the daisy chain, or aspirations-第142章

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to　return。〃

〃College！　　Court！　　What　are　you　going　to　do　at　Vienna？　　Where　have
you　left　your　senses？〃　asked　Dr。　May。

〃I　find　Sir　Henry　Walkinghame　is　there。　　I　have　been　on　an　exploring
expedition　to　Drydale；　found　out　his　man　of　business；　and　where　he　is
to　be　written　to。　　The　college　holds　a　court　at　Fordholm；　and　I　hope
to　have　our　business　settled。〃

Ethel　was　too　much　confounded　to　speak。　　Her　father　was　exclaiming　on
the　shortness　of　the　time。

〃Plenty　of　time；〃　said　Dr。　Spencer；　demonstrating　that　he　should　be
able　to　travel　comfortably；　and　have　four　days　to　spare　at　Viennaa
journey　which　he　seemed　to　think　less　of；　than　did　Dr。　May　of　going
to　London。

As　to　checking　him；　of　that　there　was　no　possibility；　nor；　indeed；
notion；　though　Ethel　did　not　quite　know　how　to　believe　in　it；　nor
that　the　plan　could　come　to　good。　　Ethel　was　much　better　by　this
time：　by　her　vigorous　efforts；　she　had　recovered　her　tone　of　mind　and
interest　in　what　was　passing；　and　though　now　and　then　Norman's
letters；　carrying　sentences　of　remembrance；　made　her　glow　a　little；
she　was　so　steady　to　her　resolution　that　she　averted　all　traffic　in
messages　through　her　brother's　correspondence；　and；　in　that　fear；
allowed　it　to　lapse　into　Margaret's　hands　more　than　she　had　ever
done。　　Indeed；　no　one　greatly　liked　writing　from　home；　it　was
heartless　work　to　say　always；　〃No　news　from　the　Alcestis　and　yet　they
all　declared　they　were　not　anxious。

Hector　Ernescliffe　knelt　a　great　while　beside　Margaret's　sofa；　on　the
first　evening　of　his　holidays；　and　there　was　a　long　low…voiced　talk
between　them。　　Ethel　wished　that　she　had　warned　him　off；　for　Margaret
looked　much　more　harassed　and　anxious；　after　having　heard　the
outpouring　of　all　that　was　on　his　mind。

Dr。　Spencer　thought　her　looking　worse；　when　he　came；　as　come　he　did；
on　the　appointed　day。　　He　had　brought　Sir　Henry　Walkinghame's　full
consent　to　the　surrender　of　the　land；　drawn　up　in　such　form　as　could
be　acted　upon；　and　a　letter　to　his　man　of　business。　　But　Nicolson！
He　was　a　worse　dragon　nearer　home；　hating　all　schools；　especially
hating　Dr。　May。

However；　said　Dr。　Spencer；　in　eastern　form；　〃Have　I　encountered
Rajahs；　and　smoked　pipes　with　three…tailed　Pachas；　that　I　should
dread　the　face　of　the　father　of　quarrymen。〃

What　he　did　with　the　father　of　quarrymen　was　not　known；　whether　he
talked　him　over；　or　bought　him　offMargaret　hoped　the　former；　Dr。
May　feared　the　latter；　the　results　were　certain；　Mr。　Nicolson　had
agreed　that　the　land　should　be　given
up。

The　triumphant　Dr。　Spencer　sat　down　to　write　a　statement　to　be　shown
to　the　college　authorities；　when　they　should　come　to　hold　their
court。

〃The　land　must　be　put　into　the　hands　of　trustees；〃　he　said。　　〃The
incumbent　of　course？〃

〃Then　yourself；　and　we　must　have　another。　　Your　son…in…law？〃

〃You；　I　should　think；〃　said　Dr。　May。

〃I！　　Why；　I　am　going。〃

〃Going；　but　not　gone；〃　said　his　friend。

〃I　must　go！　　I　tell　you；　Dick；　I　must　have　a　place　of　my　own　to　smoke
my　pipe　in。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃I　think　you　might　be　accommodated
here；　unless　you　wished　to　be　near　your　sister。〃

〃My　sister　is　always　resorting　to　watering…places。　　My　nieces　do
nothing　but　play　on　the　piano。　　No；　I　shall　perhaps　go　off　to
America；　the　only　place　I　have　not　seen　yet；　and　I　more　than　half
engaged　to　go　and　help　at　Poonshedagore。〃

〃Better　order　your　coffin　then；〃　muttered　Dr。　May。

〃I　shall　try　lodgings　in　London；　near　the　old　hospital；　perhapsand
go　and　turn　over　the　British　Museum　library。〃

〃Look　you　here；　Spencer；　I　have　a　much　better　plan。　　Do　you　know　that
scrap　of　a　house　of　mine；　by　the　back　gate；　just　big　enough　for　you
and　your　pipe？　　Set　up　your　staff　there。　　Ethel　will　never　get　her
school　built　without　you。〃

〃Oh！　that　would　be　capital！〃　cried　Ethel。

〃It　would　be　the　best　speculation　for　me。　　You　would　pay　rent；　and
the　last　old　woman　never　did；〃　continued　Dr。　May。　　〃A　garden　the
length　of　this　one〃

〃But　I　sayI　want　to　be　near　the　British　Museum。〃

〃Take　a　season…ticket；　and　run　up　once　a　week。〃

〃I　shall　teach　your　boys　to　smoke！〃

〃I'll　see　to　that！〃

〃You　have　given　Cocksmoor　one　lift；〃　said　Ethel；　〃and　it　will　never
go　on　without　you。〃

