the daisy chain, or aspirations-第102章

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to　conduct　him　to　his　father　and　speak　for　him。　　The　danger　now　was
that　Dr。　May　should　not　be　forthcoming；　and　the　elder　brother　was　as
much　relieved；　as　the　younger　was　dismayed；　to　see；　through　the
drawing…room　window；　that　he　was　standing　beside　Margaret。

〃Papa；　can　you　come　and　speak　to　me；〃　said　Norman；　〃at　the　door？〃

〃Coming！　　What　now？〃　said　the　doctor；　entering　the　hall。　　〃What；　Tom；
my　boy；　what　is　it？〃　as　he　saw　the　poor　child；　white；　cold；　almost
sick　with　apprehension；　with　every　pulse　throbbing；　and　looking
positively　ill。　　He　took　the　chilly；　damp　hand；　which　shook
nervously；　and　would　fain　have　withdrawn　itself。

〃Come；　my　dear；　let　us　see　what　is　amiss；〃　and　before　Tom　knew　what
he　was　doing；　he　had　seated　him　on　his　knee；　in　the　arm…chair　in　the
study；　and　was　feeling　his　pulse。　　〃There；　rest　your　head！　　Has　it
not　been　aching　all　day？〃

〃I　do　not　think　he　is　ill；〃　said　Norman；　〃but　there　is　something　he
thinks　I　had　better　tell　you。〃

Tom　would　fain　have　been　on　his　feet；　yet　the　support　of　that
shoulder　was　inexpressibly　comfortable　to　his　aching　temples；　and　he
could　not　but　wait　for　the　shock　of　being　roughly　shaken　and　put
down。　　So；　as　his　brother　related　what　had　occurred；　he　crouched　and
trembled　more　and　more　on　his　father's　breast；　till；　to　his　surprise；
he　found　the　other　arm　passed　round　him　in　support；　drawing　him　more
tenderly　close。

〃My　poor　little　fellow！〃　said　Dr。　May；　trying　to　look　into　the
drooping　face；　〃I　grieve　to　have　exposed　you　to　such　usage　as　this！
I　little　thought　it　of　Stoneborough　fellows！〃

〃He　is　very　sorry；〃　said　Norman；　much　distressed　by　the　condition　of
the　culprit。

〃I　see　itI　see　it　plainly；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃Tommy；　my　boy；　why
should　you　tremble　when　you　are　with　me？〃

〃He　has；　been　in　great　dread　of　your　being　displeased。〃

〃My　boy；　do　you　not　know　how　I　forgive　you？〃　　Tom　clung　round　his
neck；　as　if　to　steady　himself。

〃Oh；　papa！　I　thought　you　would　never〃

〃Nay；　you　need　never　have　thought　so；　my　boy！　　What　have　I　done　that
you　should　fear　me？〃

Tom　did　not　speak；　but　nestled　up　to　him　with　more　confidence。
〃There！　that's　better！　　Poor　child！　what　he　must　have　suffered！　　He
was　not　fit　for　the　place！　　I　had　thought　him　looking　ill。　　Little
did　I　guess　the　cause。〃

〃He　says　his　head　has　ached　ever　since　Sunday；〃　said　Norman；　〃and　I
believe　he　has　hardly　eaten　or　slept　properly　since。〃

〃He　shall　never　be　under　their　power　again！　　Thanks　to　you；　Norman。
Do　you　hear　that；　Tommy？〃

The　answer　was　hardly　audible。　　The　little　boy　was　already　almost
asleep；　worn　out　with　all　he　had　undergone。　　Norman　began　to　clear
the　sofa；　that　they　might　lay　him　down；　but　his　father　would　not　hear
of　disturbing　him；　and；　sending　Norman　away；　sat　still　for　more　than
an　hour；　until　the　child　slowly　awoke；　and　scarcely　recalling　what
had　happened；　stood　up　between　his　father's　knees；　rubbing　his　eyes；
and　looking　bewildered。

〃You　are　better　now；　my　boy？〃

〃I　thought　you　would　be　very　angry；〃　slowly　murmured　Tom；　as　the　past
returned　on　him。

〃Never；　while　you　are　sorry　for　your　faults；　and　own　them　freely。〃

〃I'm　glad　I　did；〃　said　the　boy；　still　half　asleep。　　〃I　did　not　know
you　would　be　so　kind。〃

〃Ah！　Tom；　I　fear　it　was　as　much　my　fault　as　yours　that　you　did　not
know　it。　　But；　my　dear；　there　is　a　pardon　that　can　give　you　better
peace　than　mine。〃

〃I　think；〃　muttered　Tom；　looking　down〃I　think　I　could　say　my
prayers　again　now；　if〃

〃If　what；　my　dear？〃

〃If　you　would　help　me；　as　mamma　used〃

There　could　be　but　one　response　to　this　speech。

Tom　was　still　giddy　and　unwell；　his　whole　frame　affected　by　the
troubles　of　the　last　week；　and　Dr。　May　arranged　him　on　the　sofa；　and
desired　him　to　be　quiet；　offering　to　send　Mary　to　be　his　companion。
Tom　was　languidly　pleased；　but　renewed　his　entreaty；　that　his
confession　might　be　a　secret　from　his　sisters。　　Dr。　May　promised；　and
Mary；　quite　satisfied　at　being　taken　into　favour；　asked　no　questions；
but　spent　the　rest　of　the　morning　in　playing　at　draughts　with　him；
and　in　having　inflicted　on　her　the　history　of　the　Bloody　Fire　King's
Ghosta　work　of　Tom's　imagination；　which　he　was　wont　to　extemporise；
to　the　extreme　terror　of　much　enduring　Mary。

