the daisy chain, or aspirations-第123章

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of　the　favour　that　Flora　had　conferred　on　his　son；　and　thankful　to
the　Mays　for　accepting　him。

Margaret　answered　with　more　expression　of　gratification　than　would
have　been　sincere　in　Ethel；　but　it　was　a　relief　when　Flora　and　Meta
came　in　together；　as　pretty　a　contrast　as　could　be　seen；　the　little
dark…eyed　fairy；　all　radiant　with　joy；　clinging　to　the　slender　waist
of　Flora；　whose　quiet　grace　and　maidenly　dignity　were　never　more
conspicuous　than　as；　with　a　soft　red　mantling　in　her　fair　cheek；　her
eyes　cast　down；　but　with　a　simple；　unaffected　warmth　of　confidence
and　gratitude；　she　came　forward　to　receive　Mr。　Rivers's　caressing
affectionate　greeting。

Stiffness　was　over　when　she　came　in；　and　Dr。　May；　who　presently　made
his　appearance；　soon　was　much　more　at　his　ease　than　could　have　been
hoped；　after　his　previous　declarations　that　he　should　never　be　able
to　be　moderately　civil　about　it　to　Mr。　Rivers。　　People　of　ready
sympathy；　such　as　Dr。　May　and　Margaret；　have　a　great　deal　of
difficulty　with　their　sincerity　spared　them；　by　being　carried　along
with　the　feelings　of　others。　　Ethel　could　not　feel　the　same；　and　was
bent　on　avoiding　any　expression　of　opinion；　she　hoped　that　Meta's
ecstasies　would　all　be　bestowed　upon　her　future　sister…in…law；　but
Meta　was　eager　for　an　interview　with　Ethel　herself；　and；　as　usual；
gained　her　point。

〃Now　then；　you　are　property　of　my　own！〃　she　cried。　　〃May　I　not　take
you　all　for　sisters？〃

Ethel　had　not　thought　of　this　as　a　convenience　of　the　connection；　and
she　let　Meta　kiss　her；　and　owned　that　it　was　very　nice。

〃Ethel；〃　said　Meta；　〃I　see；　and　I　wanted　to　talk　to　you。　　You　don't
think　poor　George　good　enough　for　Flora。〃

〃I　never　meant　to　show　it；〃　said　Ethel。

〃You　need　not　mind；〃　said　Meta；　smiling。　　〃I　was　very　much　surprised
myself；　and　thought　it　all　a　mistake。　　But　I　am　so　very　glad；　for　I
know　it　will　make　such　a　difference　to　him；　poor　fellow。　　I　should
like　to　tell　you　all　about　him；　for　no　one　else　can　very　well；　and
you　will　like　him　better；　perhaps。　　You　know　my　grandfather　made　his
own　fortune；　and　you　would　think　some　of　our　relations　very　queer。
My　Aunt　Dorothy　once　told　me　all　about　itpapa　was　made　to　marry　the
partner's　daughter；　and　I　fancy　she　could　not　have　been　much　of　a
lady。　　I　don't　think　he　could　have　been　very　happy　with　her；　but　she
soon　died；　and　left　him　with　this　one　son；　whom　those　odd　old　aunts
brought　up　their　own　way。　　By　and　by；　you　know；　papa　came　to　be　in
quite　another　line　of　society；　but　when　he　married　again；　poor　George
had　been　so　spoiled　by　these　aunts；　and　was　so　big；　and　old；　that　my
mother　did　not　know　what　to　make　of　him。〃

〃A　great　lubberly　boy；〃　Ethel　said；　rather　repenting　the　next　moment。

〃He　is　thirteen　years　older　than　I　am；〃　said　Meta；　〃and　you　see　it
has　been　hard　on　him　altogether；　he　had　not　the　education　that　papa
would　have　given　him　if　he　had　been　born　later：　and　he　can't　remember
his　mother；　and　has　always　been　at　a　loss　when　with　clever　people。　　I
never　understood　it　till　within　the　last　two　or　three　years；　nor　knew
how　trying　it　must　be　to　see　such　a　little　chit　as　me　made　so　much
ofalmost　thrusting　him　aside。　　But　you　cannot　think　what　a　warm…
hearted　good　fellow　he　ishe　has　never　been　otherwise　than　so　very
kind　to　me；　and　he　was　so　very　fond　of　his　old　aunt。　　Hitherto；　he
has　had　such　disadvantages；　and　no　real；　sensible　woman　has　taken　him
in　hand；　he　does　not　care　for　papa's　tastes；　and　I　am　so　much
younger；　that　I　never　could　get　on　with　him　at　all；　till　this　time；
but　I　do　know　that　he　has　a　real　good　temper；　and　all　sorts　of　good
qualities；　and　that　he　only　needs　to　be　led　right；　to　go　right。　　Oh！
Flora　may　make　anything　of　him；　and　we　are　so　thankful　to　her　for
having　found　it　out！〃

〃Thank　you　for　telling　me；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃It　is　much　more
satisfactory　to　have　no　shamming。〃

