the daisy chain, or aspirations-第96节

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Flora's　regret；　had　been　allotted　to　Miss　Cleveland；　a　good…natured；
merry；　elderly　heiress；　who　would；　Flora　feared；　bring　on　them　the
whole　〃Stoneborough　crew。〃　　And　then　she　began　to　reckon　up　the
present　resourcesdrawings；　bags；　and　pincushions。　　〃That　chip　hat
you　plaited　for　Daisy；　Margaret；　you　must　let　us　have　that。　　It　will
be　lovely；　trimmed　with　pink。〃

〃Do　you　wish　for　this？〃　said　Ethel；　heaving　up　a　mass　of　knitting。

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Flora；　〃so　ornamental；　especially　the　original
performance　in　the　corner；　which　you　would　perpetrate；　in　spite　of　my
best　efforts。〃

〃I　shall　not　be　offended　if　you　despise　it。　　I　only　thought　you　might
have　no　more　scruple　in　robbing　Granny　Hall　than　in　robbing　Daisy。〃

〃Pray；　send　it。　　Papa　will　buy　it　as　your　unique　performance。〃

〃No；　you　shall　tell　me　what　I　am　to　do。〃

〃Does　she　mean　it？〃　said　Flora；　turning　to　Margaret。　　〃Have　you
converted　her？　　Well　done！　　Then；　Ethel；　we　will　get　some　pretty
batiste；　and　you　and　Mary　shall　make　some　of　those　nice　sun…bonnets；
which　you　really　do　to　perfection。〃

〃Thank　you。　　That　is　a　more　respectable　task　than　I　expected。　　People
may　have　something　worth　buying；〃　said　Ethel；　who；　like　all　the
world；　felt　the　influence　of　Flora's　tact。

〃I　mean　to　study　the　useful；〃　said　Flora。　　〃The　Cleveland　set　will　be
sure　to　deal　in　frippery；　and　I　have　been　looking　over　Mrs。　Hoxton's
stores；　where　I　see　quite　enough　for　mere　decoration。　　There　are　two
splendid　vases　in　potichomanie；　in　an　Etruscan　pattern；　which　are
coming　for　me　to　finish。〃

〃Mrs。　Taylor；　at　Cocksmoor；　could　do　that　for　you；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Her
two　phials；　stuffed　with　chintz　patterns　and　flour；　are　quite　as
original　and　tasteful。〃

〃Silly　work；〃　said　Flora；　〃but　it　makes　a　fair　show。〃

〃The　essence　of　Vanity　Fair；〃　said　Ethel。

〃It　won't　do　to　be　satirical　over　much；〃　said　Flora。　　〃You　won't　get
on　without　humouring　your　neighbours'　follies。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　get　on。〃

〃But　you　wantor；　at　least；　I　wantCocksmoor　to　get　on。〃

Ethel　saw　Margaret　looking　distressed；　and；　recalling　her　resolution
she　said；　〃Well；　Flora；　I　don't　mean　to　say　any　more　about　it。　　I　see
it　can't　be　helped；　and　you　all　think　you　intend　it　for　good；　so
there's　an　end　of　the　matter；　and　I'll　do　anything　for　you　in
reason。〃

〃Poor　old　King　Ethel！〃　said　Flora；　smiling　in　an　elder…sisterly
manner。　　〃You　will　see；　my　dear；　your　views　are　very　pretty；　but　very
impracticable；　and　it　is　a　work…a…day　world　after　alleven　papa
would　tell　you　so。　　When　Cocksmoor　school　is　built；　then　you　may
thank　me。　　I　do　not　look　for　it　before。〃




CHAPTER　II。



Knowledge　is　second；　not　the　first；
A　higher　Hand　must　make　her　mild；
If　all　be　not　in　vain；　and　guide
Her　footsteps；　moving　side　by　side；
With　wisdom；　like　the　younger　child；
For　she　is　earthly　of　the　mind；
But　knowledge　heavenly　of　the　soul。In　Memoriam。


