the daisy chain, or aspirations-第113章

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〃I　hope　we　are；〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　how　can　we　tell　what　vexes　her？〃

〃And　what　is　this；　of　your　telling　her　she　was　ill…tempered？〃　asked
Dr。　May　incredulously。

〃Well；　papa；〃　said　Ethel；　softened；　yet　wounded　by　his　thinking　it　so
impossible。　　〃I　had　often　thought　I　ought　to　tell　her　that　these
sensitive　feelings　of　hers　were　nothing　but　temper；　and　perhaps
indeed　I　know　I　doI　partake　of　the　general　fractiousness　of　the
house　to…day；　and　I　did　not　bear　it　so　patiently　as　usual。　　I　did　say
that　I　thought　it　wrong　to　foster　her　fancies；　for　if　she　looked　at
them　coolly；　she　would　find　they　were　only　a　form　of　pride　and
temper。〃

〃It　did　not　come　well　from　you；　Ethel；〃　said　the　doctor；　looking
vexed。

〃No；　I　know　it　did　not；〃　said　Ethel　meekly；　〃but　oh！　to　have　these
janglings　once　a　week；　and　to　see　no　end　to　them！〃

〃Once　a　week？〃

〃It　is　really　as　often；　or　more　often；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃If　any　of　us
criticise　anything　the　girls　have　done；　if　there　is　a　change　in　any
arrangement；　if　she　thinks　herself　neglectedI　can't　tell　you　what
little　matters　suffice；　she　will　catch　me；　and　argue　with　me；　till
oh；　till　we　are　both　half　dead；　and　yet　cannot　stop　ourselves。〃

〃Why　do　you　argue？〃

〃If　I　could　only　help　it！〃

〃Bad　management；〃　said　the　doctor；　in　a　low；　musing　tone。　　〃You　want
a　head！〃　and　he　sighed。

〃Oh；　papa；　I　did　not　mean　to　distress　you。　　I　would　not　have　told　you
if　I　had　rememberedbut　I　am　worried　to…day；　and　off　my　guard〃

〃Ethel；　I　thought　you　were　the　one　on　whom　I　could　depend　for　bearing
everything。〃

〃These　were　such　nonsense！〃

〃What　may　seem　nonsense　to　you　is　not　the　same　to　her。　　You　must　be
forbearing；　Ethel。　　Remember　that　dependence　is　prone　to　morbid
sensitiveness；　especially　in　those　who　have　a　humble　estimate　of
themselves。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　that　touchiness　is　more　pride　than　humility；〃　said
Ethel；　whose　temper；　already　not　in　the　smoothest　state；　found　it
hard　that；　after　having　long　borne　patiently　with　these　constant
arguments；　she　should　find　Miss　Bracy　made　the　chief　object　of
compassion。

Dr。　May's　chivalrous　feeling　caused　him　to　take　the　part　of　the　weak；
and　he　answered；　〃You　know　nothing　about　it。　　Among　our　own　kith　and
kin　we　can　afford　to　pass　over　slights；　because　we　are　sure　the　heart
is　rightwe　do　not　know　what　it　is　to　be　among　strangers；　uncertain
of　any　claim　to　their　esteem　or　kindness。　　Sad！　sad！〃　he　continued；
as　the　picture　wrought　on　him。　　〃Each　trifle　seems　a　token　one　way　or
the　other！　　I　am　very　sorry　I　grieved　the　poor　thing　yesterday。　　I
must　go　and　tell　her　so　at　once。〃

He　put　Ethel　aside；　and　knocked　at　the　schoolroom　door；　while　Ethel
stood；　mortified。　　〃He　thinks　I　have　been　neglecting；　or　speaking
harshly　to　her！　　For　fifty　times　that　I　have　borne　with　her
maundering；　I　have；　at　last；　once　told　her　the　truth；　and　for　that　I
am　accused　of　want　of　forbearance！　　Now　he　will　go　and　make　much　of
her；　and　pity　her；　till　she　will　think　herself　an　injured　heroine；
and　be　worse　than　ever；　and　he　will　do　away　with　all　the　good　of　my
advice；　and　want　me　to　ask　her　pardon　for　itbut　that　I　never　will。
It　was　only　the　truth；　and　I　will　stick　to　it。〃

〃Ethel！〃　cried　Mary；　running　up　to　her；　then　slackening　her　pace；　and
whispering；　〃you　did　not　tell　Miss　Bracy　she　was　ill…tempered。〃

〃Nonot　exactly。　　How　could　you　tell　papa　I　did？〃

〃She　said　so。　　She　was　crying；　and　I　asked　what　was　the　matter；　and
she　said　my　sister　Ethel　said　she　was　ill…tempered。〃

〃She　made　a　great　exaggeration　then；〃　said　Ethel。

〃I　am　sure　she　was　very　cross　all　day；〃　said　Mary。

〃Well；　that　is　no　business　of　yours；〃　said　Ethel　pettishly。　　〃What
now？　　Mary；　don't　look　out　at　the　street　window。〃

〃It　is　Florathe　Grange　carriage；〃　whispered　Mary；　as　the　two
sisters　made　a　precipitate　retreat　into　the　drawing…room。

