the daisy chain, or aspirations-第47节

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〃And　you　got　this　beautiful　'Lyra　Innocentium'　for　me？　　How　very　kind
of　you；　Norman。　　It　is　just　what　I　wished　for。　　Such　lovely　binding
and　those　embossed　edges　to　the　leaves。　　Oh！　they　make　a　pattern　as
they　open！　　I　never　saw　anything　like　it。〃

〃I　saw　such　a　one　on　Miss　Rivers's　table；　and　asked　Ernescliffe　where
to　get　one　like　it。　　See；　here's　what　my　father　gave　me。〃

〃'Bishop　Ken's　Manual'。　　That　is　in　readiness　for　the　Confirmation。〃

〃Look。　　I　begged　him　to　put　my　name；　though　he　said　it　was　a　pity　to
do　it　with　his　left　hand；　I　didn't　like　to　wait；　so　I　asked　him　at
least　to　write　N。　W。　May；　and　the　date。〃

〃And　he　has　added　Prov。　xxiii。　24；　25。　　Let　me　look　it　out。〃　　She　did
so；　and　instead　of　reading　it　aloud；　looked　at　Norman　full　of
congratulation。

〃How　it　ought　to　make　one〃and　there　Norman　broke　off　from　the
fullness　of　his　heart。

〃I'm　glad　he　put　both　verses〃　said　Ethel　presently。　　〃How　pleased
with　you　he　must　be！〃

A　silence　while　brother　and　sister　both　gazed　intently　at　the　crooked
characters；　till　at　last　Ethel；　with　a　long　breath；　resumed　her
ordinary　tone；　and　said；　〃How　well　he　has　come　to　write　with　his　left
hand　now。〃

〃Yes。　　Did　you　know　that　he　wrote　himself　to　tell　Ernescliffe　Sir
Matthew's　opinion　of　Margaret？〃

〃No：　did　he？〃

〃Do　you　know；　Ethel；〃　said　Norman；　as　he　knelt　on　the　floor；　and
tumbled　miscellaneous　articles　out　of　his　bag；　〃it　is　my　belief　that
Ernescliffe　is　in　love　with　her；　and　that　papa　thinks　so。〃

〃Dear　me！〃　cried　Ethel；　starting　up。　　〃That　is　famous。　　We　should
always　have　Margaret　at　home　when　he　goes　to　sea！〃

〃But　mind；　Ethel；　for　your　life　you　must　not　say　one　word　to　any
living　creature。〃

〃Oh；　no；　I　promise　you　I　won't；　Norman；　if　you'll　only　tell　me　how
you　found　it　out。〃

〃What　first　put　it　in　my　head　was　the　first　evening；　while　I　was
undoing　the　portmanteau；　my　father　leaned　on　the　mantel…shelf；　and
sighed　and　muttered；　'Poor　Ernescliffe！　　I　wish　it　may　end　well。'　　I
thought　he　forgot　that　I　was　there；　so　I　would　not　seem　to　notice；
but　I　soon　saw　it　was　that　he　meant。〃

〃How？〃　cried　Ethel　eagerly。

〃Oh；　I　don't　knowby　Alan's　way。〃

〃Tell　meI　want　to　know　what　people　do　when　they　are　in　love。〃

〃Nothing　particular；〃　said　Norman；　smiling。

〃Did　you　hear　him　inquire　for　her？　　How　did　he　look？〃

〃I　can't　tell。　　That　was　when　he　met　us　at　the　station　before　I
thought　of　it；　and　I　had　to　see　to　the　luggage。　　But　I'11　tell　you
one　thing；　Ethel；　when　papa　was　talking　of　her　to　Mrs。　Mackenzie；　at
the　other　end　of　the　room；　all　his　attention　went　away　in　an　instant
from　what　he　was　saying。　　And　once；　when　Harry　said　something　to　me
about　her；　he　started；　and　looked　round　so　earnestly。〃

〃Oh；　yesthat's　like　people　in　books。　　And　did　he　colour？〃

〃No；　I　don't　recollect　that　he　did；〃　said　Norman；　〃but　I　observed　he
never　asked　directly　after　her　if　he　could　help　it；　but　always　was
trying　to　lead；　in　some　round…about　way；　to　hearing　what　she　was
doing。〃

