the daisy chain, or aspirations-第57节

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only　hope　she　will　not　be　spoiled。〃

Flora　felt　as　if　her　father　must　be　thinking　his　morning's　argument
confirmed；　and　she　was　annoyed。　　But　she　thought　there　was　no　reason
why　wealth　should　not　be　used　sensibly；　and　if　she　were　at　the　head
of　such　an　establishment　as　the　Grange；　her　charity　should　be　so　well
regulated　as　to　be　the　subject　of　general　approbation。

She　wanted　to　find　some　one　else　on　her　side；　and；　as　they　went　to
bed；　she　said　to　Ethel；　〃Don't　you　wish　we　had　some　of　this
superfluity　of　the　Riverses　for　poor　Cocksmoor？〃

〃I　wish　we　had　anything　for　Cocksmoor！　　Here's　a　great　hole　in　my
boot；　and　nurse　says　I　must　get　a　new　pair；　that　is　seven…and…
sixpence　gone！　　I　shall　never　get　the　first　pound　made　up　towards
building！〃

〃And　pounds　seem　nothing　to　them；〃　said　Flora。

〃Yes；　but　if　they　don't　manage　right　with　them！　　I'll　tell　you；
Flora；　I　got　into　a　fit　of　wishing　the　other　day；　it　does　seem　such　a
grievous　pity　to　see　those　children　running　to　waste　for　want　of
daily　teaching；　and　Jenny　Hall　had　forgotten　everything。　　I　was
vexed；　and　thought　it　was　all　no　use　while　we　could　not　do　more；　but
just　then　I　began　to　look　out　the　texts　Ritchie　had　marked　for　me　to
print　for　them　to　learn；　and　the　first　was；　'Be　thou　faithful　over　a
few　things；　and　I　will　make　thee　ruler　over　many　things；'　and　then　I
thought　perhaps　we　were　learning　to　be　faithful　with　a　few　things。　　I
am　sure　what　they　said　to…night　showed　it　was　lucky　we　have　not　more
in　our　hands。　　I　should　do　wrong　for　ever　with　the　little　we　have　if
it　were　not　for　Ritchie　and　Margaret。　　By　the　time　we　have　really　got
the　money　together　for　the　school；　perhaps　I　shall　have　more　sense。〃

〃Got　the　money！　　As　if　we　ever　could！〃

〃Oh；　yes！　we　shall　and　will。　　It　need　not　be　more　than　？0；　Ritchie
says；　and　I　have　twelve　shillings　for　certain；　put　out　from　the　money
for　hire　of　the　room；　and　the　books　and　clothes；　and；　in　spite　of
these　horrid　boots；　I　shall　save　something　out　of　this　quarter；　half…
a…crown　at　least。　　And　I　have　another　plan　besides〃

But　Flora　had　to　go　down　to　Margaret's　room　to　bed。　　Flora　was　always
ready　to　throw　herself　into　the　present；　and　liked　to　be　the　most
useful　person　in　all　that　went　forward；　so　that　no　thoughts　of
greatness　interfered　with　her　enjoyment　at　Cocksmoor。

The　house　seemed　wild　that　Easter　Monday　morning。　　Ethel；　Mary；　and
Blanche；　flew　about　in　all　directions；　and　in　spite　of　much　undoing
of　their　own　arrangements；　finished　their　preparations　so　much　too
early；　that；　at　half…past　eleven；　Mary　complained　that　she　had
nothing　to　do；　and　that　dinner　would　never　come。

Many　were　the　lamentations　at　leaving　Margaret　behind；　but　she
answered　them　by　talking　of　the　treat　of　having　papa　all　to　herself；
for　he　had　lent　them　the　gig；　and　promised　to　stay　at　home　all　the
afternoon　with　her。

