the daisy chain, or aspirations-第98节

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

〃But　where's　Flora？where's　my　watch…guard？〃　anxiously　asked
Blanche。

〃She　was　here　just　now；〃　said　Meta；　looking　round。　　〃What　a　genius
she　is；　Ethel！　　She　worked　wonders　all　yesterday；　and　let　the　Miss
Hoxtons　think　it　was　all　their　own　doing；　and　she　was　out　before　six
this　morning；　putting　finishing　touches。〃

〃Is　this　your　stall？〃　said　Ethel。

〃Yes；　but　it　will　not　bear　a　comparison　with　hers。　　It　has　a　lady's…
maid　look　by　the　side　of　hers。　　In　fact；　Bellairs　and　my　aunt's　maid
did　it　chiefly；　for　papa　was　rather　ailing　yesterday；　and　I　could　not
be　out　much。〃

〃How　is　he　now？〃

〃Better；　he　will　walk　round　by…and…by。　　I　hope　it　will　not　be　too
much　for　him。〃

〃Oh；　what　beautiful　things！〃　cried　Mary；　in　ecstasy；　at　what　she　was
forced　to　express　by　the　vague　substantive；　for　her　imagination　had
never　stretched　to　the　marvels　she　beheld。

〃Ay；　we　have　been　lazy；　you　see；　and　so　Aunt　Leonora　brought　down　all
these　smart　concerns。　　It　is　rather　like　Howell　and　James's；　isn't
it？〃

In　fact；　Lady　Leonora's　marquee　was　filled　with　costly　knick…knacks；
which；　as　Meta　justly　said；　had　not　half　the　grace　and　appropriate
air　that　reigned　where　Flora　had　arranged；　and　where　Margaret　had
worked；　with　the　peculiar　freshness　and　finish　that　distinguished
everything　to　which　she　set　her　hand。

Miss　Cleveland's　counter　was　not　ill　set…out；　but　it　wanted　the　air
of　ease　and　simplicity；　which　was　even　more　noticeable　than　the
perfect　taste　of　Flora's　wares。　　If　there　had　been　nothing　facetious；
the　effect　would　have　been　better；　but　there　was　nothing　to　regret；
and　the　whole　was　very　bright　and　gay。

Blanche　could　hardly　look；　so　anxious　was　she　for　Flora　to　tell　her
the　locality　of　her　treasure。

〃There　she　is；〃　said　Meta　at　last。　　〃George　is　fixing　that　branch　of
evergreen　for　her。〃

〃Flora！　　I　did　not　know　her；〃　cried　each　sister　amazed；　while　Mary
added；　〃Oh；　how　nice　she　looks！〃

It　was　the　first　time　of　seeing　her　in　the　white　muslin；　and　broad
chip　hatwhich　all　the　younger　saleswomen　of　the　bazaar　had　agreed
to　wear。　　It　was　a　most　becoming　dress；　and　she　did；　indeed；　look
strikingly　elegant　and　well　dressed。　　It　occurred　to　Ethel；　for　the
first　time；　that　Flora　was　decidedly　the　reigning　beauty　of　the
bazaarno　one　but　Meta　Rivers　could　be　compared　to　her；　and　that
little　lady　was　on　so　small　a　scale　of　perfect　finish；　that　she
seemed　fit　to　act　the　fairy；　where　Flora　was　the　enchanted　princess。

Flora　greeted　her　sisters　eagerly；　while　Meta　introduced　her　brother…
…a　great　contrast　to　herself；　though　not　without　a　certain
comeliness；　tall　and　large；　with　ruddy　complexion；　deep　lustreless
black　eyes；　and　a　heavy　straight　bush　of　black　moustache；　veiling
rather　thick　lips。　　Blanche　reiterated　inquiries　for　her　watch…guard。

〃I　don't　know；〃said　Flora。　　〃Somewhere　among　the　rest。〃

Blanche　was　in　despair。

〃You　may　look　for　it；〃　said　Flora；　who；　however　hurried；　never　failed
in　kindness；　〃if　you　will　touch　nothing。〃