〃Did　he　call　her　Margaret？〃

〃I　watched；　but　to　me　he　always　said；　'Your　sister；'　and　if　he　had　to
speak　of　her　to　papa；　he　said；　'Miss　May。'　　And　then　you　should　have
seen　his　attention　to　papa。　　I　could　hardly　get　a　chance　of　do；
anything　for　papa。〃

〃Oh；　sure　of　it〃　cried　Ethel；　clasping　her　hands。　　〃But；　poor　man；
how　unhappy　he　must　have　been　at　having　to　go　away　when　she　was　so
ill！〃

〃Ay；　the　last　time　he　saw　her　was　when　he　carried　her　upstairs。〃

〃Oh；　dear！　　I　hope　he　will　soon　come　here　again！〃

〃I　don't　suppose　he　will。　　Papa　did　not　ask　him。〃

〃Dear　me；　Norman！　　Why　not？　　Isn't　papa　very　fond　of　him？　　Why
shouldn't　he　come？〃

〃Don't　you　see；　Ethel；　that　would　be　of　no　use　while　poor　Margaret　is
no　better。　　If　he　gained　her　affections；　it　would　only　make　her
unhappy。〃

〃Oh；　but　she　is　much　better。　　She　can　raise　herself　up　now　without
help；　and　sat　up　ever　so　long　this　morning；　without　leaning　back　on
her　cushions。　　She　is　getting　wellyou　know　Sir　Matthew　said　she
would。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　suppose　papa　thinks　they　had　better　say　nothing　till　she
is　quite　well。〃

〃And　when　she　is！　　How　famous　it　will　be。〃

〃Then　there's　another　thing；　he　is　very　poor；　you　know。〃

〃I　am　sure　papa　doesn't　care　about　people　being　rich。〃

〃I　suppose　Alan　thinks　he　ought　not　to　marry；　unless　he　could　make
his　wife　comfortable。〃

〃Look　hereit　would　be　all　very　easy：　she　should　stay　with　us；　and
be　comfortable　here；　and　he　go　to　sea；　and　get　lots　of　prize　money。〃

〃And　that's　what　you　call　domestic　felicity！〃　said　Norman；　1aughing。

〃He　might　have　her　when　he　was　at　home；〃　said　Ethel。

〃No；　no；　that　would　never　do；〃　said　Norman。　　〃Do　you　think
Ernescliffe's　a　man　that　would　marry　a　wife　for　her　father　to
maintain　her？〃

〃Why；　papa　would　like　it　very　much。　　He　is　not　a　mercenary　father　in
a　book。〃

〃Hey！　what's　that？〃　said　a　voice　Ethel　little　expected。　　〃Contraband
talk　at　contraband　times？　　What's　this！〃

〃Did　you　hear；　papa？〃　said　Ethel；　looking　down。

〃Only　your　last　words；　as　I　came　up　to　ask　Norman　what　he　had　done
with　my　pocket…book。　　Mind；　I　ask　no　impertinent　questions；　but；　if
you　have　no　objection；　I　should　like　to　know　what　gained　me　the
honour　of　that　compliment。〃

〃Norman？〃　said　Ethel　interrogatively；　and　blushing　in　emulation　of
her　brother；　who　was　crimson。

〃I'll　find　it；〃　said　he；　rushing　off　with　a　sort　of　nod　and　sign；
that　conveyed　to　Ethel　that　there　was　no　help　for　it。

So；　with　much　confusion；　she　whispered　into　her　papa's　ear　that
Norman　had　been　telling　her　something　he　guessed　about　Mr。
Ernescliffe。

Her　father　at　first　smiled；　a　pleased　amused　smile。　　〃Ah！　ha！　so
Master　June　has　his　eyes　and　ears　open；　has　he？　　A　fine　bit　of　gossip
to　regale　you　with　on　his　return！〃

〃He　told　me　to　say　not　one　word；〃　said　Ethel。

〃Rightmind　you　don't；〃　said　Dr。　May；　and　Ethel　was　surprised　to　see
how　sorrowful　his　face　became。　　At　the　same　moment　Norman　returned；
still　very　red；　and　said；　〃I've　put　out　the　pocket…book；　papa。　　I
think　I　should　tell　you　I　repeated　what；　perhaps；　you　did　not　mean　me
to　hearyou　talked　to　yourself　something　of　pitying　Ernescliffe。〃
The　doctor　smiled　again　at　the　boy's　high…minded　openness；　which　must
have　cost　an　effort　of　self…humiliation。　　〃I　can't　say　little
pitchers　have　long　ears；　to　a　May…pole　like　you；　Norman；〃　said　he；　〃I
think　I　ought　rather　to　apologise　for　having　inadvertently　tumbled　in
among　your　secrets；　I　assure　you　I　did　not　come　to　spy　you。〃

