the daisy chain, or aspirations-第87节

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stupid　you　look。　　I　wonder　Mrs。　Hoxton　likes　to　have　you；〃　she　added；
patting　his　shoulders　between　jest　and　earnest。

〃I　wish　she　would　not；　then。　　It　is　only　to　escort　you。〃

〃Nonsense；　Norman；　you　know　better；〃　cried　Ethel。　　〃You　know　it　is
for　your　own　sake；　and　to　make　up　for　their　injustice；　that　he
invites　you；　or　Flora　either。〃

〃Hush；　Ethel！　he　gives　himself　quite　airs　enough　already；〃　said　the
doctor。

〃Papa！〃　said　Ethel；　in　vexation；　though　he　gave　her　a　pinch　to　show
it　was　all　in　good　humour；　while　he　went　on；　〃I　am　glad　to　hear　they
do　leave　him　to　himself　in　a　corner。　　A　very　good　thing　too！　　Where
else　should　a　great　gawky　schoolboy　be？〃

〃Safe　at　home；　where　I　wish　he　would　let　me　be；〃　muttered　Norman；
though　he　contrived　to　smile；　and　followed　Flora　out　of　the　room；
without　subjecting　himself　to　the　imputation　of　offended　dignity。

Ethel　was　displeased；　and　began　her　defence：　〃Papa；　I　wish〃　and
there　she　checked　herself。

〃Eh！　Miss　Ethel's　bristles　up！〃　said　her　father；　who　seemed　in　a
somewhat　mischievous　mood　of　teasing。

〃How　could　you；　papa？〃　cried　she。

〃How　could　I　what；　Miss　Etheldred？〃

〃Plague　Norman；〃the　words　would　come。　　〃Accuse　him　of　airs。〃

〃I　hate　to　see　young　fellows　above　taking　an　honour　from　their
elders；〃　said　Dr。　May。

〃Now；　papa；　papa；　you　know　it　is　no　such　thing。　　Dr。　Hoxton's　parties
are　very　dullyou　know　they　are；　and　it　is　not　fair　on　Norman。　　If
he　was　set　up　and　delighted　at　going　so　often；　then　you　would　call
him　conceited。〃

〃Conceit　has　a　good　many　lurking…places；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃It　is
harder　to　go　and　be　overlooked；　than　to　stay　at　home。〃

〃Now；　papa；　you　are　not　to　call　Norman　conceited；〃　cried　Ethel。　　〃You
don't　believe　that　he　is　any　such　thing。〃

〃Why；　not　exactly；〃　said　Dr。　May；　smiling。　〃The　boy　has　missed　it
marvellously；　but；　you　see；　he　has　everything　that　subtle　imp　would
wish　to　feed　upon；　and　it　is　no　harm　to　give　him　a　lick　with　the
rough　side　of　the　tongue；　as　your　canny　Scots　grandfather　used　to
say。〃

〃Ah！　if　you　knew；　papa〃　began　Ethel。

〃If　I　knew？〃

〃No；　no；　I　must　not　tell。〃

〃What；　a　secret；　is　there？〃

〃I　wish　it　was　not；　I　should　like　to　tell　you　very　much；　but　then；
you　see；　it　is　Norman's；　and　you　are　to　be　surprised。〃

〃Your　surprise　is　likely　to　be　very　much　like　Blanche's　birthday
presents；　a　stage　aside。〃

〃No；　I　am　going　to　keep　it　to　myself。〃

Two　or　three　days　after；　as　Ethel　was　going　to　the　schoolroom　after
breakfast；　Dr。　May　beckoned　her　back　to　the　dining…room；　and；　with
his　merry　look　of　significance；　said；　〃Well；　ma'am；　I　have　found　out
your　mystery！〃

〃About　Norman？　　Oh；　papa！　Did　he　tell　you？〃

〃When　I　came　home　from　the　hospital　last　night；　at　an　hour　when　all
respectable　characters；　except　doctors　and　police；　should　be　in　their
warm　beds；　I　beheld　a　light　in　Norman's　window；　so　methought　I　would
see　what　Gravity　was　doing　out　of　his　bed　at　midnight〃