The　first　division　started　on　foot　directly　after　dinner；　the　real
Council　of　education；　as　Norman　called　them；　namely；　Mr。　Wilmot；
Richard；　Ethel；　and　Mary；　Flora；　the　other　member；　waited　to　take
care　of　Blanche　and　Aubrey；　who　were　to　come　in　the　gig；　with　the
cakes；　tea…kettles；　and　prizes；　driven　by　Norman。　　Tom　and　Hector
Ernescliffe　were　invited　to　join　the　party；　and　many　times　did　Mary
wish　for　Harry。

Supremely　happy　were　the　young　people　as　they　reached　the　common；　and
heard　the　shout　of　tumultuous　joy；　raised　by　their　pupils；　who　were
on　the　watch　for　them。　　All　was　now　activity。　　Everybody　tripped　into
Mrs。　Green's　house；　while　Richard　and　Ethel　ran　different　ways　to
secure　that　the　fires　were　burning；　which　they　had　hired；　to　boil
their　kettles；　with　the　tea　in　them。

Then　when　the　kitchen　was　so　full　that　it　seemed　as　if　it　could　hold
no　more；　some　kind　of　order　was　produced；　the　children　were　seated　on
their　benches；　and；　while　the　mothers　stood　behind　to　listen；　Mr。
Wilmot　began　to　examine；　as　well　as　he　could　in　so　crowded　an
audience。

There　was　progress。　　Yes；　there　was。　　Only　three　were　as　utterly　rude
and　idealess　as　they　used　to　be　at　Christmas。　　Glimmerings　had　dawned
on　most；　and　oneUna　M'Carthywas　fit　to　come　forward　to　claim　Mr。
Wilmot's　promise　of　a　Prayer…book。　　She　could　really　read　and　say　the
Catechismher　Irish　wit　and　love　of　learning　had　outstripped　all　the
restand　she　was　the　pride　of　Ethel's　heart；　fit；　now；　to　present
herself　on　equal　terms　with　the　Stoneborough　set；　as　far　as　her　sense
was　concernedthough；　alas！　neither　present　nor　exhortation　had
succeeded　in　making　her　anything；　in　looks；　but　a　picturesque
tatterdemalion；　her　sandy　elf　locks　streaming　over　a　pair　of　eyes；　so
dancing　and　gracieuses；　that　it　was　impossible　to　scold　her。

With　beating　heart；　as　if　her　own　success　in　life　depended　for　ever
on　the　way　her　flock　acquitted　themselves；　Ethel　stood　by　Mr。　Wilmot；
trying　to　read　answers　coming　out　of　the　dull　mouths　of　her　children；
and　looking　exultingly　at　Richard　whenever　some　good　reply　was　made；
especially　when　Una　answered　an　unexpected　question。　　It　was　too
delightful　to　hear　how　well　she　remembered　all　the　history　up　to　the
flood；　and　how　prettily　it　came　out　in　her　Irish　accent！　　That　made
up　for　all　the　atrocious　stupidity　of　others；　who；　after　being　told
every　time　since　they　had　begun　who　gave　their　names；　now　chose　to
forget。

In　the　midst；　while　the　assembly　were　listening　with　admiration　to
the　reading　of　the　scholar　next　in　proficiency　to　Una；　a　boy　who
could　read　words　of　five　letters　without　spelling；　there　was　a　fresh
squeezing　at　the　door；　and；　the　crowd　opening　as　well　as　it　could；　in
came　Flora　and　Blanche；　while　Norman's　head　was　seen　for　a　moment　in
the　doorway。

Flora's　whisper　to　Ethel　was　her　first　discovery　that　the　closeness
and　the　heat　of　the　room　was　nearly　overpowering。　　Her　excitement　had
made　all　be　forgotten。　　〃Could　not　a　window　be　opened？〃

Mrs。　Green　interferedit　had　been　nailed　up　because　her　husband　had
the　rheumatiz！

〃Where's　Aubrey？〃　asked　Mary。

〃With　Norman。　　Norman　said　he　would　not　let　him　go　into　the　black…
hole；　so　he　has　got　him　out　of　doors。　　Ethel；　we　must　come　out！　　You
don't　know　what　an　atmosphere　it　is！　　Blanche；　go　out　to　Norman！〃

