the daisy chain, or aspirations-第138章

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Ethel　hastened　towards　the　house；　glad　of　the　permission　granted　by
his　true　good…breeding。

There　was　a　shriek　of　welcome　from　Mary；　who　sat　working　beside
Margaret。　　Ethel　was　certain　that　no　evil　tidings　had　come　to　her
eldest　sister；　so　joyous　was　her　exclamation　of　wonder　and　rebuke　to
her　home…sick　Ethel。　　〃Naughty　girl！　running　home　at　once！　　I　did
think　you　would　have　been　happy　there！〃

〃So　I　was；〃　said　Ethel　hastily；　〃but　who　do　you　think　I　have　brought
home？〃　　Margaret　flushed　with　such　a　pink；　that　Ethel　resolved　never
to　set　her　guessing　again；　and　hurried　to　explain；　and　having　heard
that　all　was　well；　and　taken　her　housekeeping　measures；　she　proceeded
to　fetch　the　guest；　but　Mary；　who　had　been　unusually　silent　all　this
time；　ran　after　her；　and　checked　her。

〃Ethel；　have　you　heard？〃　she　said。

〃Have　you？〃　said　Ethel。

〃George　Larkins　rode　in　this　morning　to　see　when　papa　would　come
home；　and　he　told　me。　　He　said　I　had　better　not　tell　Margaret；　for　he
did　not　believe　it。〃

〃And　you　have　not！　　That　is　very　good　of　you；　Mary。〃

〃Oh！　I　am　glad　you　are　come！　　I　could　not　have　helped　telling；　if　you
had　been　away　a　whole　week！　　But；　Ethel；　does　papa　believe　it？〃　　Poor
Mary's　full　lip　swelled；　and　her　eyes　swam；　ready　to　laugh　or　weep；
in　full　faith　in　her　sister's　answer。

Ethel　told　of　Meta's　captain；　and　the　smile　predominated；　and　settled
down　into　Mary's　usual　broad　beamy　look；　like　a　benignant　rising　sun
on　the　sign　of　an　inn；　as　Ethel　praised　her　warmly　for　a　fortitude
and　consideration　of　which　she　had　not　thought　her　capable。

Dr。　Spencer　was　discovered　full　in　the　midst　of　the　comedy　of　the
forty　thieves；　alternating；　as　required；　between　the　robber…captain
and　the　ass；　and　the　children　in　perfect　ecstasies　with　him。

They　all　followed　in　his　train　to　the　drawing…room；　and　were　so
clamorous；　that　he　could　have　no　conversation　with　Margaret。　　He
certainly　made　them　so；　but　Ethel；　remembering　what　a　blow　her
disclosures　had　been；　thought　it　would　be　only　a　kindness　to　send
Aubrey　to　show　him　to　his　room；　where　he　might　have　some　peace。

She　was　not　sorry　to　be　very　busy；　so　as　to　have　little　time　to　reply
to　the　questions　on　the　doings　at　Oxford；　and　the　cause　of　her　sudden
return；　and　yet　it　would　have　been　a　comfort　to　be　able　to　sit　down
to　understand　herself；　and　recall　her　confused　thoughts。　　But
solitary　reflection　was　a　thing　only　to　be　hoped　for　in　that　house　in
bed；　and　Ethel　was　obliged　to　run　up　and　down；　and　attend　to
everybody；　under　an　undefined　sense　that　she　had　come　home　to　a　dull；
anxious　world　of　turmoil。

Margaret　seemed　to　guess　nothing；　that　was　one　comfort；　she　evidently
thought　that　her　return　was　fully　accounted　for　by　the　fascination　of
her　papa's　presence　in　a　strange　place。　　She　gave　Ethel　no　credit　for
the　sacrifice；　naturally　supposing　that　she　could　not　enjoy　herself
away　from　home。　　Ethel　did　not　know　whether　to　be　glad　or　not；　she
was　relieved；　but　it　was　flat。　　As　to　Norman　Ogilvie；　one　or　two
inquiries　whether　she　liked　him；　and　if　Norman　were　going　to　Scotland
with　him；　were　all　that　passed；　and　it　was　very　provoking　to　be　made
so　hot　and　conscious　by　them。

She　could　not　begin　to　dress　till　late；　and　while　she　was　unpacking；
she　heard　her　father　come　home；　among　the　children's　loud　welcomes；
and　go　to　the　drawing…room。　　He　presently　knocked　at　the　door　between
their　rooms。

〃So　Margaret　does　not　know？〃　he　said。

〃No；　Mary　has　been　so　very　good；〃　and　she　told　what　had　passed。

〃Well　done；　Mary；　I　must　tell　her　so。　　She　is　a　good　girl　on　a　pinch；
you　see！〃

〃And　we　don't　speak　of　it　now？　　Or　will　it　hurt　Margaret　more　to
think　we　keep　things　from　her？〃

〃That　is　the　worst　risk　of　the　two。　　I　have　seen　great　harm　done　in
that　way。　　Mention　it；　but　without　seeming　to　make　too　much　of　it。〃

〃Won't　you；　papa？〃

〃You　had　betterit　will　seem　of　less　importance。　　I　think　nothing　of
it　myself。〃

Nevertheless；　Ethel　saw　that　he　could　not　trust　himself　to　broach　the
subject　to　Margaret。

〃How　was　the　Larkins'　baby？〃

〃Doing　better。　　What　have　you　done　with　Spencer？〃

〃I　put　him　into　Richard's　room。　　The　children　were　eating　him　up！　　He
is　so　kind　to　them。〃

