the daisy chain, or aspirations-第145节

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brown　and　ruddy；　and　his　countenance

〃You　are　much　more　like　papa　and　Norman　than　I　thought　you　would　be；〃
said　Margaret。

〃He　has　left　his　snub　nose　and　yellow　locks　behind；〃　said　his　father；
〃though　the　shaggy　mane　seems　to　remain。　　I　believe　lions　grow　darker
with　age。　　So　there　stand　June　and　July　together　again！〃

Dr。　May　walked　backwards　to　look　at　them。　　It　was　good　to　see　his
face。

〃I　shall　see　Flora　and　Tom　to…morrow！〃　said　Harry；　after　nodding　with
satisfaction；　as　they　all　took　their　wonted　places。

〃Going！〃　exclaimed　Richard。

〃Why；　don't　you　know？〃　said　Ethel；　〃it　is　current　in　the　nursery　that
he　is　going　to　be　tried　by　court…martial　for　living　with　the　King　of
the　Cannibal　Islands。〃

〃Aubrey　says　he　had　a　desert　island；　with　Jennings　for　his　man
Friday；〃　said　Blanche。

〃Harry；〃　said　little　Gertrude；　who　had　established　herself　on　his
knee；　〃did　you　really　poke　out　the　giant's　eye　with　the　top　of　a　fir…
tree？〃

〃Who　told　you　so；　Daisy？〃　was　the　general　cry；　but　she　became　shy；
and　would　not　answer　more　than　by　a　whisper　about　Aubrey；　who
indignantly　declared　that　he　never　said　so；　only　Gertrude　was　so
foolish　that　she　did　not　know　Harry　from　Ulysses。

〃After　all；〃　said　Ethel；　〃I　don't　think　our　notions　are　much　more
defined。　　Papa　and　Norman　may　know　more；　but　we　have　heard　almost
nothing。　　I　have　been　waiting　to　hear　more　to　close　up　my　letters　to
Flora　and　Tom。　　What　a　shame　that　has　not　been　done！〃

〃I'll　finish；〃　said　Mary；　running　to　the　side…table。

〃And　tell　her　I'll　be　there　to…morrow；〃　said　Harry。　　〃I　must　report
myself；　and　what　fun　to　see　Flora　a　member　of　Parliament！　　Come　with
me；　June；　I'll　be　back　next　day。　　I　wish　you　all　would　come。〃

〃Yes；　I　must　come　with　you；〃　said　Norman。　　〃I　shall　have　to　go　to
Oxford　on　Thursday；〃　and　very　reluctant　he　looked。　　〃Tell　Flora　I　am
coming；　Mary。〃

〃How　did　you　know　that　Flora　was　a　married　lady？〃　asked　Blanche；　in
her　would…be　grown…up　manner。

〃I　heard　that　from　Aunt　Flora。　　A　famous　lot　of　news　I　picked　up
there！〃

〃Aunt　Flora！〃

〃Did　you　not　know　he　had　been　at　Auckland？〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃Aunt
Flora　had　to　nurse　him　well　after　all　he　had　undergone。　　Did　you　not
think　her　very　like　mamma；　Harry？〃

〃Mamma　never　looked　half　so　old！〃　cried　Harry　indignantly。

〃Flora　was　five　years　younger！〃

〃She　has　got　her　voice　and　way　with　her；〃　said　Harry；　〃but　you　will
soon　see。　　She　is　coming　home　soon。〃

There　was　a　great　outcry　of　delight。

〃Yes；　there　is　some　money　of　Uncle　Arnott's　that　must　be　looked
after；　but　he　does　not　like　the　voyage；　and　can't　leave　his　office；
so　perhaps　Aunt　Flora　may　come　alone。　　She　had　a　great　mind　to　come
with　me；　but　there　was　no　good　berth　for　her　in　this　schooner；　and　I
could　not　wait　for　another　chance。　　I　can't　think　what　possessed　the
letters　not　to　come！　　She　would　not　write　by　the　first　packet；
because　I　was　so　ill；　but　we　both　wrote　by　the　next；　and　I　made　sure
you　had　them；　or　I　would　have　written　before　I　came。〃