〃Flora；　Flora！　you　don't　consider；〃　said　Ethel；　in　an　agony。

〃Yes；　yes。　　It　is　not　at　all　cold。　　Let　them　have　their　presents　out
of　doors　and　eat　their　buns。〃

Richard　and　Mr。　Wilmot　agreed　with　Flora；　and　the　party　were　turned
out。　　Ethel　did　own；　when　she　was　in　the　open　air；　〃that　it　had　been
rather　hot。〃

Norman's　face　was　a　sight；　as　he　stood　holding　Aubrey　in　his　arms；　to
gratify　the　child's　impatience。　　The　stifling　den；　the　uncouth　aspect
of　the　children；　the　head　girl　so　very　ragged　a　specimen；　thoroughly
revolted　his　somewhat　fastidious　disposition。　　This　was　Ethel's
delight！　to　this　she　made　so　many　sacrifices！　this　was　all　that　her
time　and　labour　had　effected！　　He　did　not　wish　to　vex　her　but　it　was
more　than　he　could　stand。

However；　Ethel　was　too　much　engrossed　to　look　for　sympathy。　　It　was　a
fine　spring　day；　and　on　the　open　space　of　the　common　the　arrangements
were　quickly　made。　　The　children　stood　in　a　long　line；　and　the
baskets　were　unpacked。　　Flora　and　Ethel　called　the　names；　Mary　and
Blanche　gave　the　presents；　and　assuredly　the　grins；　courtesies；　and
pulls　of　the　forelock　they　elicited；　could　not　have　been　more　hearty
for　any　of　Miss　Rivers's　treasures。　　The　buns　and　the　kettles　of　tea
followedit　was　perfect　delight　to　entertainers　and　entertained；
except　when　Mary's　dignity　was　cruelly　hurt　by　Norman's
authoritatively　taking　a　kettle　out　of　her　hands；　telling　her　she
would　be　the　death　of　herself　or　somebody　else；　and　reducing　her　to
the　mere　rank　of　a　bun　distributor；　which　Blanche　and　Aubrey　could　do
just　as　well；　while　he　stalked　along　with　a　grave　and　resigned
countenance；　filling　up　the　cups　held　out　to　him　by　timid…looking
children。　　Mary　next　fell　in　with　Granny　Hall；　who　had　gone　into　such
an　ecstasy　over　Blanche　and　Aubrey；　that　Blanche　did　not　know　which
way　to　look；　and　Aubrey；　in　some　fear　that　the　old　woman　might　intend
to　kiss　him；　returned　the　compliments　by　telling　her　she　was　〃ugly　up
in　her　face；〃　at　which　she　laughed　heartily；　and　uttered　more
vehement　benedictions。

Finally；　the　three　best　children；　boys　and　girls；　were　to　be　made　fit
to　be　seen；　and　recommended　by　Mr。　Wilmot　to　the　Sunday…school　and
penny　club　at　Stoneborough；　and；　this　being　proclaimed　and　the
children　selected；　the　assembly　dispersed；　Mr。　Wilmot　rejoicing　Ethel
and　Richard　by　saying；　〃Well；　really；　you　have　made　a　beginning。
There　is　an　improvement　in　tone　among　those　children；　that　is　more
satisfactory　than　any　progress　they　may　have　made。〃

Ethel's　eyes　beamed；　and　she　hurried　to　tell　Flora。　　Richard　coloured
and　gave　his　quiet　smile；　then　turned　to　put　things　in　order　for
their　return。

〃Will　you　drive　home；　Richard？〃　said　Norman；　coming　up　to　him。

〃Don't　you　wish　it？〃　said　Richard；　who　had　many　minor　arrangements　to
make；　and　would　have　preferred　walking　home　independently。

〃No；　thank　you；　I　have　a　headache；　and　walking　may　take　it　off；〃　said
Norman；　taking　off　his　hat　and　passing　his　fingers　through　his　hair。

〃A　headache　again