〃Ay！　I　say；　Ethel；　that　was　a　happy　consequence　of　your　coming　home
with　me。〃

〃What　a　delightful　person　he　is！〃

〃Is　he　not？　　A　true　knight　errant；　as　he　always　was！　　I　could　not
tell　you　what　I　owed　to　him　as　a　boyall　my　life；　I　may　say。
Ethel；〃　he　added　suddenly：　〃we　must　do　our　best　to　make　him　happy
here。　　I　know　it　nowI　never　guessed　it　then；　but　one　is　very　hard
and　selfish　when　one　is　happy〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　papa？〃

〃I　see　it　now；〃　continued　Dr。　May　incoherently；　〃the　cause　of　his
wandering　lifeadvantages　thrown　aside。　　He！　the　most　worthy。
Things　I　little　heeded　at　the　time　have　come　back　on　me！　　I
understand　why　he　banished　himself！〃

〃Why？〃　asked　Ethel　bewildered。

〃She　never　had　an　idea　of　it；　but　I　might　have　guessed　from　what　fell
from　him　unconsciously；　for　not　a　word　would　he　have　saidnor　did　he
say；　to　show　how　he　sacrificed　himself！〃

〃Who　was　it？　　Aunt　Flora？〃　said　Ethel；　beginning　to　collect　his
meaning。

〃No；　Ethel；　it　was　your　own　dear　mother！　　You　will　think　this　another
romantic　fancy　of　mine；　but　I　am　sure　of　it。〃

〃So　am　I；〃　said　Ethel。

〃Howwhat？　　Ah！　　I　remembered　after　we　parted　that　he　might　know
nothing〃

〃He　asked　me；〃　said　Ethel。

〃And　how　did　he　bear　it？〃

Ethel　told；　and　the　tears　filled　her　father's　eyes。

〃It　was　wrong　and　cruel　in　me　to　bring　him　home　unprepared！　and　then
to　leave　it　to　you。　　I　always　forget　other　people's　feelings。　　Poor
Spencer！　　And　now；　Ethel；　you　see　what　manner　of　man　we　have　here；
and　how　we　ought　to　treat　him。〃

〃Indeed　I　do！〃

〃The　most　unselfishthe　most　self…sacrificing〃　continued　Dr。　May。
〃And　to　see　what　it　all　turned　on！　　I　happened　to　have　this　place
open　to　methe　very　cause；　perhaps；　of　my　having　taken　things　easy
and　so　the　old　Professor　threw　opportunities　in　my　way；　while　Aubrey
Spencer；　with　every　recommendation　that　man　could　have；　was　set
aside；　and　exiled　himself；　leaving　the　station；　and　all　he　might　so
easily　have　gained。　　Ah；　Ethel；　Sir　Matthew　Fleet　never　came　near　him
in　ability。　　But　not　one　word　to　interfere　with　me　would　he　say；　and…
…how　I　have　longed　to　meet　him　again；　after　parting　in　my　selfish；
unfeeling　gladness；　and　now　I　have　nothing　to　do　for　him；　but　show
him　how　little　I　was　to　be　trusted　with　her。〃

Ethel　never　knew　how　to　deal　with　these　occasional　bursts　of　grief；
but　she　said　that　she　thought　Dr。　Spencer　was　very　much　pleased　to
have　met　with　him；　and　delighted　with　the　children。

〃Ah！　well；　you　are　her　children；〃　said　Dr。　May；　with　his　hand　on
Ethel's　shoulder。

So　they　went　downstairs；　and　found　Mary　making　tea；　and　Margaret；
fearing　Dr。　Spencer　was　overwhelmed　with　his　young　admirersfor
Aubrey　and　Gertrude　were　one　on　each　knee；　and　Blanche　standing
beside　him；　inflicting　on　him　a　catalogue　of　the　names　and　ages　of
all　the　eleven。

〃Ethel　has　introduced　you；　I　see；〃　said　Dr。　May。

〃Ay；　I　assure　you；　it　was　an　alarming　introduction。　　No　sooner　do　I
enter　your　garden；　than　I　hear　that　I　am　in　the　midst　of　the　Forty
Thieves。　　I　find　a　young　lady　putting　the　world　to　death；　after　the
fashion　of　Hamletand；　looking　about　to　find　what　I　have　lost；　I
find　this　urchin　has　robbed　me　of　my　namea　property　I　supposed　was
always　left　to　unfortunate　travellers；　however　small　they　might　be
chopped　themselves。〃

〃Well；　Aubrey　boy；　will　you　make　restitution？〃

〃It　is　my　name；〃　said　Aubrey　positively；　for；　as　his　father　added；
〃He　is　not　without　dread　of　the　threat　being　fulfilled；　and　himself
left　to　be　that　Anon　who；　Blanche　says；　writes　so　much　poetry。〃

Aubrey　privately　went　to　Ethel；　to　ask　her　if　this　were　possible；　and
she　had　to　reassure　him；　by　telling　him　that　they　were　〃only　in　fun。〃

It　was　fun　with　a　much　deeper　current　though；　for　Dr。　Spencer　was
saying；　with　a　smile；　between　gratification　and　sadness；　〃I　did　not
think　my　name　would　have　been　remembered　here　so　long。〃

〃We　had　used　up　mine；　and　the　grandfathers'；　and　the　uncles'；　and
began　to　think　we　m