Meta　laughed；　for　Ethel's　sham　was　not　too　successful；　she　continued；
〃Dear　Dr。　May；　I　thought　he　would　think　his　beautiful　Flora　not
exactly　matchedbut　tell　him；　Ethel；　for　if　he　once　is　sorry　for
poor　George；　he　will　like　him。　　And　it　will　really　be　the　making　of
George；　to　be　thrown　with　him　and　your　brothers。　　Oh！　we　are　so　glad！
But　I　won't　tease　you　to　be　so。〃

〃I　can　like　it　better　now；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃You　know　Norman　thinks　very
highly　of　your　brother；　and　declares　that　it　will　all　come　out　by　and
by。〃

Meta　clapped　her　hands；　and　said　that　she　should　tell　her　father；　and
Ethel　parted　with　her；　liking　her；　at　least；　better　than　ever。　　There
was　a　comical　scene　between　her　and　the　doctor；　trying　to　define　what
relations　they　should　become　to　each　other；　which　Ethel　thought　did　a
good　deal　to　mollify　her　father。

The　history　of　George's　life　did　more；　he　took　to　pitying　him；　and
pity　was；　indeed；　akin　to　love　in　the　good　doctor's　mind。　　In　fact；
George　was　a　man　who　could　be　liked；　when　once　regarded　as　a
belonginga　necessity；　not　a　choice；　for　it　was　quite　true　that
there　was　no　harm　in　him；　and　a　great　deal　of　good　nature。　　His
constant　kindness；　and　evident　liking　for　Margaret；　stood　him　in　good
stead；　he　made　her　a　sort　of　confidante；　bestowing　on　her　his
immeasurable　appreciation　of　Flora's　perfections；　and　telling　her　how
well　he　was　getting　on　with　〃the　old　gentleman〃a　name　under　which
she　failed　to　recognise　her　father。

As　to　Tom；　he　wrote　his　congratulations　to　Ethel；　that　she　might　make
a　wedding　present　of　her　Etruscan　vases；　the　Cupids　on　which　must
have　been　put　there　by　anticipation。　　Richard　heard　none　of　the
doubts；　and　gave　kind；　warm　congratulations；　promising　to　return　home
for　the　wedding；　and　Mary　and　Blanche　no　sooner　heard　a　whisper　about
bride's…maids　than　all　their　opposition　faded　away；　in　a　manner　that
quite　scandalised　Ethel；　while　it　set　Margaret　on　reminiscences　of
her　having　been　a　six…year…old　bride's…maid　to　Flora's　godmother；
Mrs。　Arnott。

As　to　the　gossip　in　the　town；　Ethel　quite　dreaded　the　sight　of　every
one　without　Flora　to　protect　her；　and　certainly；　Flora's　unaffected；
quiet　manner　was　perfection；　and　kept　off　all　too　forward
congratulations；　while　it　gratified　those　whom　she　was　willing　to
encourage。

There　was　no　reason　for　waiting；　and　Mr。　Rivers　was　as　impatient　as
his　son；　so　an　understanding　arose　that　the　wedding；　should　take
place　near　the　end　of　the　Christmas　holidays。

Flora　showed　herself　sensible　and　considerate。　　Always　open…handed；
her　father　was　inclined　to　do　everything　liberally；　and　laid　no
restrictions　on　her　preparations；　but　she　had　too　much　discretion　to
be　profuse；　and　had　a　real　regard　for　the　welfare　of　the　rest。　　She
laughed　with　Ethel　at　the　anticipations　of　the　Stoneborough　ladies
that　she　must　be　going　to　London；　and；　at　the　requests；　as　a　great
favour；　that　they　might　be　allowed　the　sight　of　her　trousseau。　　Her
wedding…dress；　white　silk；　with　a　white　cashmere　mantle；　was；　indeed；
ordered　from　Meta's　London　dressmaker；　but；　for　the　rest；　she
contented　herself　with　an　expedition　to　Whitford；　accompanied　by　Miss
Bracy　and　her　two　enchanted　pupils；　and　there　laid　in　a　stock　of
purchases；　unpretending　and　in　good　taste；　aiming　only　at　what　could
be　well　done；　and　not　attempting　the　decorative　wardrobe　of　a　great
lady。　　Ethel　was　highly　amused　when　the　Misses　Anderson　came　for
their　inspection；　to　see　their　concealed　disappointment　at　finding　no
under　garments　trimmed　with　Brussels　lace；　nor　pocket…handkerchiefs
all　open…work；　except　a　centre　of　the　size　of　a　crown…piece；　and　the
only　thing　remarkable　was　Margaret's　beautiful　marking　in　embroidery。
There　was　some　compensation　in　the　costly　wedding　presentsFlora　had
reaped　a　whole　harvest　from　friends　of　her　own；　grateful　patients　of
her　father；　and　the　whole　Rivers　and　Langdale　connection；　but；　in
spite　of　the　brilliant　uselessness　of　most　of　these；　the　young　ladies
considered　themselves　ill…used；　thought　Dr。　May　never　would　have　been
shabby；　and　were　of　opinion　that　when　Miss　Ward　had　married　her
father's　surgical　pupil；　her　outfit　had　been　a　far　more　edifying
spectacle。

The　same　moderation　influenced　Flora's　other　arrangements。　　Dr。　May
was　resigned　to　whatever　might　be　thought　most　proper；　stipulat