So　Blanche　ran　from　place　to　place　in　restless　dismay；　that　caused
Mr。　George　Rivers　to　ask　what　was　the　matter。

〃The　guards！　the　guards！〃　cried　Blanche；　whereupon　he　fell　into　a　fit
of　laughter；　which　disconcerted　her；　because　she　could　not　understand
him；　and　made　Ethel　take　an　aversion　to　him　on　the　spot。

However；　he　was　very　good…natured；　he　took　Blanche's　reluctant　hand；
and　conducted　her　all　along　the　stall；　even　proceeding　to　lift　her　up
where　she　could　not　command　a　view　of　the　whole；　thus　exciting　her
extreme　indignation。　　She　shook　herself　out　when　he　set　her　down；
surveyed　her　crumpled　muslin；　and　believed　he　took　her　for　a　little
girl！　　She　ought　to　have　been　flattered　when　the　quest　was
successful；　and　he　insisted　on　knowing　which　was　the　guard；　and
declared　that　he　should　buy　it。　　She　begged　him　to　do　no　such　thing；
and　he　desired　to　know　whyinsisting　that　he　would　give　five
shillingsfifteentwenty…five　for　that　one！　till　she　did　not　know
whether　he　was　in　earnest；　and　she　doing　an　injury　to　the　bazaar。

Meantime；　the　hour　had　struck；　and　Flora　had　placed　Mrs。　Hoxton　in　a
sheltered　spot；　where　she　could　take　as　much　or　as　little　trouble　as
she　pleased。　　Lady　Leonora　and　Miss　Langdale　came　from　the　house；
and；　with　the　two　ladies'…maids　in　the　background；　took　up　their
station　with　Miss　Rivers。　　Miss　Cleveland　called　her　party　to　order；
and　sounds　of　carriages　were　heard　approaching。

Mary　and　Blanche　disbursed　the　first　money　spent　in　the　〃fancy　fair；〃
Mary；　on　a　blotting…book　for　Harry；　to　be　placed　among　the　presents；
to　which　she　added　on　every　birthday；　while　Blanche　bought　a　sixpenny
gift　for　every　one；　with　more　attention　to　the　quantity　than　the
quality。　　Then　came　a　revival　of　her　anxieties　for　the　guards；　and
while　Mary　was　simply　desirous　of　the　fun　of　being　a　shopwoman；　and
was　made　happy　by　Meta　Rivers　asking　her　help；　Blanche　was　in
despair；　till　she　had　sidled　up　to　their　neighbourhood；　and　her
piteous　looks　had　caused　good…natured　Mrs。　Hoxton　to　invite　her　to
assist；　when　she　placed　herself　close　to　the　precious　object。

A　great　fluttering　of　heart　went　to　that　manoeuvre；　but　still
felicity　could　not　be　complete。　　That　great　troublesome　Mr。　George
Rivers　had　actually　threatened　to　buy　nothing　but　that　one　watch…
chain；　and　Blanche's　eye　followed　him　everywhere　with　fear；　lest　he
should　come　that　way。　　And　there　were　many　other　gentlemenwhat
could　they　want　but　watch…guards；　and　of　themwhatsave　this
paragon？

Poor　Blanche；　what　did　she　not　undergo　whenever　any　one　cast　his　eye
over　her　range　of　goods？　and　this　was　not　seldom；　for　there　was　an
attraction　in　the　pretty　little　eager　girl；　glowing　and　smiling。　　One
old　gentleman　actually　stopped；　handled　the　guards　themselves；　and
asked　their　price。

〃Eighteen…pence；〃　said　Blanche；　colouring　and　faltering；　as　she　held
up　one　in　preference。

〃Eh！　is　not　this　the　best？〃　said　he；　to　the　lady　on　his　arm。

〃Oh！　please；　take　that　instead？〃　exclaimed　Blanche；　in　extremity。

〃And　why？〃　asked　the　gentleman；　amused。

〃I　made　this；〃　she　answered。

〃Is　that　the　reason　I　must　not　have　it？〃

〃No；　don't　tease　her；〃　the　lady　said　kindly；　and　the　other　was
taken。

〃I　wonder　for　what　it　is　reserved！〃　the　lady　could　not　help　saying；
as　she　walked　away。