〃It　is　such　a　nice　house！〃　added　the　children；　in　chorus；　〃it　would
be　such　fun　to　have　you　there。〃

〃Daisy　will　never　be　able　to　spare　her　other　doctor；〃　said　Margaret；
smiling。

〃Run　to　Mrs。　Adams；　Tom；　and　get　the　key；〃　said　Dr。　May。

There　was　a　putting　on　of　hats　and　bonnets；　and　the　whole　party
walked　down　the　garden　to　inspect　the　housea　matter　of　curiosity　to
somefor　it　was　where　the　old　lady　had　resided　on　whom　Harry　had
played　so　many　tricks；　and　the　subject　of　many　myths　hatched　between
him　and　George　Larkins。

It　was　an　odd；　little　narrow　slip　of　a　house；　four　stories；　of　two
rooms　all　the　way　up；　each　with　a　large　window；　with　a　marked　white
eyebrow。　　Dr。　May　eagerly　pointed　out　all　the　conveniences；　parlour；
museum；　smoking　den；　while　Dr。　Spencer　listened；　and　answered
doubtfully；　and　the　children's　clamorous　anxiety　seemed　to　render　him
the　more　silent。

Hector　Ernescliffe　discovered　a　jackdaw's　nest　in　the　chimney；
whereupon　the　whole　train　rushed　off　to　investigate；　leaving　the　two
doctors　and　Ethel　standing　together　in　the　empty　parlour；　Dr。　May
pressing；　Dr。　Spencer　raising　desultory　objections；　but　so　evidently
against　his　own　wishes；　that　Ethel　said；　〃Now；　indeed；　you　must　not
disappoint　us　all。〃

〃No；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃it　is　a　settled　thing。〃

〃No；　no；　thanks；　thanks　to　you　all；　but　it　cannot　be。　　Let　me　go；〃
and　he　spoke　with　emotion。　　〃You　are　very　kind；　but　it　is　not　to　be
thought　of。〃

〃Why　not？〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃Spencer；　stay　with　me；〃　and　he　spoke　with
a　pleading；　almost　dependent　air。　　〃Why　should　you　go？〃

〃It　is　of　no　use　to　talk　about　it。　　You　are　very　kind；　but　it　will
not　do　to　encumber　you　with　a　lone　man；　growing　old。〃

〃We　have　been　young　together；〃　said　Dr。　May。

〃And　you　must　not　leave　papa；〃　added　Ethel。

〃No；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃Trouble　may　be　at　hand。　　Help　us　through　with
it。　　Remember；　these　children　have　no　uncles。〃

〃You　will　stay？〃　said　Ethel。

He　made　a　sign　of　assenthe　could　do　no　more；　and　just　then　Gertrude
came　trotting　back；　so　exceedingly　smutty；　as　to　call　everybody's
attention。　　Hector　had　been　shoving　Tom　half…way　up　the　chimney；　in
hopes　of　reaching　the　nest；　and　the　consequences　of　this　amateur
chimney…sweeping　had　been　a　plentiful　bespattering　of　all　the
spectators　with　soot；　that　so　greatly　distressed　the　young　ladies；
that　Mary　and　Blanche　had　fled　away　from　public　view。

Dr。　Spencer's　first　act　of　possession　was　to　threaten　to　pull　Tom
down　by　the　heels　for　disturbing　his　jackdaws；　whereupon　there　was　a
general　acclamation；　and　Dr。　May　began　to　talk　of　marauding　times；
when　the　jackdaws　in　the　Minster　tower　had　been　harried。

〃Ah！〃　said　Dr。　Spencer；　as　Tom　emerged；　blacker　than　the　outraged
jackdaws；　and　half　choked；　〃what　do　you　know　about　jackdaws'　nests？
You　that　are　no　Whichcote　scholars。〃

〃Don't　we？〃　cried　Hector；　〃when　there　is　a　jackdaw's　nest　in　Eton
Chapel；　twenty　feet　high。〃

〃Old　Grey　made　that！〃　said　Tom；　who　usually　acted　the　part　of　esprit
fort　to　Hector's　credulity。

〃Why；　there　is　a　picture　of　it　on　Jesse's　book；〃　said　Hector。

〃But　may　not　we　get　up　on　the　roof；　to　see　if　we　can　get　at　the　nest；
papa？　〃　said　Tom。

〃You　must　ask　Dr。　Spencer。　　It　is　his　house。〃

Dr。　Spencer　did　not　gainsay　it；　and　proceeded　even　to　show　the　old
Whichcote　spirit；　by　leading　the　assault；　and　promising　to　take　care
of　Aubrey；　while　Ethel　retained　Gertrude；　and　her　father　too；　for　Dr。
May　had　such　a　great　inclination　to　scramble　up　the　ladder　after
them；　that　she；　thinking　it　a　dangerous　experiment　for　so　helpless　an
arm；　was　obliged　to　assure　him　that　it　would　create　a　sensation　among
the　gossiphood　of　Stoneborough；　if　their　physician　were　seen
disporting　himself　on　the　top　of　the　house。

〃Ah！　　I'm　not　a　physician　unattached；　like　him；〃　said　Dr。　May；
laughing。　　〃Hullo！　have　you　got　up；　Tom？　　There's　a　door　up　there。
I'll　show　you〃

〃No；　don't　papa。　　Think　of　Mrs。　Ledwich；　and　ask