the daisy chain, or aspirations-第97节

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Ethel　sigh　to　think　of　the　contrast　with　Stoneborough。　　In　such
conversation　they　came　to　the　entrance　of　the　hamlet；　and　Mary；　with
a　scream　of　joy；　declared　that　she　really　believed　that　he　was　going
to　help　them！　　He　did　not　turn　away。

〃Thank　you！〃　said　Ethel；　in　a　low　voice；　from　the　bottom　of　her
heart。

She　used　him　mercifully；　and　made　the　lessons　shorter　than　usual；　but
when　they　reached　the　open　air　again；　he　drew　a　long　breath；　and　when
Mary　eagerly　tried　for　a　compliment　to　their　scholars；　asked　if　they
could　not　be　taught　the　use　of　eyelids。

〃Did　they　stare？〃　said　Ethel。　　〃That's　one　advantage　of　being　blind。
No　one　can　stare　me　out　of　countenance。〃

〃Why　were　you　answering　all　your　questions　yourself？〃　asked　Mary。

〃Because　no　one　else　would；〃　said　Norman。

〃You　used　such　hard　words；〃　replied　Ethel。

〃Indeed！　I　thought　I　was　very　simple。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Mary；　〃there　were　derive；　and　instruction；　and　implicate；
andoh；　so　many。〃

〃Never　mind；〃　said　Ethel；　seeing　him　disconcerted。　　〃It　is　better　for
them　to　be　drawn　up；　and　you　will　soon　learn　their　language。　　If　we
only　had　Una　M'Carthy　here！〃

〃Then　you　don't　like　it？〃　said　Mary；　disappointed。

〃It　is　time　to　learn　not　to　be　fastidious；〃　he　answered。　　〃So；　if　you
will　help　me〃

〃Norman；　I　am　so　glad！〃　said　Ethel。

〃Yes；〃　said　Norman；　〃I　see　now　that　these　things　that　puff　us　up；　and
seem　the　whole　world　to　us　now；　all　end　in　nothing　but　such　as　this！
Think　of　old　Mr。　Wilmot；　once　carrying　all　before　him；　but　deeming
all　his　powers　well　bestowed　in　fifty　years'　teaching　of　clowns！〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Ethel；　very　low。　〃One　soul　is　worth〃　and　she　paused
from　the　fullness　of　thought。

〃And　these　things；　about　which　we　are　so　elated；　do　not　render　us　so
fit　to　teachas　you；　Mary；　or　as　Richard。〃

〃They　do；〃　said　Ethel。　　The　ten　talents　were　doubled。　　Strength　tells
in　power。　　The　more　learning；　the　fitter　to　teach　the　simplest
thing。〃

〃You　remind　me　of　old　Mr。　Wilmot　saying　that　the　first　thing　he
learned　at　his　parish　was；　how　little　his　people　knew；　the　second；
how　little　he　himself　knew。〃

So　Norman　persevered　in　the　homely　discipline　that　he　had　chosen　for
himself；　which　brought　out　his　deficiency　in　practical　work　in　a
manner　which　lowered　him　in　his　own　eyes；　to　a　degree　almost
satisfactory　to　himself。　　He　was　not；　indeed；　without　humility；　but
his　nature　was　self…contemplative　and　self…conscious　enough　to
perceive　his　superiority　of　talent；　and　it　had　been　the　struggle　of
his　life　to　abase　this　perception；　so　that　it　was　actually　a　relief
not　to　be　obliged　to　fight　with　his　own　complacency　in　his　powers。
He　had　learned　not　to　think　too　highly　of　himselfhe　had　yet　to
learn　to　〃think　soberly。〃　　His　aid　was　Ethel's　chief　pleasure　through
this　somewhat　trying　summer；　it　might　be　her　last　peaceful　one　at
Cocksmoor。

