the daisy chain, or aspirations-第151节

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night！〃

〃Poor　fellow；　how　he　must　hate　it！〃

〃Come　this　way；　into　the　front　room。　　There；　look　at　himis　it　not
nice　to　see　him；　so　perfectly　simple　and　at　his　ease；　neither　shy　nor
elated？　　And　what　a　fine…looking　fellow　he　is！〃

Meta　might　well　say　so。　　The　trim；　well…knit；　broad…chested　form；　the
rosy　embrowned　honest　face；　the　shining　light…brown　curly　locks；　the
dancing　well…opened　blue　eyes；　and　merry　hearty　smile　showed　to　the
best　advantage；　in　array　that　even　Tom　would　not　have　spurned；　put　on
with　naval　neatness；　and　his　attitude　and　manner　were　so　full　of
manly　ease；　that　it　was　no　wonder　that　every　eye　rested　on　him　with
pleasure。　　Norman　smiled　at　his　own　mistake；　and　asked　who　were　the
lady　and　gentleman　conversing　with　him。　　Meta　mentioned　one　of　the
most　distinguished　of　English　names；　and　shared　his　amusement　in
seeing　Harry　talking　to　them　with　the　same　frank　unembarrassed　ease
as　when　he　had　that　morning　shaken　hands　with　their　son；　in　the
capacity　of　Hector　Ernescliffe's　fag。　　No　one　present　inspired　him
with　a　tithe　of　the　awe　he　felt　for　a　post…captainit　was　simply　a
pleasant　assembly　of　good…natured　folks；　glad　to　welcome　home　a
battered　sailor；　and　of　pretty　girls；　for　whom　he　had　a　sailor's
admiration；　but　without　forwardness　or　presumptionall　in　happy
grateful　simplicity。

〃I　suppose　you　cannot　dance？〃　said　Flora　to　him。

〃I！〃　was　Harry's　interjection；　and　while　she　was　looking　round　for　a
partner　to　whom　to　present　him；　he　had　turned　to　the　young　daughter
of　his　new　acquaintance；　and　had　her　on　his　arm；　unconscious　that
George　had　been　making　his　way　to　her。

Flora　was　somewhat　uneasy；　but　the　mother　was　looking　on　smiling；　and
expressed　her　delight　in　the　young　midshipman；　and　Mrs。　Rivers；　while
listening　gladly　to　his　praises；　watched　heedfully；　and　was　reassured
to　see　that　dancing　was　as　natural　to　him　as　everything　else；　his
steps　were　light　as　a　feather；　his　movement　all　freedom　and　joy；
without　being　boisterous；　and　his　boyish　chivalry　as　pretty　a　sight
as　any　one　could　wish　to　see。

If　the　rest　of　the　world　enjoyed　their　dances　a　quarter　as　much　as
did　〃Mr。　May；〃　they　were　enviable　people；　and　he　contributed　not　a
little　to　their　pleasure；　if　merely　by　the　sight　of　his　blithe
freshness　and　spirited　simplicity；　as　well　as　the　general　sympathy
with　his　sister's　joy；　and　the　interest　in　his　adventures。　　He　would
have　been　a　general　favourite；　if　he　had　been　far　less　personally
engaging；　as　it　was；　every　young　lady　was　in　raptures　at　dancing　with
him；　and　he　did　his　best　to　dance　with　them　all；　and　to　try　to　stir
up　Norman；　who；　after　Meta　had　been　obliged　to　leave　him；　and　go　to
act　her　share　of　the　part　of　hostess；　had　disposed　of　himself　against
a　wall；　where　he　might　live　out　the　night。

〃Ha！　　June！　what　makes　you　stand　sentry　there？　　Come　and　dance；　and
have　some　of　the　fun！　　Some　of　these　girls　are　the　nicest　partners　in
the　world。　　There's　that　Lady　Alice；　something　with　the　dangling
things　in　her　hair；　sitting　down　nowfamous　at　a　polka。　　Come　along；
I'll　introduce　you。　　It　will　do　you　good。〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　dancing；〃　said　Norman；　beginning　to　apprehend　that
he　might　be　dragged　off；　as　often　he　had　been　to　cricket　or　football；
and　by　much　the　same　means。

