the daisy chain, or aspirations-第13章

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had　a　great　mind　to　persist。　　She　would　even　have　appealed　to　her
papa；　if　Flora　had　not　stopped　her；　exclaiming；　〃Really；　Ethel；　I
think　there　never　was　a　person　so　entirely　without　consideration　as
you　are。〃

Much　abashed；　Ethel　humbly　promised　that　if　she　might　go　into　papa's
room；　she　would　not　say　one　word　about　the　christening；　unless　he
should　begin；　and；　to　her　great　satisfaction；　he　presently　asked　her
to　read　the　service　to　him。　　Flora　came　to　the　doorway　of　Margaret's
room；　and　listened；　when　she　had　finished；　all　were　silent。

〃How　shall　we；　how　can　we　virtuously　bring　up　our　motherless　little
sister？〃　was　the　thought　with　each　of　the　girls。　　The　answers　were；
in　one　mind；　〃I　trust　we　shall　do　well　by　her；　dear　little　thing。　　I
see；　on　an　emergency；　that　I　know　how　to　act。　　I　never　thought　I　was
capable　of　being　of　so　much　use；　thanks　to　dear；　dear　mamma's
training。　　I　shall　manage；　I　am　sure；　and　so　they　will　all　depend　on
me；　and　look　up　to　me。　　How　nice　it　was　to　hear　dear　papa　say　what　he
did　about　the　comfort　of　my　being　able　to　look　after　Margaret。〃

In　the　other；　〃Poor　darling；　it　is　saddest　of　all　for　her；　because
she　knows　nothing；　and　will　never　remember　her　mamma！　　But　if
Margaret　is　but　better；　she　will　take　care　of　her；　and　oh　how　we
ought　to　tryand　I；　such　a　naughty　wild　thingif　I　should　hurt　the
dear　little　ones　by　carelessness；　or　by　my　bad　example！　　Oh！　what
shall　I　do；　for　want　of　some　one　to　keep　me　in　order？　　If　I　should
vex　papa　by　any　of　my　wrong　ways！〃

They　heard　the　return　of　the　others；　and　the　sisters　both　sprang　up；
〃May　we　bring　her　to　you？〃　said　Flora。

〃Yes；　do；　my　dears。〃

The　sisters　all　came　down　together　with　the　little　one；　and　Flora　put
her　down　within　the　arm　her　father　stretched　out　for　her。　　He　gazed
into　the　baby　face；　which；　in　its　expressionless　placidity；　almost
recalled　her　mother's　tranquil　sweetness。

〃Gertrude　Margaret；〃　said　Flora；　and　with　a　look　that　had　more　of
tenderness　than　grief；　he　murmured；　〃My　Daisy　blossom；　my　little
Maggie。〃

〃Might　we？〃　said　Ethel；　when　Flora　took　her　again；　〃might　we　take　her
to　her　godmother　to　see　if　she　would　notice　her？〃

He　looked　as　if　he　wished　it；　but　said；　〃No；　I　think　not；　better　not
rouse　her；〃　and　sighed　heavily；　then；　as　they　stood　round　his　bed；
unwilling　to　go；　he　added；　〃Girls；　we　must　learn　carefulness　and
thoughtfulness。　　We　have　no　one　to　take　thought　for　us　now。〃

Flora　pressed　the　babe　in　her　arms；　Ethel's　two　reluctant　tears　stood
on　her　cheeks；　Mary　exclaimed；　〃I'll　try　not　to　be　naughty；〃　and
Blanche　climbed　up　to　kiss　him；　saying；　〃I　will　be　always　good　papa。〃

〃Daisypapa's　Daisyyour　vows　are　made；〃　whispered　Ethel；　gaining
sole　possession　of　the　babe　for　a　minute。　　〃You　have　promised　to　be
good　and　holy。　　We　have　the　keeping　of　you；　mamma's　precious　flower；
her　pearl　of　truth！　　Oh；　may　God　guard　you　to　be　an　unstained　jewel；
till　you　come　back　to　her　againand　a　blooming　flower；　till　you　are
gathered　into　the　wreath　that　never　fadesmy　own　sweet　poor　little
motherless　Daisy！〃




CHAPTER　V。



Through　lawless　camp；　through　ocean　wild；
Her　prophet　eye　pursues　her　child；
Scans　mournfully　her　poet's　strain；
Fears　for　her　merchant；　loss　alike　and　gain。〃
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LYRA　INNOCENTIUM。


Dr。　May　took　the　management　of　himself　into　his　own　hands；　and　paid
so　little　attention　to　Mr。　Ward's　recommendations　that　his　sons　and
daughters　were　in　continual　dread　of　his　choosing　to　do　something
that　might　cause　injurious　agitation。

However；　he　did　not　go　further　than　Margaret's　bedroom　where　he　sat
hour　after　hour　his　eyes　fixed　upon　her；　as　she　continued　in　a　state
bordering　on　insensibility。　　He　took　little　notice　of　anything　else；
and　hardly　spoke。　　There　were　heavy　sighs　now　and　then；　but　Richard
and　Flora；　one　or　other　of　whom　were　always　watching　him；　could
hardly　tell　whether　to　ascribe　them　to　the　oppression　of　sorrow　or　of
suffering。　　Their　great　fear　was　of　his　insisting　on　seeing　his
wife's　face；　and　it　was　a　great　relief　that　he　never　alluded　to　her；
except　once；　to　desire　Richard　to　bring　him　her　ring。　　Richard
silently　obeyed；　and；　without　a　word；　he　placed　it　on　his　little
finger。　　Richard　used　to　read　the　Psalms　to　him　in　the　morning；
before　he　was　up；　and　Flora　would　bring　little　Daisy　and　lay　her　by
his　side。

