the daisy chain, or aspirations-第95节

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the　old　housekeeper　went　away　two　years　ago；　she　thought　she　ought　to
know　something　about　the　government　of　the　house；　so　she　asked　me
about　it；　and　proposed　to　her　father　that　the　new　one　should　come　to
her　for　orders；　and　that　she　should　pay　the　wages　and　have　the
accounts　in　her　hands。　　Mr。　Rivers　thought　it　was　only　a　freak；　but
she　has　gone　on　steadily；　and　I　assure　you；　she　has　had　some
difficulties；　for　she　has　come　to　me　about　them。　　Perhaps　Ethel　does
not　believe　in　them？〃

〃No；　I　was　only　thinking　how　I　should　hate　ordering　those　fanciful
dinners　for　Mr。　Rivers。　　I　know　what　you　mean；　and　how　she　had
difficulties　about　sending　the　maids　to　church；　and　in　dealing　with
the　cook；　who　did　harm　to　the　other　servants；　and　yet　sent　up　dinners
that　he　liked；　and　how　puzzled　she　was　to　avoid　annoying　him。　　Oh！
she　has　got　into　a　peck　of　troubles　by　making　herself　manager。〃

〃And　had　she　not　been　the　Meta　she　is；　she　would　either　have　fretted；
or　thrown　it　all　up；　instead　of　humming　briskly　through　all。　　She
never　was　afraid　to　speak　to　any　one；〃　said　Margaret；　〃that　is　one
thing；　I　believe　every　difficulty　makes　the　spirit　bound　higher；　till
she　springs　over　it；　and　finds　it；　as　she　says；　only　a　pleasure。〃

〃She　need　not　be　afraid　to　speak；〃　said　Ethel；　〃for　she　always　does
it　well　and　winningly。　　I　have　seen　her　give　a　reproof　in　so　firm　and
kind　a　way；　and　so　bright　in　the　instant　of　forgiveness。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Margaret；　〃she　does　those　disagreeable　things　as　well　as
Flora　does　in　her　way。〃

〃And　yet；〃　said　Ethel；　〃doing　things　well　does　not　seem　to　be　a　snare
to　her。〃

〃Because；〃　whispered　Margaret；　〃she　fulfils　more　than　almost　any　one…
…the'Whatsoever　ye　do；　do　all　to　the　glory　of　God。'〃

〃Do　you　know；〃　said　Norman　suddenly；　〃the　derivation　of　Margarita？〃

〃No　further　than　those　two　pretty　meanings；　the　pearl　and　the　daisy；〃
said　Ethel。

〃It　is　from　the　Persian　Mervarid；　child　of　light；〃　said　Norman；　and；
with　a　sudden　flush　of　colour；　he　returned　to　the　garden。

〃A　fit　meaning　for　one　who　carries　sunshine　with　her；〃　said　Margaret。
〃I　feel　in　better　tune　for　a　whole　day　after　her　bright　eyes　have
been　smiling　on　me。〃

〃You　want　no　one　to　put　you　in　tune；〃　said　Ethel　fondly〃you；　our
own　pearl　of　light。〃

〃No；　call　me　only　an　old　faded　daisy；〃　said　Margaret　sadly。

〃Not　a　bit；　only　our　moon；　la　gran　Margarita〃　said　Ethel。

〃I　hear　the　real　Daisy　coming！〃　exclaimed　Margaret；　her　face　lighting
up　with　pleasure　as　the　two　youngest　children　entered；　and；　indeed；
little　Gertrude's　golden　hair；　round　open　face；　fresh　red　and　white
complexion；　and　innocent　looks；　had　so　much　likeness　to　the　flower；
as　to　promote　the　use　of　the　pet　name；　though　protests　were　often
made　in　favour　of　her　proper　appellation。　　Her　temper　was　daisylike
too；　serene　and　loving；　and　able　to　bear　a　great　deal　of　spoiling；
and　resolve　as　they　might；　who　was　not　her　slave？

