the daisy chain, or aspirations-第125章

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of　his　sister's　company；　for　composition　was　not　easy　to　him；　and　the
quantity　of　time　he　spent　on　it；　quite　alarmed　Norman　and　Ethel；　who
both　felt　rather　nervous　on　the　Sunday　morning；　but　agreed　that
preaching　was　not　everything。

Ethel　could　not　see　well　as　far　as　the　reading…desk；　but　she　saw　her
father　glance　up；　take　off　his　spectacles；　wipe　them；　and　put　them
away；　and　she　could　not　be　displeased；　though　she　looked　reproof　at
Blanche's　breathless　whisper；　〃Oh；　he　looks　so　nice！〃　　Those　white
folds　did　truly　suit　well　with　the　meek；　serious　expression　of　the
young　deacon's　fair　face；　and　made　him；　as　his　sisters　afterwards
said；　like　one　of　the　solemnly　peaceful　angel…carvings　of　the　earlier
ages。

His　voice　was　sweet　and　clear；　and　his　reading　full　of　quiet
simplicity　and　devotion；　such　as　was　not　often　heard　by　that
congregation；　who　were　too　much　used　either　to　carelessness　or　to
pomposity。　　The　sermon　made　his　brother　and　sister　ashamed　of　their
fears。　　It　was　an　exposition　of　the　Gospel　for　the　day；　practical　and
earnest；　going　deep；　and　rising　high；　with　a　clearness　and　soberness；
yet　with　a　beauty　and　elevation；　such　as　Norman　and　Ethel　had
certainly　not　expectedor；　rather；　they　forgot　all　their　own
expectations　and　Richard　himself；　and　only　recollected　their　own
hearts　and　the　great　future　before　them。

Even　Blanche　and　Aubrey　told　Margaret　a　great　deal　about　it；　and
declared　that；　if　Richard　preached　every　Sunday；　they　should　like
going　to　church　much　better。

When　Dr。　May　came　in；　some　time　after；　he　was　looking　much　pleased。
〃So；　Mr。　Ritchie；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　made　quite　a　sensationevery
one　shaking　me　by　the　hand；　and　thanking　me　for　my　son's　sermon。　　You
will　be　a　popular　preacher　at　last！〃

Richard　blushed　distressfully；　and　quoted　the　saying；　that　it　would
be　the　true　comfort　to　hear　that　people　went　home；　thinking　of
themselves　rather　than　of　the　sermon。　　This　put　an　end　to　the
subject；　but　the　doctor　went　over　it　again；　most　thoroughly；　with　his
other　children；　who　were　greatly　delighted。

Flora's　last　home　Sunday！　　She　was　pale　and　serious；　evidently
feeling　much；　though　seeking　no　tete…a…tetes；　and　chiefly　engrossed
with　waiting　on　Margaret；　or　fondling　little　Gertrude。　　No　one　saw
the　inside　of　her　mindprobably；　she　did　not　herself。　　On　the
outside　was　a　very　suitable　pensiveness；　and　affection　for　all　that
she　was　leaving。　　The　only　one　in　the　family　to　whom　she　talked　much
was　Norman；　who　continued　to　see　many　perfections　in　George；　and
contrived；　by　the　force　of　his　belief；　to　impress　the　same　on　the
others；　and　to　make　them　think　his　great　talent　for　silence　such　a
proof　of　his　discretion；　that　they　were　not　staggered；　even　by　his
shy　blundering　exclamation　that　his　wedding　would　be　a　great
nuisancea　phrase　which；　as　Dr。　May　observed；　was；　to　him；　what
Est…il…possible　was　to　his　namesake　of　Denmark。

Nobody　wished　for　any　misgivings；　so　Richard　was　never　told　of　any；
though　there　was　a　careful　watch　kept　to　see　what　were　his　first
impressions。　　None　transpired；　except　something　about　good　nature；
but　it　was　shrewdly　believed　that　Richard　and　George；　being　much
alike　in　shy　unwillingness　to　speak；　had　been　highly　satisfied　with
the　little　trouble　they　had　caused　to　each　other；　and　so　had　come　to
a　tacit　esteem。

There　was　very　little　bustle　of　preparation。　　Excepting　the　packing；
everything　went　on　much　as　usual；　till　the　Thursday　morning；　and　then
the　children　were　up　early；　refreshing　the　Christmas　hollies；　and
working　up　their　excitement；　only　to　have　it　damped　by　the　suppressed
agitation　of　their　elders　at　the　breakfast…table。

Dr。　May　did　not　seem　to　know　what　he　was　about；　and　Flora　looked
paler　and　paler。　　She　went　away　before　the　meal　was　over；　and　when
Ethel　went　to　the　bedroom；　shortly　after；　she　found　that　she　had
fairly　broken　down；　and　was　kneeling　beside　Margaret's　sofa；　resting
her　head　on　her　sister's　bosom；　and　sobbingas　Ethel　had　never　seen
her　weep；　except　on　that　dreadful　night；　after　their　mother's　death。