Etheldred　had　not　answered　her　sister；　but　she　did　not　feel　at　all
secure　that　she　should　have　anything　to　be　thankful　for；　even　if　the
school　were　built。

The　invasion　of　Cocksmoor　was　not　only　interference　with　her　own
field　of　action；　but　it　was　dangerous　to　the　improvement　of　her
scholars。　　Since　the　departure　of　Mr。　Wilmot；　matters　at　Stoneborough
National　School　had　not　improved；　though　the　Misses　Anderson　talked　a
great　deal　about　progress；　science；　and　lectures。

The　Ladies'　Committee　were　constantly　at　war　with　the　mistresses；　and
that　one　was　a　veteran　who　endured　them；　or　whom　they　could　endure
beyond　her　first　half…year。　　No　mistress　had　stayed　a　year　within　the
memory　of　any　girl　now　at　school。　　Perpetual　change　prevented　any
real　education；　and；　as　each　lady　held　different　opinions　and
proscribed　all　books　not　agreeing　thereto；　everything　〃dogmatical〃
was　excluded；　and；　as　Ethel　said；　the　children　learned　nothing　but
facts　about　lions　and　steam…engines；　while　their　doctrine　varied　with
that　of　the　visitor　for　the　week。　　If　the　ten　generals　could　only
have　given　up　to　Miltiades；　but；　alas！　there　was　no　Miltiades。　　Mr。
Ramsden's　health　was　failing；　and　his　neglect　told　upon　the　parish　in
the　dreadful　evils　reigning　unchecked；　and　engulfing　many　a　child
whom　more　influential　teaching　might　have　saved。　　Mental　arithmetic；
and　the　rivers　of　Africa；　had　little　power　to　strengthen　the　soul
against　temptation。

The　scanty　attendance　at　the　National　School　attested　the
indifference　with　which　it　was　regarded；　and　the　borderers
voluntarily　patronised　Cherry　Elwood；　and　thus　had；　perhaps；　first
aroused　the　emulation　that　led　Mrs。　Ledwich　on　a　visit　of　inspection；
to　what　she　chose　to　consider　as　an　offshoot　of　the　National　School。

The　next　day　she　called　upon　the　Misses　May。　　It　was　well　that　Ethel
was　not　at　home。　　Margaret　received　the　lady's　horrors　at　the　sight
of　the　mere　crowded　cottage　kitchen；　the　stupid　untrained　mistress；
without　an　idea　of　method；　and　that　impertinent　woman；　her　mother！
Miss　Flora　and　Miss　Ethel　must　have　had　a　great　deal　to　undergo；　and
she　would　lose　no　time　in　convening　the　Ladies'　Committee；　and
appointing　a　successor　to　〃that　Elwood；〃　as　soon　as　a　fit　room　could
be　erected　for　her　use。　　If　Margaret　had　not　known　that　Mrs。　Ledwich
sometimes　threatened　more　than　she　could　accomplish；　she　would　have
been　in　despair。　　She　tried　to　say　a　good　word　for　Cherry；　but　was
talked　down；　and　had　reason　to　believe　that　Mrs。　Elwood　had　mortally
offended　Mrs。　Ledwich。

The　sisters　had　heard　the　other　side　of　the　story　at　Cocksmoor。　　Mrs。
Elwood　would　not　let　them　enter　the　school　till　she　had　heard　how
that　there　Mrs。　Ledwich　had　come　in；　and　treated　them　all　as　if　it
was　her　own　placehow　she　had　found　fault　with　Cherry　before　all　the
children；　and　as　good　as　said　she　was　not　fit　to　keep　a　school。　　She
had　even　laid　hands　on　one　of　the　books；　and　said　that　she　should
take　it　home；　and　see　whether　it　were　a　fit　one　for　them　to　use；
whereupon　Mrs。　Elwood　had　burst　out　in　defenceit　was　Miss　Ethel
May's　book；　and　should　not　be　taken　awayit　was　Miss　Ethel　as　she
looked　to；　and　when　it　seemed　that　Mrs。　Ledwich　had　said　something
disparaging　of　Miss　Ethel；　either　as　to　youth；　judgment；　or　doctrine；
Mrs。　Elwood　had　fired　up　into　a　declaration　that　〃Miss　Ethel　was　a
real　ladythat　she　was！　and　that　no　real　lady　would　ever　come　prying
into　other　folk's　work　and　finding　fault　with　what　wasn't　no　business
of　theirs；〃　with　more　of　a　personal　nature；　which　Flora　could　not
help　enjoying；　even　while　she　regretted　it。