Miss　Winter　no　longer　ruled　the　schoolroom。　　Her　sway　had　been
brought　to　a　happy　conclusion　by　a　proposal　from　a　widowed　sister　to
keep　house　with　her；　and　Ethel　had　reason　to　rejoice　that　Margaret
had　kept　her　submissive　under　authority；　which；　if　not　always
judicious；　was　both　kind　and　conscientious。

Upon　the　change；　Ethel　had　thought　that　the　lessons　could　easily　be
managed　by　herself　and　Flora；　while　Flora　was　very　anxious　for　a
finishing　governess；　who　might　impart　singing　to　herself；　graces　to
Ethel；　and　accomplishments　to　Mary　and　Blanche。

Dr。　May；　however；　took　them　both　by　surprise。　　He　met　with　a　family
of　orphans；　the　eldest　of　whom　had　been　qualifying　herself　for　a
governess；　and　needed　nothing　but　age　and　finish；　and　in　ten　minutes
after　the　project　had　been　conceived；　he　had　begun　to　put　it　in
execution；　in　spite　of　Flora's　prudent　demurs。

Miss　Bracy　was　a　gentle；　pleasing　young　person；　pretty　to　look　at；
with　her　soft　olive　complexion；　and　languid　pensive　eyes；　obliging
and　intelligent；　and　the　change　from　the　dry；　authoritative　Miss
Winter　was　so　delightful；　that　unedifying　contrasts　were　continually
being　drawn。　　Blanche　struck　up　a　great　friendship　for　her　at　once；
Mary；　always　docile；　ceased　to　be　piteous　at　her　lessons；　and　Ethel
moralised　on　the　satisfaction　of　having　sympathy　needed　instead　of
repelled；　and　did　her　utmost　to　make　Miss　Bracy　feel　at　homeand
like　a　friendin　her　new　position。

For　herself；　Ethel　had　drawn　up　a　beautiful　time…table；　with　all　her
pursuits　and　duties　most　carefully　balanced；　after　the　pattern　of
that　which　Margaret　Rivers　had　made　by　her　advice；　on　the　departure
of　Mrs。　Larpent；　who　had　been　called　away　by　the　ill…health　of　her
son。　　Meta　had　adhered　to　hers　in　an　exemplary　manner；　but　she　was
her　own　mistress　in　a　manner　that　could　hardly　be　the　lot　of　one　of　a
large　family。

Margaret　had　become　subject　to　languor　and　palpitations；　and　the　head
of　the　household　had　fallen　entirely　upon　Flora；　who；　on　the　other
hand；　was　a　person　of　multifarious　occupations；　and　always　had　a
great　number　of　letters　to　write；　or　songs　to　copy　and　practise；
which；　together　with　her　frequent　visits　to　Mrs。　Hoxton；　made　her
glad　to　devolve；　as　much　as　she　could；　upon　her　younger　sister；　and；
〃Oh；　Ethel；　you　will　not　mind　just　doing　this　for　me；〃　was　said　often
enough　to　be　a　tax　upon　her　time。

Moreover；　Ethel　perceived　that　Aubrey's　lessons　were　in　an
unsatisfactory　state。　　Margaret　could　not　always　attend　to　them；　and
suffered　from　them　when　she　did；　and　he　was　bandied　about　between　his
sisters　and　Miss　Bracy　in　a　manner　that　made　him　neither　attentive
nor　obedient。

On　her　own　principle；　that　to　embrace　a　task　heartily　renders　it　no
longer　irksome；　she　called　on　herself　to　sacrifice　her　studies　and
her　regularity；　as　far　as　was　needful；　to　make　her　available　for　home
requirements。　　She　made　herself　responsible　for　Aubrey；　and；　after　a
few　battles　with　his　desultory　habits；　made　him　a　very　promising
pupil；　inspiring　so　much　of　herself　into　him；　that　he　was；　if
anything；　overfull　of　her　classical　tastes。　　In　fact；　he　had　such　an
appetite　for　books；　and　dealt　so　much　in　precocious　wisdom；　that　his
father　was　heard　to　say；　〃Six　years　old！　　It　is　a　comfort　that　he
will　soon　forget　the　whole。〃

