felt　it　more　as　disgrace　than　he　had　done　since　the　first；　and
wished　he　had　consented　to　quit　the　school　when　it　had　been　offered
be　made　a　man；　instead　of　suffering　these　doubly　irksome
provocations；　which　rose　before　him　in　renewed　force。　　〃And　what
would　that　little　humming…bird　think　of　me　if　she　knew　me　disgraced？〃
thought　he。　　〃But　it　is　of　no　use　to　think　of　it。　　I　must　go　through
with　it；　and　as　I　always　am　getting　vain…glorious；　I　had　better　have
no　opportunity。　　I　did　not　declare　I　renounced　vain　pomp　and　glory
last　week；　to　begin　coveting　them　now　again。〃

So　Norman　repressed　the　sigh　as　he　looked　at　the　school　buildings；
which　never　could　give　him　the　pleasures　of　memory　they　afforded　to
others。

The　brake　had　set　out　before　the　carriage；　so　that　Meta　had　to　come
in　and　wait　for　her　governess。　　Before　the　vehicle　had　disgorged　half
its　contents；　Harry　had　rushed　out　to　meet　them。　　〃Come　in；　come　in；
Norman！　　Only　hear。　　Margaret　shall　tell　you　herself！　　Hurrah！〃

Is　Mr。　Ernescliffe　come？　crossed　Ethel's　mind；　but　Margaret　was
alone；　flushed；　and　holding　out　her　hands。　　〃Norman！　where　is　he？
Dear　Norman；　here　is　good　news！　　Papa；　Dr。　Hoxton　has　been　here；　and
he　knows　all　about　itand　oh！　Norman；　he　is　very　sorry　for　the
injustice；　and　you　are　dux　again！〃

Norman　really　trembled　so　much　that　he　could　neither　speak　nor　stand；
but　sat　down　on　the　window…seat；　while　a　confusion　of　tongues　asked
more。

Dr。　Hoxton　and　Mr。　Larkins　had　come　to　callheard　no　one　was　at　home
but　Miss　Mayhad；　nevertheless；　come　inand　Margaret　had　heard　that
Mr。　Larkins；　who　had　before　intended　to　remove　his　son　from
Stoneborough；　had；　in　the　course　of　the　holidays；　made　discoveries
from　him；　which　he　could　not　feel　justified　in　concealing　from　Dr。
Hoxton。

The　whole　of　the　transactions　with　Ballhatchet；　and　Norman's　part　in
them；　had　been　explained；　as　well　as　the　true　history　of　the　affray
in　Randall's　Alleyhow　Norman　had　dispersed　the　boys；　how　they　had
again　collected；　and；　with　the　full　concurrence　of　Harvey　Anderson；
renewed　the　mischief；　how　the　Andersons　had　refused　to　bear　witness
in　his　favour；　and　how　Ballhatchet's　ill…will　had　kept　back　the
evidence　which　would　have　cleared　him。

Little　Larkins　had　told　all；　and　his　father　had　no　scruple　in
repeating　it；　and　causing　the　investigation　to　be　set　on　foot。　　Nay；
he　deemed　that　Norman's　influence　had　saved　his　son；　and　came；　as
anxious　to　thank　him；　as　Dr。　Hoxton；　warm…hearted；　though
injudicious；　was　to　repair　his　injustice。　　They　were　much　surprised
and　struck　by　finding　that　Dr。　May　had　been　aware　of　the　truth　the
whole　time；　and　had　patiently　put　up　with　the　injustice；　and　the　loss
of　the　scholarshipa　loss　which　Dr。　Hoxton　would　have　given　anything
to　repair；　so　as　to　have　sent　up　a　scholar　likely　to　do　him　so　much
credit；　but　it　was　now　too　late；　and　he　had　only　been　able　to　tell
Margaret　how　dismayed　he　was　at　finding　out　that　the　boy　to　whom　all
the　good　order　in　his　school　was　owing　had　been　so　ill…used。　　Kind
Dr。　May's　first　feeling　really　seemed　to　be　pity　and　sympathy　for　his
old　friend；　the　head…master；　in　the　shock　of　such　a　discovery。　　Harry
was　vociferously　telling　his　version　of　the　story　to　Ethel　and　Mary。
Tom　stood　transfixed　in　attention。　　Meta；　forgotten　and　bewildered；
was　standing　near　Norman；　whose　colour　rapidly　varied；　and　whose
breath　came　short　and　quick　as　he　listened。　　A　quick　half
interrogation　passed　Meta's　lips；　heard　by　no　one　else。

〃It　is　only　that　it　is　all　right；〃　he　answered；　scarcely　audibly；
〃they　have　found　out　the　truth。〃

〃What？who？you？〃　said　Meta；　as　she　heard　words　that　implied　the
past　suspicion。

〃Yes；〃　said　Norman；　〃I　was　suspected；　but　never　at　home。〃

〃And　is　it　over　now？〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　whispered　huskily；　〃all　is　right；　and　Harry　will　not
leave　me　in　disgrace。〃

Meta　did　not　speak；　but　she　held　out　her　hand　in　hearty
congratulation；　Norman；　scarce　knowing　what　he　did；　grasped　and　wrung
it　so　tight　that　it　was　positive　pain；　as　he　turned　away　his　head　to
the　window　to　struggle　with　those　irrepressible　tears。　　Meta's　colour
flushed　into　her　cheek　as　she　found　it　still　held；　almost
unconsciously；　perhaps；　in　his　agitation；　and　she　heard　Margaret's
words；　that　both　gentlemen　had　said　Norman　had　acted　nobly；　and　that
every　revelation　made　in　the　course　of　their　examination　had　only
more　fully　established　his　admirable　conduct。

〃Oh；　Norman；　Norman；　I　am　so　glad！〃　cried　Mary's　voice　in　the　first
pause；　and；　Margaret　asking　where　he　was；　he　suddenly　turned　round；
recollected　himself；　and　found　it　was　not　the　back　of　the　chair　that
he　had　been　squeezing；　blushed　intensely；　but　made　no　attempt　at
apology；　for　indeed　he　could　not　speakhe　only　leaned　down　over
Margaret；　to　receive　her　heartfelt　embrace；　and；　as　he　stood　up
again；　his　father　laid　his　hand　on　his　shoulder；　〃My　boy；　I　am　glad；〃
but　the　words　were　broken；　and；　as　if　neither　could　bear　more；　Norman
hastily　left　the　room；　Ethel　rushing　after　him。

〃Quite　overcome！〃　said　the　doctor；　〃and　no　wonder。　　He　felt　it
cruelly；　though　he　bore　up　gallantly。　　Well；　July？〃

〃I'll　go　down　to　school　with　him　to…morrow；　and　see　him　dux　again！
I'll　have　three…times…three！〃　shouted　Harry；　〃hip！　hip！　hurrah！〃　and
Tom　and　Mary　joined　in　chorus。

〃What　is　all　this？〃　exclaimed　Flora；　o