Cherry　was　only　too　meek；　as　her　mother　declared。　　She　had　said　not　a
word；　except　in　quiet　reply；　and　being　equally　terrified　by　the
attack　and　defence；　had　probably　seemed　more　dull　than　was　her　wont。
Her　real　feelings　did　not　appear　till　the　next　Sunday；　when；　in　her
peaceful　conference　with　Margaret；　far　from　the　sound　of　storms；　she
expressed　that　she　well　knew　that　she　was　a　poor　scholar；　and　that
she　hoped　the　young　ladies　would　not　let　her　stand　in　the　children's
light；　when　a　better　teacher　could　be　found　for　them。

〃I　am　sure！〃　cried　Ethel；　as　she　heard　of　this；　〃it　would　be　hard　to
find　such　a　teacher　in　humility！　　Cherry　bears　it　so　much　better　than
I；　that　it　is　a　continual　reproof！〃

As　to　the　dullness；　against　which　Ethel　used　to　rail；　the　attacks
upon　it　had　made　her　erect　it　into　a　positive　merit；　she　was　always
comparing　the　truth；　honesty；　and　respectful　demeanour　of　Cherry's
scholars　with　the　notorious　faults　of　the　National　School　girls；　as
if　these　defects　had　been　implanted　either　by　Mrs。　Ledwich；　or　by
geography。　　It　must　be　confessed　that　the　violence　of　partisanship
did　not　make　her　a　pleasant　companion。

However；　the　interest　of　the　bazaar　began　somewhat　to　divert　the
current　of　the　ladies'　thoughts；　and　Ethel　found　herself　walking　day
after　day　to　Cocksmoor；　unmolested　by　further　reports　of　Mrs。
Ledwich's　proceedings。　　Richard　was　absent；　preparing　for　ordination；
but　Norman　had　just　returned　home　for　the　Long　Vacation；　and；　rather
than　lose　the　chance　of　a　conversation　with　her；　had　joined　her　and
Mary　in　a　walk　to　Cocksmoor。

His　talk　was　chiefly　of　Settlesham；　old　Mr。　Wilmot's　parish；　where　he
had　been　making　a　visit　to　his　former　tutor；　and　talking　over　the
removal　to　Eton　of　Tom；　who　had　well　responded　to　the　care　taken　of
him；　and　with　his　good　principles　confirmed；　and　his　character
strengthened；　might　be；　with　less　danger；　exposed　to　trial。

It　had　been　a　visit　such　as　to　leave　a　deep　impression　on　Norman's
mind。　　Sixty　years　ago；　old　Mr。　Wilmot　had　been　what　he　now　was
himselfan　enthusiastic　and　distinguished　Balliol　man；　and　he　had
kept　up　a　warm；　clear…sighted　interest　in　Oxford　throughout　his　long
life。　　His　anecdotes；　his　recollections；　and　comments　on　present
opinions　had　been　listened　to　with　great　eagerness；　and　Norman　had
felt　it　an　infinite　honour　to　give　the　venerable　old　man　his　arm；　as
to　be　shown　by　him　his　curious　collection　of　books。　　His　parish；
carefully　watched　for　so　many　years；　had　been　a　study　not　lost　upon
Norman；　who　detailed　particulars　of　the　doings　there；　which　made
Ethel　sigh　to　think　of　the　contrast　with　Stoneborough。　　In　such
conversation　they　came　to　the　entrance　of　th