To　the　last　moment　they　dreaded　his　choosing　to　attend　the　funeral；
and　Flora　had　decided　on　remaining　at　home；　though　trembling　at　the
thought　of　what　there　might　be　to　go　through。　　They　tried　to　let　him
hear　nothing　about　it；　but　he　seemed　to　know　everything；　and　when
Flora　came　into　Margaret's　room　without　her　bonnet；　he　raised　his
head；　and　said；　〃I　thought　you　were　all　going。〃

〃The　others　arebut　may　I　not　stay　with　you　and　her；　papa？〃

〃I　had　rather　be　alone；　my　dears。　　I　will　take　care　of　her。　　I　should
wish　you　all　to　be　there。〃

They　decided　that　his　wishes　ought　to　be　followed；　and　that　the
patients　must　be　entrusted　to　old　nurse。　　Richard　told　Flora；　who
looked　very　pale；　that　she　would　be　glad　of　it　afterwards；　and　she
had　his　arm　to　lean　upon。

The　grave　was　in　the　cloister　attached　to　the　minster；　a　smooth　green
square　of　turf；　marked　here　and　there　with　small　flat　lozenges　of
stone；　bearing　the　date　and　initials　of　those　who　lay　there；　and　many
of　them　recording　former　generations　of　Mays；　to　whom　their　descent
from　the　headmaster　had　given　a　right　of　burial　there。　　Dr。　Hoxton；
Mr。　Wilmot；　and　the　surgeon；　were　the　only　friends　whom　Richard　had
asked　to　be　with　them；　but　the　minster　was　nearly　full；　for　there　was
a　very　strong　attachment　and　respect　for　Dr。　and　Mrs。　May　throughout
the　neighbourhood；　and　every　one's　feelings　were　strongly　excited。

〃In　the　midst　of　life；　we　are　in　death〃　There　was　a　universal　sound
as　of　a　sort　of　sob；　that　Etheldred　never　disconnected　from　those
words。　　Yet　hardly　one　tear　was　shed　by　the　young　things　who　stood　as
close　as　they　could　round　the　grave。　　Harry　and　Mary　did　indeed　lock
their　hands　together　tightly；　and　the　shoulders　of　the　former　shook
as　he　stood；　bowing　down　his　head；　but　the　others　were　still　and
quiet；　in　part　from　awe　and　bewilderment；　but　partly；　too；　from　a
sense　that　it　was　against　her　whole　nature　that　there　should　be
clamorous　mourning　for　her。　　The　calm　still　day　seemed　to　tell　them
the　same；　the　sun　beaming　softly　on　the　gray　arches　and　fresh　grass；
the　sky　clear　and　blue；　and　the　trees　that　showed　over　the　walls
bright　with　autumn　colouring；　all　suitable　to　the　serenity　of　a　life
unclouded　to　its　last　moment。　　Some　of　them　felt　as　if　it　were　better
to　be　there　than　in　their　saddened　desolate　home。

But　home　they　must　go；　and；　before　going　upstairs；　as　Flora　and
Etheldred　stood　a　moment　or　two　with　Norman；　Ethel　said　in　a　tone　of
resolution；　and　of　some　cheerfulness；　〃Well；　we　have　to　begin
afresh。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Flora；　〃it　is　a　great　responsibility。　　I　do　trust　we　may
be　enabled　to　do　as　we　ought。〃

〃And　now　Margaret　is　getting　better；　she　will　be　our　stay；〃　said
Ethel。

〃I　must　go　to　her；〃　and　Flora　went　upstairs。

〃I　wish　I　could　be　as　useful　as　Flora；〃　said　Ethel；　but　I　mean　to
try；　and　if　I　can　but　keep　out　of　mischief；　it　will　be　something。

〃There　is　an　object　for　all　one　does；　in　trying　to　be　a　comfort　to
papa。〃

〃That's　no　use；〃　said　Norman；　listlessly。　〃We　never　can。〃

〃Oh；　but；　Norman；　he　won't　be　always　as　he　is　nowI　am　sure　he　cares
for　us　enough　to　be　pleased；　if　we　do　right　and　get　on。〃

〃We　used　to　be　so　happy！〃　said　Norman。

Ethel　hesitated　a　little；　and　presently　answered；　〃I　don't　think　it
can　be　right　to　lament　for　our　own　sakes　so　much；　is　it？〃

〃I　don't　want　to　do　so；〃　said　Norman；　in　the　same　dejected　way。

〃I　suppose　we　ought　not　to　feel　it　either。〃　　Norman　only　shook　his
head。　　〃We　ought　to　think　of　her　gain。　　You　can't？　　Well；　I　am　glad；
for　no　more　can　I。　　I　can't　think　of　her　liking　for　papa　and　baby　and
all　of　us　to　be　left　to　ourselves。　　But　that's　not　right　of　me；　and
of　course　it　all　comes　right　where　she　is；　so　I　always　put　that　out
of　my　head；　and　think　what　is　to　come　next　in　doing；　and　pleasing
papa；　and　learn