The　words　were　not　out　of　his　mouth　before　the　second　post　was
brought　in；　and　there　were　two　letters　from　New　Zealand！　　What　would
they　not　have　been　yesterday？　　Harry　would　have　burned　his　own；　but
the　long　closely…written　sheets　were　eagerly　seized；　as；　affording
the　best　hope　of　understanding　his　adventures；　as　it　had　been　written
at　intervals　from　Auckland；　and　the　papers；　passing　from　one　to　the
other；　formed　the　text　for　interrogations　on　further　details；　though
much　more　was　gleaned　incidentally　in　tete…a…tetes；　by　Margaret；
Norman；　or　his　father；　and　no　one　person　ever　heard　the　whole
connectedly　from　Harry　himself。

〃What　was　the　first　you　knew　of　the　fire；　Harry？〃　asked　Dr。　May；
looking　up　from　the　letter。

〃Owen　shaking　me　awake；　and　I　thought　it　was　a　hoax；〃　said　Harry。
〃But　it　was　true　enough；　and　when　we　got　on　deck；　there　were　clouds
of　smoke　coming　up　the　main　hatch…way。〃

Margaret's　eyes　were　upon　him；　and　her　lips　formed　the　question；　〃And
he？〃

〃He　met　us；　and　told　us　to　be　steadybut　there　was　little　need　for
that！　　Every　man　there　was　as　cool　and　collected　as　if　it　had　been　no
more　than　the　cook's　stoveand　we　should　have　scorned　to　be
otherwise！　　He　put　his　hand　on　my　shoulder　and　said；　'Keep　by　me；'
and　I　did。〃

〃Then　there　was　never　much　hope　of　extinguishing　the　fire？〃

〃No；　if　you　looked　down　below　the　forecastle　it　was　like　a　furnace；
and　though　the　pumps　were　at　work；　it　was　only　to　gain　time　while　the
boats　were　lowered。　　The　first　lieutenant　told　off　the　men；　and　they
went　down　the　side　without　one　word；　only　shaking　hands　with　those
that　were　left。〃

〃Oh；　Harry！　what　were　you　thinking　of？〃　cried　Blanche。

〃Of　the　powder；〃　said　Harry。

Ethel　thought　there　was　more　in　that　answer　than　met　the　ear；　and
that　Harry；　at　least；　had　thought　of　the　powder　to…night　at　church。

〃Mr。　Ernescliffe　had　the　command　of　the　second　cutter。　　He　asked　to
take　me　with　him；　I　was　glad　enough；　and　Owenhe　is　mate；　you　know
went　with　us。〃

As　to　telling　how　he　felt　when　he　saw　the　good　ship　Alcestis　blown　to
fragments；　that　was　past　Harry；　and　all　but　Blanche　were　wise　enough
not　to　ask。　　She　had　by　way　of　answer；　〃Very　glad　to　be　safe　out　of
her。〃

Nor　was　Harry　willing　to　dwell　on　the　subsequent　days；　when　the
unclouded　sun　had　been　a　cruel　foe；　and　the　insufficient　stores　of
food　and　water　did；　indeed；　sustain　life；　but　a　life　of　extreme
suffering。　　What　he　told　was　of　the　kindness　that　strove　to　save　him；
as　the　youngest；　from　all　that　could　be　spared　him。　　〃If　I　dropped
asleep　at　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　I　was　sure　to　find　some　one　shading
me　from　the　sun。　　If　there　was　an　extra　drop　of　water；　they　wanted　me
to　have　it。〃

〃Tell　me　their　names；　Harry！〃　cried　Dr。　May。　　〃If　ever　I　meet　one　of
them〃

〃But　the　storm；　Harry；　the　storm？〃　asked　Blanche。　　〃Was　that　not
terrible？〃

〃Very　comfortable　at　first；　Blanche；〃　was　the　answer。　　〃Oh；　that
rain！〃

〃But　when　it　grew　so　very　bad？〃

〃We　did　not　reck　much　what　happened　to　us；〃　said　Harry。　　〃It　could
not　be　worse　than　starving。　　When　we　missed　the　others　in　the
morning；　most　of　us　thought　them　the　best　off。〃