Gertrude　was　also　Ethel's　pupil；　but　learning　was　not　at　all　in　her
line；　and　the　sight　of　〃Cobwebs　to　catch　Flies；〃　or　of　the　venerated
〃Little　Charles；〃　were　the　most　serious　clouds；　that　made　the　Daisy
pucker　up　her　face；　and　infuse　a　whine　into　her　voice。

However；　to…day；　as　usual；　she　was　half　dragged；　half　coaxed；　through
her　day's　portion　of　the　discipline　of　life；　and　then　sent　up　for　her
sleep；　while　Aubrey's　two　hours　were　spent　in　more　agreeable　work；
such　as　Margaret　could　not　but　enjoy　hearingso　spirited　was　Ethel's
mode　of　teachingso　eager　was　her　scholar。

His　play　afterwards　consisted　in　fighting　o'er　again　the　siege　of
Troy　on　the　floor；　with　wooden　bricks；　shells；　and　the　survivors　of　a
Noah's　ark；　while　Ethel　read　to　Margaret　until　Gertrude's　descent
from　the　nursery；　when　the　only　means　of　preventing　a　dire　confusion
in　Aubrey's　camp　was　for　her　elder　sisters　to　become　her　playfellows；
and　so　spare　Aubrey's　temper。　　Ethel　good…humouredly　gave　her　own
time；　till　their　little　tyrant　trotted　out　to　make　Norman　carry　her
round　the　garden　on　his　back。

So　sped　the　morning　till　Flora　came　home；　full　of　the　intended
bazaar；　and　Ethel　would　fain　have　taken　refuge　in　puzzling　out　her
Spanish；　had　she　not　remembered　her　recent　promise　to　be　gracious。

The　matter　had　been　much　as　she　had　described　it。　　Flora　had　a　way　of
hinting　at　anything　she　thought　creditable；　and　thus　the　Stoneborough
public　had　become　aware　of　the　exertions　of　the　May　family　on　behalf
of　Cocksmoor。

The　plan　of　a　fancy　fair　was　started。　　Mrs。　Hoxton　became　more
interested　than　was　her　wont；　and　Flora　was　enchanted　at　the　opening
it　gave　for　promoting　the　welfare　of　the　forlorn　district。　　She　held
a　position　which　made　her　hope　to　direct　the　whole。　　As　she　had　once
declared；　with　truth；　it　only　had　depended　on　themselves；　whether　she
and　her　sisters　should　sink　to　the　level　of　the　Andersons　and　their
set；　or　belong　to　the　county　society；　and　her　tact　had　resulted　in
her　being　decidedlyas　the　little　dressmaker's　apprentice　amused
Ethel　by　saying〃One　of　our　most　distinguished　patronesses〃a　name
that　had　stuck　by　her　ever　since。

Margaret　looked　on　passively；　inclined　to　admire　Flora　in　everything；
yet　now　and　then　puzzled；　and　her　father；　in　his　simple…hearted　way；
felt　only　gratitude　and　exultation　in　the　kindness　that　his　daughter
met　with。　　As　to　the　bazaar；　if　it　had　been　started　in　his　own
family；　he　might　have　weighed　the　objections；　but；　as　it　was　not　his
daughter's　own　concern；　he　did　not　trouble　himself　about　it；　only
regarding　it　as　one　of　the　many　vagaries　of　the　ladies　of
Stoneborough。

So　the　scheme　had　been　further　developed；　till　now　Flora　came　in　with
much　to　tell。　　The　number　of　stalls　had　been　finally　fixed。　　Mrs。
Hoxton　undertook　one；　with　Flora　as　an　aide…de…camp；　and　some　nieces
to　assist；　Lady　Leonora　was　to　chaperon　Miss　Rivers；　and　a　third；　to
Flora's　regret；　had　been　allotted　to　Miss　Cleveland；　a　good…n