〃Comes　by　nature；　when　you　hear　the　music。　　Ha！　what　a　delicious
polka！　　Come　along；　or　I　must　be　off！　　She　will　be　waiting　for　me；
and　she　is　the　second　prettiest　girl　here！　　Come！〃

〃I　have　been　trying　to　make　something　of　him；　Harry；〃　said　the
ubiquitous　Flora；　〃but　I　don't　know　whether　it　is　mauvaise　honte；　or
headache。〃

〃I　see！　　Poor　old　June！〃　cried　Harry。　　〃I'll　get　you　an　ice　at　once；
old　fellow！　　Nothing　like　one　for　setting　a　man　going！〃

Before　Norman　could　protest；　Harry　had　flown　off。

〃Flora；〃　asked　Norman；　〃isare　the　Walkinghames　here？〃

〃Yes。　　Don't　you　see　Sir　Henry。　　That　fine…looking　man　with　the　black
moustache。　　I　want　you　to　know　him。　　He　is　a　great　admirer　of　your
prize　poem　and　of　Dr。　Spencer。〃

Harry　returning；　administered　his　ice；　and　then　darted　off　to　excuse
himself　to　his　partner；　by　explanations　about　his　brother；　whom
everybody　must　have　heard　of；　as　he　was　the　cleverest　fellow　living；
and　had　written　the　best　prize　poem　ever　heard　at　Oxford。　　He　firmly
believed　Norman　a　much　greater　lion　than　himself。

Norman　was　forced　to　leave　his　friendly　corner　to　dispose　of　the
glass　of　his　ice；　and　thus　encountered　Miss　Rivers；　of　whom　Sir　Henry
was　asking　questions　about　a　beautiful　collection　of　cameos；　which
Flora　had　laid　out　as　a　company　trap。

〃Here　is　Norman　May；〃　said　Meta；　〃he　knows　them　better　than　I　do。　　Do
you　remember　which　of　these　is　the　head　of　Diana；　Norman？〃

Having　set　the　two　gentlemen　to　discuss　them；　she　glided　away　on
fresh　hospitable　duties；　while　Norman　repeated　the　comments　that　he
had　so　enjoyed　hearing　from　poor　Mr。　Rivers；　hoping　he　was；　at　least；
sparing　Meta　some　pain；　and　wondering　that　Flora　should　have　risked
hurting　her　feelings　by　exposing　these　treasures　to　the　general　gaze。

If　Norman　were　wearied　by　Sir　Henry；　it　was　his　own　fault；　for　the
baronet　was　a　very　agreeable　person；　who　thought　a　first…class　man
worth　cultivation；　so　that　the　last　half…hour　might　have　compensated
for　all　the　rest；　if　conversation　were　always　the　test。

〃Why；　Meta；〃　cried　Harry；　coming　up　to　her；　〃you　have　not　once
danced！　　We　are　a　sort　of　brother　and　sister；　to　be　sure；　but　that　is
no　hindrance；　is　it？〃

〃No；〃　said　Meta；　smiling；　〃thank　you；　Harry；　but　you　must　find　some
one　more　worthy。　　I　do　not　dance　this　season；　at　least；　not　in
public。　　When　we　get　home；　who　knows　what　we　may　do？〃

〃You　don't　dance！　　Poor　little　Meta！　　And　you　don't　go　out！　　What　a
pity！〃

〃I　had　rather　not　work　quite　so　hard；〃　said　Meta。　　〃Think　what　good
fortune　I　had　by　staying　at　home　last　night！〃

〃I　declare！〃　exclaimed　Harry；　bewitched　by　the　beaming　congratulation
of　her　look；　〃I　can't　imagine　why　Norman　had　said　you　had　turned　into
a　fine　lady！　　I　can't　see　a　bit　of　it！〃