Meanwhile；　Dr。　May　had　been　in　the　schoolroom。　　Miss　Bracy　had　ceased
her　tears　before　he　camethey　had　been　her　retort　on　Ethel；　and　she
had　not　intended　the　world　to　know　of　them。　　Half　disconcerted；　half
angry；　she　heard　the　doctor　approach。　　She　was　a　gentle；　tearful
woman；　one　of　those　who　are　often　called　meek；　under　an　erroneous
idea　that　meekness　consists　in　making　herself　exceedingly　miserable
under　every　kind　of　grievance；　and　she　now　had　a　sort　of　melancholy
satisfaction　in　believing　that　the　young　ladies　had　fabricated　an
exaggerated　complaint　of　her　temper；　and　that　she　was　going　to　become
injured　innocence。　　To　think　herself　accused　of　a　great　wrong；
excused　her　from　perceiving　herself　guilty　of　a　lesser　one。

〃Miss　Bracy；〃　said　Dr。　May；　entering　with　his　frank；　sweet　look；　〃I
am　concerned　that　I　vexed　you　by　taking　the　children　to　walk　with　me
yesterday。　　I　thought　such　little　brats　would　be　troublesome　to　any
but　their　spoiling　papa；　but　they　would　have　been　in　safer　hands　with
you。　　You　would　not　have　been　as　weak　as　I　was；　in　regard　to　sugar…
plums。〃　　Such　amends　as　these　confused　Miss　Bracy；　who　found　it
pleasanter　to　be　lamentable　with　Ethel；　than　to　receive　a　full
apology　for　her　imagined　offence　from　the　master　of　the　house。
Feeling　both　small　and　absurd；　she　murmured　something　of　〃oh；　no；〃
and　〃being　sure；〃　and　hoped　he　was　going；　so　that　she　might　sit　down
to　pity　herself；　for　those　girls　having　made　her　appear　so
ridiculous。

No　such　thing！　　Dr。　May　put　a　chair　for　her；　and　sat　down　himself；
saying；　with　a　smile；　〃You　see；　you　must　trust　us　sometimes；　and
overlook　it；　if　we　are　less　considerate　than　we　might　be。　　We　have
rough；　careless　habits　with　each　other；　and　forget　that　all　are　not
used　to　them。〃

Miss　Bracy　exclaimed；　〃Oh；　no；　never；　they　were　most　kind。〃

〃We　wish　to　be；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃but　there　are　little　neglectsor　you
think　there　are。　　I　will　not　say　there　are　none；　for　that　would　be
answering　too　much　for　human　nature；　or　that　they　are　fancifulfor
that　would　be　as　little　comfort　as　to　tell　a　patient　that　the　pain　is
only　nervous〃

Miss　Bracy　smiled；　for　she　could　remember　instances　when；　after
suffering　much　at　the　time；　she　had　found　the　affront　imaginary。

He　was　glad　of　that　smile；　and　proceeded。　　〃You　will　let　me　speak　to
you；　as　to　one　of　my　own　girls？　　To　them；　I　should　say；　use　the　only
true　cure。　　Don't　brood　over　vexations；　small　or　great；　but　think　of
them　as　trials　that；　borne　bravely；　become　blessings。〃

〃Oh！　but　Dr。　May！〃　she　exclaimed；　shocked；　〃nothing　in　your　house
could　call　for　such　feelings。〃

〃I　hope　we　are　not　very　savage；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃but；　indeed；　I
still　say　it　is　the　safest　rule。　　It　would　be　the　only　one　if　you
were　really　among　unkind　people；　and；　if　you　take　so　much　to　heart　an
unlucky　neglect　of　mine；　what　would　you　do　if　the　slight　were　a　true
one？〃

〃You　are　right；　but　my　feelings　were　always　over…sensitive；〃　and　this
she　said　with　a　sort　of　complacency。

〃Well；　we　must　try　to　brace　them；〃　said　Dr。　May；　much　as　if
prescribing　for　her。　　〃Will　not　you　believe　in　our　confidence　and
esteem；　and　harden　yourself　against　any　outward　unintentional　piece
of　incivility？〃

She　felt　as　if　she　could　at　that　moment。

〃Or　at　least；　try　to　forgive　and　forget　them。　　Talking　them　over　only
deepens　the　sense　of　them；　and　discussions　do　no　good　to　any　one。　　My
daughters　are　anxious　to　be　your　best　friends；　as　I　hope　you　know。〃

〃Oh！　they　are　most　kind〃

〃But；　you　see；　I　must　say　this；〃　added　Dr。　May；　somewhat　hesitating；
〃as　they　have　no　mother　toto　spare　all　this；〃　and　then；　growing
clearer；　he　proceeded；　〃I　must　beg　you　to　be　forbearing　with　them；
and　not　perplex　yourself　and　them　with　arguing　on　what　cannot　be
helped。　　They　have　not　the　experience　that　could　enable　them　to
finish　such　a　discussion　without　unkindness；　and　it　can　only　waste
the　spirits；　and　raise　fresh　subjects　of　regret。　　I　must　leave　youI
hear　myself　called。〃

Miss　Bracy　began　to　be　sensible　that　she　had　somewhat　abused　Ethel's
patience；　and　the　unfortunate　speech　about　the　source　of　her
sensitiveness　did　not　appear　to　her　so　direfully　cruel　as　at　first。
She　hoped　every　one　would　forget　all　about　it；　and　resolved　not　to
take　umbrage　so　easily　another　time；　or　else　be　silent　about　it；　but
she　was　not　a　person　of　much