Mary　could　not　help　coming　round　to　kiss　him；　as　if　eyes　alone　were
not　enough　to　satisfy　her　that　here　he　was。

Dr。　May　shuddered；　and　went　on　reading；　and　Margaret　drew　Harry　down
to　her；　and　once　more　by　looks　craved　for　more　minute　tidings。

〃All　that　you　can　think；〃　murmured　Harry；　〃the　very　life　and　soul　of
us　allso　kind；　and　yet　discipline　as　perfect　as　on　board。　　But
don't　now；　Margaret〃

The　tone　of　the　don't；　the　reddening　cheek；　liquid　eye；　and　heaving
chest；　told　enough　of　what　the　lieutenant　had　been　to　one；　at　least；
of　the　desolate　boat's　crew。

〃Oh；　Harry；　Harry！　　I　can't　bear　it！〃　exclaimed　Mary。　　〃How　long　did
it　last？　　How　did　it　end？〃

〃Fifteen　days；〃　said　Harry。　　〃It　was　time　it　should　end；　for　all　the
water　we　had　caught　in　the　storm　was　gonewe　gave　the　last　drop　to
Jones；　for　we　thought　him　dying；　one's　tongue　was　like　a　dry　sponge。〃

〃How　did　it　end？〃　repeated　Mary；　in　an　agony。

〃Jennings　saw　a　sail。　　We　thought　it　all　a　fancy　of　weakness；　but
'twas　true　enough；　and　they　saw　our　signal　of　distress！〃

The　vessel　proved　to　be　an　American　whaler；　which　had　just　parted
with　her　cargo　to　a　homeward　bound　ship；　and　was　going　to　refit；　and
take　in　provisions　and　water　at　one　of　the　Milanesian　islands；　before
returning　for　further　captures。　　The　master　was　a　man　of　the　shrewd；
hard　money…making　cast；　but；　at　the　price　of　Mr。　Ernescliffe's
chronometer；　and　of　the　services　of　the　sailors；　he　undertook　to
convey　them　where　they　might　fall　in　with　packets　bound　for
Australia。

The　distressed　Alcestes　at　first　thought　themselves　in　paradise；　but
the　vessel；　built　with　no　view；　save　to　whales；　and；　with　a
considerable　reminiscence　of　the　blubber　lately　parted　with；　proved
no　wholesome　abode；　when　overcrowded；　and　in　the　tropics！　　Mr。
Ernescliffe's　science；　resolution；　and　constancy；　had　saved　his　men
so　far；　but　with　the　need　for　exertion　his　powers　gave　way；　and　he
fell　a　prey　to　a　return　of　the　fever　which　had　been　his　introduction
to　Dr。　May。

〃There　he　was；〃　said　Harry；　〃laid　up　in　a　little　bit　of　a　stifling
cabin；　just　like　an　oven；　without　the　possibility　of　a　breath　of　air！
The　skin…flint　skipper　carried　no　medicine；　the　watershocking　stuff
it　waswas　getting　so　low；　that　there　was　only　a　pint　a　day　served
out　to　each；　and　though　all　of　us　Alcestes　clubbed　every　drop　we
could　spare　for　himit　was　bad　work！　　Owen　and　I　never　were　more
glad　in　our　lives　than　when　we　heard　we　were　to　cast　anchor　at　the
Loyalty　Isles！　　Such　a　place　as　it　was！　　You　little　know　what　it　was
to　see　anything　green！　　And　there　was　this　isle　fringed　down　close　to
the　sea　with　cocoa…nut　trees！　　And　the　bay　as　clear！you　could　see
every　shell；　and　wonderful　fishes　swimming　in　it！　　Well；　every　one
was　for　going　ashore；　and　some　of　the　natives　swam　out　to　us；　and
brought　things　in　their　canoes；　but　not　many；　it　is　not　encouraged　by
the　mission；　nor　by　Davidfor　those　Yankee　traders　are　not　the　most
edifying　societyand　the　crew　vowed　they　were　cannibals；　and　had
eaten　a　man　three　years