That　bazaar！　　How　wild　it　had　driven　the　whole　town；　and　even　her　own
home！

Margaret　herself；　between　good　nature　and　feminine　love　of　pretty
things；　had　become　ardent　in　the　cause。　　In　her　unvaried　life；　it　was
a　great　amusement　to　have　so　many　bright　elegant　things　exhibited　to
her；　and　Ethel　was　often　mortified　to　find　her　excited　about　some　new
device；　or　drawn　off　from　〃rational　employments；〃　to　complete　some
trifle。

Mary　and　Blanche　were　far　worse。　　From　the　time　that　consent　had　been
given　to　the　fancy…work　being　carried　on　in　the　schoolroom；　all
interest　in　study　was　over。　　Thenceforth；　lessons　were　a　necessary
form；　gone　through　without　heart　or　diligence。　　These　were　reserved
for　paste…board　boxes；　beplastered　with　rice　and　sealing…wax；　for
alum　baskets；　dressed　dolls；　and　every　conceivable　trumpery；　and　the
governess　was　as　eager　as　the　scholars。

If　Ethel　remonstrated；　she　hurt　Miss　Bracy's　feelings；　and　this　was　a
very　serious　matter　to　both　parties。

The　governess　was　one　of　those　morbidly　sensitive　people；　who　cannot
be　stopped　when　once　they　have　begun　arguing　that　they　are　injured。
Two　women　together；　each　with　the　last…word　instinct；　have　no　power
to　cease；　and；　when　the　words　are　spent　in　explainingnot　in
scoldingconscience　is　not　called　in　to　silence　them；　and　nothing
but　dinner　or　a　thunder…storm　can　check　them。　　All　Ethel's　good　sense
was　of　no　avail；　she　could　not　stop　Miss　Bracy；　and；　though　she　might
resolve　within　herself　that　real　kindness　would　be　to　make　one
reasonable　reply；　and　then　quit　the　subject；　yet；　on　each　individual
occasion；　such　a　measure　would　have　seemed　mere　impatience　and
cruelty。　　She　found　that　if　Miss　Winter　had　been　too　dry；　Miss　Bracy
went　to　the　other　extreme；　and　demanded　a　manifestation　of　sympathy；
and　return　to　her　passionate　attachment　that　perplexed　Ethel's
undemonstrative　nature。　　Poor　good　Miss　Bracy；　she　little　imagined
how　often　she　added　to　the　worries　of　her　dear　Miss　Ethel；　all　for
want　of　self…command。

Finally；　as　the　lessons　were　less　and　less　attended　to；　and　the　needs
of　the　stall　became　more　urgent；　Dr。　May　and　Margaret　concurred　in　a
decision；　that　it　was　better　to　yield　to　the　mania；　and　give　up　the
studies　till　they　could　be　pursued　with　a　willing　mind。

Ethel　submitted；　and　only　laughed　with　Norman　at　the　display　of
treasures；　which　the　girls　went　over　daily；　like　the　〃House　that　Jack
built；〃　always　starting　from　〃the　box　that　Mary　made。〃　　Come　when　Dr。
May　would　into　the　drawing…room；　there　was　always　a　line　of　penwipers
laid　out　on　the　floor；　bags　pendent　to　all　the　table…drawers；
antimacassars　laid　out　everywhere。

Ethel　hoped　that　the　holidays　would　create　a　diversion；　but　Mary　was
too　old　to　be　made　into　a　boy；　and　Blanche　drew　Hector　over　to　the
feminine　party；　setting　him　to　gum；　gild；　and　paste　all　the
contrivances　which；　in　their　hands；　were　mere　feeble　gimcracks；　but
which　now　became　fairly　sound；　or；　at　least；　saleable。

The　boys　also　constructed　a　beautiful　little　ship　from　a　print　of　the
Alcestis；　so　successfully；　that　the　doctor　promised　to　buy　it；　and
Ethel　grudged　the　very　sight　of　it　to　the　bazaar。