In　a　person　ordinarily　of　such　self…command　as　Flora；　weeping　was　a
terrible　thing；　and　Margaret　was　much　distressed　and　alarmed；　but　the
worst　had　passed　before　Ethel　came　up；　and　Flora　was　able　to　speak。
〃Oh！　Margaret！　　I　cannot　leave　you！　　Oh！　how　happy　we　have　been〃

〃You　are　going　to　be　happier；　we　trust；　dearest；〃　said　Margaret
fondly。

〃Oh！　what　have　I　done？　　It　is　not　worth　it！〃

Ethel　thought　she　caught　those　words；　but　no　more。　　Mary's　step　was
heard；　and　Flora　was　on　her　feet；　instantly；　composing　herself
rapidly。　　She　shed　no　more　tears；　but　her　eyelids　were　very　heavy；
and　her　face　softened；　in　a　manner　that；　though　she　was　less　pretty
than　usual；　was　very　becoming　under　her　bridal　veil。　　She　recovered
calmness　and　even　cheerfulness；　while　reversing　the　usual　order　of
things；　and　dressing　her　bride's…maids；　who　would　never　have　turned
out　fit　to　be　seen；　but　for　the　exertions　of　herself；　Margaret；　and
Miss　Bracy。　　Ethel's　long　Scotch　bones　and　Mary's　round；　dumpy
shapelessness　were；　in　their　different　ways；　equally　hard　to
overcome；　and　the　one　was　swelled　out　with　a　fabulous　number　of
petticoats；　and　the　other　pinched　in；　till　she　gasped　and　screamed
for　mercy；　while　Blanche　and　Gertrude　danced　about；　beautiful　to
behold；　under　their　shady　hats；　and　presently；　with　a　light　tap　at
the　door；　Meta　Rivers　stepped　in；　looking　so　pretty；　that　all　felt
that　to　try　to　attain　to　such　an　appearance　was　vain。

Timid　in　her　affection；　she　hardly　dared　to　do　more　than　kiss　them；
and　whisper　her　pretty　caressing　words　to　each。　　There　was　no　more
timeDr。　Hoxton's　carriage　was　come　to　take　up　the　bride。

Ethel　did　as　she　was　told；　without　much　volition　of　her　own；　and　she
quitted　the　carriage；　and　was　drawn　into　her　place　by　Norman；
trusting　that　Meta　would　not　let　her　do　wrong；　and　relieved　that　just
in　front　of　her　were　the　little　ones；　over　whose　heads　she　could　see
her　father；　with　Flora's　veiled　bending　figure。

That　pause　while　the　procession　was　getting　into　order；　the　slow
movement　up　the　centre　aisle；　the　week…day　atmosphere　of　the　church；
brought　back　to　her　thoughts　a　very　different　time；　and　one　of　those
strange　echoings　on　the　mind　repeated　in　her　ears　the　words；　〃For　man
walketh　in　a　vain　shadow；　and　disquieteth　himself　in　vain〃

There　was　a　little　pauseGeorge　did　not　seem　to　be　forthcoming；　and
Meta　turned　round；　rather　uneasily；　and　whispered　something　about　his
having　been　so　nervous。　　However；　there　he　was；　looking　exceedingly
red；　and　very　sheepish；　and　disposed　to　fall　back　on　his　best　man；
Norman；　whose　countenance　was　at　the　brightestand　almost　handsome。

Dr。　Hoxton　performed　the　ceremony；　〃assisted　by〃　Richard。　　It　had
been　Flora's　choice；　and　his　loud　sonorous　voice　was　thought　very
impressive。　　Blanche　stood　the　nearest；　and　looked　happy　and
important；　with　Flora's　glove。　　Gertrude　held　Mary's　hand；　and　gazed
straight　up　into　the　fretted　roof；　as　if　that　were　to　her　the　chief
marvel。　　Ethel　stood　and　knelt；　but　did　not　seem；　to　herself；　to　have
the　power　of　thinking　or　feeling。　　She　saw　and　heardthat　was　all；
she　could　not　realise。

They　drew　her　forward；　when　it　was　over；　to　sign　her　name；　as
witness。　　She　took　up　the　pen；　looked　at　the　Flora　May；　written　for
the　last　time；　and　found　her　hand　so　trembling；　that　she　said；　half
smiling；　that　she　could　not　write。　　Mary　was　only　too　well　pleased　to
supply　the　deficiency。　　Dr。　May　looked　at　her　anxiously；　and　asked
whether　she　felt　overcome。

〃No；　papa。　　I　did　not　know　my　hand　was　shaky。〃

He　took　it　into　his；　and　pressed　it。　　Ethel　knew；　then；　how　much　had
been　undeveloped　in　her　own　mind；　catching　it；　as　it　were；　from　his
touch　and　look。　　The　thought　of　his　past　joythe　sad　fading　of　hope
for　Margaretthe　fear　and　doubt　for　their　present　brideabove　all；
the　sense　that　the　fashion　of　this　world　passeth　away；　and　that　it　is
not　the　outward　scene；　but　our　bearing　in　it；　that　is　to　last　for
ever。

The　bells　struck　up；　each　peal　ending　with　a　crash　that　gave　Ethel
some　vague　idea　of　fatality；　and　they　all　came　back　to　the　house；
where　Margaret　was　ready；　in　the　drawin