〃Oh；　no；　no；　no；　no！〃　repeated　Ethel　vehemently。　〃Then　you　didn't
mind　our　talking　about　it？〃

〃Of　course　not；　as　long　as　it　goes　no　further。　　It　is　the　use　of
sisters　to　tell　them　one's　private　sentiments。　　Is　not　it；　Norman？〃

〃And　do　you　really　think　it　is　so；　papa？〃　Ethel　could　not　help
whispering。

〃I'm　afraid　it　is〃；　said　Dr。　May；　sighing；　then；　as　he　caught　her
earnest　eyes；　〃The　more　I　see　of　Alan；　the　finer　fellow　I　think　him；
and　the　more　sorry　I　am　for　him。　　It　seems　presumptuous；　almost
wrong；　to　think　of　the　matter　at　all　while　my　poor　Margaret　is　in
this　state；　and；　if　she　were　well；　there　are　other　difficulties　which
would；　perhaps；　prevent　his　speaking；　or　lead　to　long　years　of
waiting　and　wearing　out　hope。〃

〃Money？〃　said　Ethel。

〃Ay！　　Though　I　so　far　deserve　your　compliment；　miss；　that　should　be
foolish　enough；　if　she　were　but　well；　to　give　my　consent　to…morrow；
because　I　could　not　help　it；　yet　one　can't　live　forty…six　years　in
this　world　without　seeing　it　is　wrong　to　marry　without　a　reasonable
dependenceand　there　won't　be　much　among　eleven　of　you。　　It　makes　my
heart　ache　to　think　of　it；　come　what　may；　as　far　as　I　can　see；　and
without　her　to　judge。　　The　only　comfort　is；　that　poor　Margaret
herself　knows　nothing　of　it；　and　is　at　peace　so　far。　　It　will　be
ordered　for　them；　anyhow。　　Good…night；　my　dear。〃

Ethel　sought　her　room；　with　graver；　deeper　thoughts　of　life　than　she
had　carried　upstairs。




CHAPTER　XVIII。



Saw　ye　never　in　the　meadows；
　　Where　your　little　feet　did　pass；
Down　below；　the　sweet　white　daisies
　　Growing　in　the　long　green　grass？

Saw　you　never　lilac　blossoms；
　　Or　acacia　white　and　red；
Waving　brightly　in　the　sunshine；
　　On　the　tall　trees　over　head？
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　HYMNS　FOR　CHILDREN；　C。　F。　A。


〃My　dear　child；　what　a　storm　you　have　had！　how　wet　you　must　be！〃
exclaimed　Mrs。　Larpent；　as　Meta　Rivers　came　bounding　up　the　broad
staircase　at　Abbotstoke　Grange。

〃0h　no；　I　am　quite　dry；　feel。〃

〃Are　you　sure？〃　said　Mrs。　Larpent；　drawing　her　darling　into　a
luxurious　bedroom；　lighted　up　by　a　glowing　fire；　and　full　of　pretty
things。　　〃Here；　come　and　take　off　your　wet　things；　my　dear；　and
Bellairs　shall　bring　you　some　tea。〃

〃I'm　dry。　　I'm　warm；〃　said　Meta；　tossing　off　her　plumy　hat；　as　she
established　herself；　with　her　feet　on　the　fender。　　〃But　where　do　you
think　I　have　been？　　You　have　so　much　to　hear。　　But　firstthree
guesses　where　we　were　in　the　rain！〃

〃In　the　Stoneborough　Cloisters；　that　you　wanted　to　see？　　My　dear；　you
did　not　keep　your　papa　in　the　cold　there？〃

〃No；　no；　we　never　got　there　at　all；　guess　again。〃

〃At　Mr。　Edward　Wilmot's？〃

〃No！〃

〃Could　it　have　been　at　Dr。　May's？　　Really；