Tom；　who；　in　person；　was　growing　like　a　little　shadow　or　model　of
Norman；　had；　unlike　him；　a　very　dexterous　pair　of　hands；　and　made
himself　extremely　useful　in　all　such　works。　　On　the　other　hand；　the
Cleveland　stall　seemed　chiefly　to　rely　for　brilliance　on　the　wit　of
Harvey　Anderson；　who　was　prospering　at　his　college；　and　the　pride　of
his　family。　　A　great　talker；　and　extremely　gallant；　he　was　considered
a　far　greater　acquisition　to　a　Stoneborough　drawing…room　than　was　the
silent；　bashful　Norman　May；　and　rather　looked　down　on　his　brother
Edward；　who；　having　gone　steadily　through　the　school；　was　in　the
attorney's　office；　and　went　on　quietly　and　well；　colouring　up
gratefully　whenever　one　of　the　May　family　said　a　kind　word　to　him。




CHAPTER　III。



　　Any　silk；　any　thread；
　　Any　toys　for　your　head；
Of　the　newest　and　finest　wear…a？
　　Come　to　the　pedlar；
　　Money's　a　medlar。
That　doth　utter　all　men's　ware…a。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Winter's　Tale。


〃This　one　day　and　it　will　be　over；　and　we　shall　be　rational　again；〃
thought　Ethel；　as　she　awoke。

Flora　was　sleeping　at　the　Grange；　to　be　ready　for　action　in　the
morning；　and　Ethel　was　to　go　early　with　Mary　and　Blanche；　who　were
frantic　to　have　a　share　in　the　selling。　　Norman　and　the　boys　were　to
walk　at　their　own　time；　and　the　children　to　be　brought　later　by　Miss
Bracy。　　The　doctor　would　be　bound　by　no　rules。

It　was　a　pattern　day；　bright；　clear；　warm；　and　not　oppressive；
perfect　for　an　out…of…doors　fete；　and　Ethel　had　made　up　her　mind　to
fulfil　her　promise　to　Margaret　of　enjoying　herself。　　In　the　brilliant
sunshine；　and　between　two　such　happy　sisters；　it　would　have　been
surly；　indeed；　not　to　enter　into　the　spirit　of　the　day；　and　Ethel
laughed　gaily　with　them；　and　at　their　schemes　and　hopes；　Blanche's
heart　being　especially　set　on　knowing　the　fate　of　a　watch…guard　of
her　own　construction。

Hearing　that　the　ladies　were　in　the　gardens；　they　repaired　thither　at
once。　　The　broad；　smooth　bowling…green　lay　before　them；　a　marquee；
almost　converted　into　a　bower；　bounding　it　on　either　side；　while　in
the　midst　arose；　gorgeous　and　delicious；　a　pyramid　of　flowers
contributions　from　all　the　hot…houses　in　the　neighbourhoodto　be
sold　for　the　benefit　of　the　bazaar。　　Their　freshness　and　fragrance
gave　a　brightness　to　the　whole　scene；　while　shrinking　from　such
light；　as　only　the　beauteous　works　of　nature　could　bear；　was　the
array　accomplished　by　female　fingers。

Under　the　wreathed　canopies　were　the　stalls；　piled　up　with　bright
colours；　most　artistically　arranged。　　Ethel；　with　her　over…minute
knowledge　of　every　article；　could　hardly　believe　that　yonder　glowing
Eastern　pattern　of　scarlet；　black；　and　blue；　was；　in　fact；　a
judicious　mosaic　of　penwipers　that　she　remembered；　as　shreds　begged
from　the　tailor；　that　the　delicate　lace…work　consisted　of　Miss
Bracy's　perpetual　antimacassars；　and　that　the　potichomanie　could　look
so　dignified　and　Etruscan。

〃Here　you　are！〃　cried　Meta　Rivers；　springing　to　meet　them。　　〃Good
girls；　to　come　early。　　Where's　my　little　Daisy？〃

〃Coming　in　good　time；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃How　pretty　it　all　looks！〃

〃But　where's　Flora？where's　my　watch…guard？〃