〃And　you　found　him　at　his　Greek〃

〃So　that　was　the　meaning　of　his　looking　so　lank　and　careworn；　just　as
he　did　last　year；　and　he　the　prince　of　the　school！　　I　could　have
found　it　in　my　heart　to　fling　the　books　at　his　head！〃

〃But　you　consent；　don't　you；　to　his　going　up　for　the　scholarship？〃

〃I　consent　to　anything；　as　long　as　he　keeps　within　due　bounds；　and
does　not　work　himself　to　death。　　I　am　glad　of　knowing　it；　for　now　I
can　put　a　moderate　check　upon　it。〃

〃And　did　he　tell　you　all　about　it？〃

〃He　told　me　he　felt　as　if　he　owed　it　to　us　to　gain　something　for
himself；　since　I　had　given　up　the　Randall　to　gratify　hima　pretty
sort　of　gratification。〃

〃Yes；　and　he　will　be　glad　to　get　away　from　school。　　He　says　he　knows
it　is　bad　for　himas　it　is　uncomfortable　to　be　singled　out　in　the
way　Dr。　Hoxton　does　now。　　You　know；〃　pleaded　Ethel；　〃it　is　not
ingratitude　or　elation；　but　it　is；　somehow；　not　nice　to　be　treated　as
he　is；　set　apart　from　the　rest。〃

〃True；　Dr。　Hoxton　never　had　taste　or　judgment。　　If　Norman　were　not　a
lusus　naturae；〃　said　Dr。　May；　hesitating　for　a　word；　〃his　head　would
have　been　turned　long　ago。　　And　he　wants　companions　toohe　has　been
forced　out　of　boyhood　too　soon；　poor　fellowand　Harry　gone　too。　　He
does　not　get　anything　like　real　relaxation；　and　he　will　be　better
among　youths　than　boys。　　Stoneborough　will　never　be　what　it　was　in　my
time！〃　added　the　doctor　mournfully。　　〃I　never　thought　to　see　the　poor
old　place　come　to　this；　but　therewhen　all　the　better　class　send
their　sons　to　the　great　public　schools；　and　leave　nothing　but　riff…
raff　here；　one　is　forced；　for　a　boy's　own　sake；　to　do　the　same。〃

〃Oh；　I　am　so　glad！　　Then　you　have　consented　to　the　rest　of　Norman's
scheme；　and　will　not　keep　poor　little　Tom　at　school　here　without
him？〃

〃By　what　he　tells　me　it　would　be　downright　ruin　to　the　boy。　　I　little
thought　to　have　to　take　a　son　of　mine　away　from　Stoneborough；　but
Norman　is　the　best　judge；　and　he　is　the　only　person　who　seems　to　have
made　any　impression　on　Tom；　so　I　shall　let　it　be。　　In　fact；〃　he
added；　half　smiling；　〃I　don't　know　what　I　could　refuse　old　June。〃

〃That's　right！〃　cried　Ethel。　　〃That　is　so　nice！　　Then；　if　Norman　gets
the　scholarship；　Tom　is　to　go　to　Mr。　Wilmot　first；　and　then　to　Eton！〃

〃If　Norman　gains　the　scholarship；　but　that　is　an　if；〃　said　Dr。　May；
as　though　hoping　for　a　loop…hole　to　escape　offending　the　shade　of
Bishop　Whichcote。

〃Oh；　papa；　you　cannot　doubt　of　that！〃

〃I　cannot　tell；　Ethel。　　He　is　facile　princeps　here　in　his　own　world；
but　we　do　not　know　how　it　may　be　when　he　is　measured　with　public
schoolmen；　who　have　had　more　first…rate　tutorship　than　poor　old
Hoxton's。〃

〃Ah！　he　says　so；　but　I　thought　that　was　all　his　humility。〃

〃Better　he　should　be　prepared。　　If　he　had　had　all　those　advantages
but　it　may　be　as　well　after　all。　　I　always　had　a　hankering　to　have
sent　him　to　Eton；　but　your　dear　mother　used　to　say　it　was　not　fair　on
the　others。　　And　now；　to　see　him　striving　in　order　to　give　the
advantage　of　it　to　his　little　brother！　　I　only　hope　Master　Thomas　is
worthy　of　itbut　it　is　a　boy　I　can't　understand。〃