When　Dr。　May　had　called　Mary；　he　next　summoned　Norman；　who　found　him
in　the　hall；　putting　on　his　hat；　and　looking　very　stern　and
determined。

〃Norman！〃　said　he　hastily；　〃don't　say　a　wordit　must　be　doneHoxton
must　hear　of　this。〃

Norman's　face　expressed　utter　consternation。

〃It　is　not　your　doing。　　It　is　no　concern　of　yours；〃　said　Dr。　May；
walking　impetuously　into　the　garden。　　〃I　find　my　boy　ill；　broken
down；　shatteredit　is　the　usage　of　this　crew　of　fellowswhat　right
have　I　to　conceal　itleave　other　people's　sons　to　be　so　served？〃

〃I　believe　they　did　so　to　Tom　out　of　ill…will　to　me；〃　said　Norman；
〃and　because　they　thought　he　had　ratted。〃

〃Hush！　don't　argue　against　it；〃　said　Dr。　May；　almost　petulantly。　　〃I
have　stood　a　great　deal　to　oblige　you；　but　I　cannot　stand　this。　　When
it　is　a　matter　of　corruption；　base　crueltyno；　Norman；　it　is　not
rightnot　another　word！〃

Norman's　words　had　not　been　many；　but　he　felt　a　conviction　that；　in
spite　of　the　dismay　and　pain　to　himself；　Dr。　May　ought　to　meet　with
submission　to　his　judgment；　and　he　acquiesced　by　silence。

〃Don't　you　see；〃　continued　the　doctor；　〃if　they　act　thus；　when　your
back　is　turned；　what　is　to　happen　next　half？　　'Tis　not　for　Tom's
sake；　but　how　could　we　justify　it　to　ourselves；　to　expose　other　boys
to　this　usage？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Norman；　not　without　a　sigh。　　〃I　suppose　it　must　be。〃

〃That　is　right；〃　said　Dr。　May；　as　if　much　relieved。　　〃I　knew　you　must
see　it　in　that　light。　　I　do　not　mean　to　abuse　your　confidence。〃

〃No；　indeed；〃　answered　Norman　warmly。

〃But　you　see　yourself；　that　where　the　welfare　of　so　many　is　at　stake；
it　would　be　wickednessyes；　wickednessto　be　silent。　　Could　I　see
that　little　fellow　prostrated；　trembling　in　my　arms；　and　think　of
those　scamps　inflicting　the　same　on　other　helpless　childrenaway
from　their　homes！〃

〃I　see；　I　see！〃　said　Norman；　carried　along　by　the　indignation　and
tenderness　that　agitated　his　father's　voice　in　his　vehemence〃it　is
the　only　thing　to　be　done。〃

〃It　would　be　sharing　the　guilt　to　hide　it；〃　said　Dr。　May。

〃Very　well；〃　said　Norman；　still　reluctantly。　　〃What　do　you　wish　me　to
do？　　You　see；　as　dux；　I　know　nothing　about　it。　　It　happened　while　I
was　away。〃

〃True；　true；〃　said　his　father。　　〃You　have　learned　it　as　brother；　not
as　senior　boy。　　Yes；　we　had　better　have　you　out　of　the　matter。　　It　is
I　who　complain　of　their　usage　of　my　son。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Norman；　with　gratitude。

〃You　have　not　told　me　the　names　of　these　fellows！　　No；　I　had　best　not
know　them。〃

〃I　think　it　might　make　a　difference；〃　hesitated　Norman。

〃No；　no；　I　will　not　hear　them。　　It　ought　to　make　none。　　The　fact　is
the　same；　be　they　who　they　may。〃

The　doctor　let　himself　out　at　the　garden　gate；　and　strode　off　at　a
rapid　pace；　conscious　perhaps；　in　secret；　that　if　he　did　not　at　once
yield　to　the　impulse　of　resentment；　good　nature　would　overpower　the
sense　of　justice。　　His　son　returned　to　the　house　with　a　heavy　sigh；
yet　honouring　the　generosity　that　had　respected　his　scruples；　when
merely　his　own　worldly　loss　was　involved；　but　set　them　aside　when　the
good　of　others　was　concerned。　　By…and…by　Dr。　May　reappeared。　　The
head…master　had　been　thoroughly　roused　to　anger；　and　had　begged　at
once　to　examine　May　junior；　for　whom　his　father　was　now　come。

Tom　was　quite　unprepared　for　such　formidable　consequences　of　his
confession；　and　began　by　piteous　tears　and　sobs；　and　when　these　had；
with　some　difficulty；　been　pacified；　he　proved　to　be　really　so　unwell
and　exhausted；　that　his　father　could　not　take　him　to　Minster　Street；
and　was　obliged　to　leave　him　to　his　brother's　keeping；　while　he
returned　to　the　school。

Upon　this；　Dr。　Hoxton　came　himself；　and　the　sisters　were　extremely
excited　and　alarmed　by　the　intelligence　that　he　was　in　the　study　with
papa　and　Tom。

Then　away　went　the　gentlemen；　and　Mary　was　again　called　to　comfort
Tom；　who；　broken　down　into　the　mere　longing　for　sympathy；　sobbed　out