〃Norman　said　I　had　turned　into　a　fine　lady！〃　repeated　Meta。　　〃Why？〃

〃Never　mind！　　I　don't　think　so；　you　are　just　like　papa's　humming…
bird；　as　you　always　were；　not　a　bit　more　of　a　fine　lady　than　any　girl
here；　and　I　am　sure　papa　would　say　so。　　Only　old　June　had　got　a　bad
headache；　and　is　in　one　of　his　old　dumps；　such　as　I　hoped　he　had　left
off。　　But　he　can't　help　it；　poor　fellow；　and　he　will　come　out　of　it；
by　and　byso　never　mind。　　Hallo！　why　people　are　going　away　already。
There's　that　girl　without　any　one　to　hand　her　downstairs。〃

Away　ran　Harry；　and　presently　the　brothers　and　sisters　gathered　round
the　fireGeorge　declaring　that　he　was　glad　that　nuisance　was　so　well
over；　and　Harry　exclaiming；　〃Well　done；　Flora！　　It　was　capital　fun！
I　never　saw　a　lot　of　prettier　or　more　good…natured　people　in　my　life。
If　I　am　at　home　for　the　Stoneborough　ball；　I　wonder　whether　my　father
will　let　me　go　to　it。〃

This　result　of　Harry's　successful　debut　in　high　life　struck　his
sister　and　Norman　as　so　absurd　that　both　laughed。

〃What's　the　matter　now？〃　asked　Harry。

〃Your　comparing　Flora's　party　to　a　Stoneborough　ball；〃　said　Norman。

〃It　is　all　the　same；　isn't　it？〃　said　Harry。　　〃I'm　sure　you　are
equally　disgusted　at　both！〃

〃Much　you　know　about　it；〃　said　Flora；　patting　him　gaily。　　〃I'm　not
going　to　put　conceit　in　that　lion　head　of　yours；　but　you　were　as　good
as　an　Indian　prince　to　my　party。　　Do　you　know　to　whom　you　have　been
talking　so　coolly？〃

〃Of　course。　　You　see；　Norman；　it　is　just　as　I　told　you。　　All
civilised　people　are　just　alike　when　they　get　into　a　drawing…room。〃

〃Harry　takes　large　views　of　the　Genus　homo；〃　Norman　exerted　himself
to　say。　　〃Being　used　to　the　black　and　brown　species；　he　takes　little
heed　of　the　lesser　varieties。〃

〃It　is　enough　for　him　that　he　does　not　furnish　the　entertainment　in
another　way；〃　said　Flora。　　〃But；　good…night。　Meta；　you　look　tired。〃




CHAPTER　XIX。



Let　none；　henceforward；　shrink　from　daring　dreams；
For　earnest　hearts　shall　find　their　dreams　fulfilled。FOUQUE。


〃I　have　it！〃　began　Harry；　as　he　came　down　to　breakfast。　　〃I　don't
know　how　I　came　to　forget　it。　　The　will　was　to　be　sent　home　to　Mr。
Mackintosh's　English　partner。　　I'll　go　and　overhaul　him　this　very
morning。　　They　won't　mind　my　coming　by　a　later　train；　when　there　is
such　a　reason。〃

〃What　is　his　name？　　Where　shall　you　find　him？〃　asked　Flora。

〃I　can't　be　sure；　but　you've　a　navy　list　of　that　sort　of　cattle；　have
not　you；　Flora？　　I'll　hunt　him　up。〃

Flora　supposed　he　meant　a　directory；　and　all　possible　South　American
merchants　having　been　overlooked；　and　the　Mackintoshes　selected；　he
next　required　a　chart　of　London；　and　wanted　to　attempt　self…
navigation；　but　was　forced　to　accept　of　George's　brougham　and　escort；
Flora　would　not　trust　him　otherwise；　and　Norman　was　obliged　to　go　to
Oxford　at　once；　hurrying　off　to　his　train　before　breakfast　was　over。

Flora　might　have　trusted　Harry　alone。　　George　contributed　no　more
than　the　dignity　of　his　presence；　and；　indeed；　would　have　resigned
the　pursuit　at　the　first　blunder　about　the　firm；　and　still　more　when
the　right　one　had　been　found；　but　the　part