〃Nor　I；〃　said　Ethel；　he　never　seems　to　say　anything　he　can　help；　and
goes　after　Norman　without　talking　to　any　one　else。〃

〃I　give　him　up　to　Norman's　management；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃He　says　the
boy　is　very　clever；　but　I　have　not　seen　it；　and；　as　to　more　serious
matters　However；　I　must　take　it　on　Norman's　word　that　he　is　wishing
to　learn　truth。　　We　made　an　utter　mistake　about　him；　I　don't　know　who
is　to　blame　for　it。〃

〃Have　you　told　Margaret　about　Norman's　plan？〃　asked　Ethel。

〃No；　he　desired　me　to　say　nothing。　　Indeed；　I　should　not　like　Tom's
leaving　school　to　be　talked　of　beforehand。〃

〃Norman　said　he　did　not　want　Flora　to　hear；　because　she　is　so　much
with　the　Hoxton's；　and　he　said　they　would　all　watch　him。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　and　we　must　keep　his　secret。　　What　a　boy　it　is！　　But　it　is
not　safe　to　say　conceited　things。　　We　shall　have　a　fall　yet；　Ethel。
Not　seventeen；　remember；　and　brought　up　at　a　mere　grammar…school。〃

〃But　we　shall　still　have　the　spirit　that　made　him　try；〃　said　Ethel；
〃and　that　is　the　thing。〃

〃And；　to　tell　the　truth；〃　said　the　doctor；　lingering；　〃for　my　own
part；　I　don't　care　a　rush　for　it！〃　and　he　dashed　off　to　his　work；
while　Ethel　stood　laughing。

〃Papa　was　so　very　kind；〃　said　Norman　tremulously；　when　Ethel　followed
him　to　his　room；　to　congratulate　him　on　having　gained　his　father's
assent；　of　which　he　had　been　more　in　doubt　than　she。

〃And　you　see　he　quite　approves　of　the　scheme　for　Tom；　except　for
thinking　it　disrespect　to　Bishop　Whichcote。　　He　said　he　only　hoped
Tom　was　worthy　of　it。〃

〃Tom！〃　cried　Norman。　　〃Take　my　word　for　it；　Ethel；　Tom　will　surprise
you　all。　　He　will　beat　us　all　to　nothing；　I　know！〃

〃If　only　he　can　be　cured　of〃

〃He　will；〃　said　Norman；　〃when　once　he　has　outgrown　his　frights；　and
that　he　may　do　at　Mr。　Wilmot's；　apart　from　those　fellows。　　When　I　go
up　for　this　scholarship；　you　must　look　after　his　lessons；　and　see　if
you　are　not　surprised　at　his　construing！〃

〃When　you　go。　　It　will　be　in　a　month！〃

〃He　has　told　no　one；　I　hope。〃

〃No；　but　I　hardly　think　he　will　bear　not　telling　Margaret。〃

〃WellI　hate　a　thing　being　out　of　one's　own　keeping。　　I　should　not
so　much　dislike　Margaret's　knowing；　but　I　won't　have　Flora　knowmind
that；　Ethel；〃　he　said；　with　disproportionate　vehemence。

〃I　only　hope　Flora　will　not　be　vexed。　　But　oh；　dear！　how　nice
it　will　be　when　you　have　it；　telling　Meta　Rivers；　and　all！〃

〃And　this　is　a　fine　way　of　getting　it；　standing　talking　here。　　Not
that　I　shallyou　little　know　what　public　schools　can　do！　　But　that
is　no　reason　against　trying。〃

〃Good…night；　then。　　Only　one　thing　more。　　You　mean　that；　till　further
orders；　Margaret　should　not　know？〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Norman　impatiently。　　〃She　won't　take　any　of　Flora's
silly　affronts；　and；　what　is　more；　she　would　not　care　half　so　much　as
before　Alan　Ernescliffe　came。〃

〃Oh；　Norman；　Norman！　　I'm　sure〃

〃Why；　it　is　what　they　always　say。　　Everybody　can't　be　first；　and
Ernescliffe　has　the　biggest　half　of　her；　I　can　see。〃

〃I　am　sure　I　did　not；〃　said　Ethel；　in　a　mortified　voice。〃

〃Why；　of　course；　it　always　comes　of　people　having　lovers。〃

〃Then　I　am　s