〃Let　us　watch　her　for　a　minute　or　two。　　What　an　embellishment
children　are！　　Ha！　don't　you　seethe　little　maid　is　fluttering　and
reddeningnow！　　How　pretty　she　looks！　　Ah！　I　see！　here's　the
favoured！　　Don't　you　see　that　fine　bronzed　ladEtonone　can　see　at
a　glance！　　It　is　a　little　drama。　　They　are　pretending　to　be
strangers。　　He　is　turning　over　the　goods　with　an　air；　she　trying　to
look　equally　careless；　but　what　a　pretty　carnation　it　is！　　Ha！　ha！　he
has　come　to　ithe　has　it！　　Now　the　acting　is　over；　and　they　are
having　their　laugh　out！　　How　joyously！　　What　next！　　Oh！　she　begs　off
from　keeping　shopshe　darts　out　to　him；　goes　off　in　his　handI
declare　that　is　the　prettiest　sight　in　the　whole　fair！　　I　wonder　who
the　little　demoiselle　can　be？〃

The　great　event　of　the　day　was　over　now　with　Blanche；　and　she　greatly
enjoyed　wandering　about　with　Hector　and　Tom。　　There　was　a　post…office
at　Miss　Cleveland's　stall；　where；　on　paying　sixpence；　a　letter　could
be　obtained　to　the　address　of　the　inquirer。　　Blanche　had　been　very
anxious　to　try；　but　Flora　had　pronounced　it　nonsense；　however；　Hector
declared　that　Flora　was　not　his　master；　tapped　at　the　sliding　panel；
and　charmed　Blanche　by　what　she　thought　a　most　witty　parody　of　his
name　as　Achilles　Lionsrock；　Esquire。　　When　the　answer　came　from
within；　〃Ship　letter；　sir；　double　postage；〃　they　thought　it　almost
uncanny；　and　Hector's　shilling　was　requited　by　something　so　like　a
real　ship　letter；　that　they　had　some　idea　that　the　real　post　had
somehow　transported　itself　thither。　　The　interior　was　decidedly
oracular；　consisting　of　this　one　line；　〃I　counsel　you　to　persevere　in
your　laudable　undertaking。〃

Hector　said　he　wished　he　had　any　laudable　undertaking；　and　Blanche
tried　to　persuade　Tom　to　try　his　fortune；　but　he　pronounced　that　he
did　not　care　to　hear　Harvey　Anderson's　trashhe　knew　his　writing；
though　disguised；　and　had　detected　his　shining　boots　below　the
counter。　　There　Mr。　George　Rivers　came　up；　and　began　to　tease　Blanche
about　the　guards；　asking　her　to　take　his　fifteen　shillingsor　five…
and…twenty；　and　who　had　got　that　one；　which　alone　he　wanted；　till　the
poor　child；　after　standing　perplexed　for　some　moments；　looked　up　with
spirit；　and　said；　〃You　have　no　business　to　ask；〃　and；　running　away；
took　refuge　in　the　back　of　Mrs。　Hoxton's　marquee；　where　she　found
Ethel　packing　up　for　Miss　Hoxton's　purchasers；　and　confiding　to　her
that　Mr。　George　Rivers　was　a　horrid　man；　she　ventured　no　more　from
her　protection。　　She　did；　indeed；　emerge；　when　told　that　papa　was
coming　with　Aubrey　and　Daisy　and　Miss　Bracy；　and　she　had　the　pleasure
of　selling　to　them　some　of　her　wares。　　Dr。　May　bargaining　with　her　to
her　infinite　satisfaction；　and　little　Gertrude's　blue　eyes　opened　to
their　full　width；　not　understanding　what　could　have　befallen　her
sisters。

〃And　what　is　Ethe