the daisy chain, or aspirations-第152章

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she　would　not　have　taken　her　out　before　her　christening。〃

〃Ethel；〃　said　Dr。　Spencer；　〃permit　me　to　make　a　suggestion。　　When
relations　live　in　the　same　neighbourhood；　there　is　no　phrase　to　be
more　avoided　than　'I　should　have　thought'〃

The　nomination…day　brought　Flora；　Meta；　baby　and　all　to　be　very
quiet；　as　was　said；　but　how　could　that　be？　when　every　boy　in　the
house　was　frantic；　and　the　men　scarcely　less　so。　　Aubrey　and
Gertrude；　and　the　two　jackdaws；　each　had　a　huge　blue　and　orange
rosette；　and　the　two　former　went　about　roaring　〃Rivers　for　ever！〃
without　the　least　consideration　for　the　baby；　who　would　have　been
decked　in　the　same　manner；　if　Ethel　would　have　heard　of　it　without
indignation；　at　her　wearing　any　colour　before　her　christening　white；
as　to　Jack　and　Jill；　though　they　could　say　their　lesson；　they　were
too　much　distressed　by　their　ornaments　to　do　ought　but　lurk　in
corners；　and　strive　to　peck　them　off。

Flora　comported　herself　in　her　usual　quiet　way；　and　tried　to　talk　of
other　things；　though　a　carnation　spot　in　each　cheek　showed　her
anxiety　and　excitement。　　She　went　with　her　sisters　to　look　out　from
Dr。　Spencer's　windows　towards　the　Town　Hall。　　Her　husband　gave　her
his　arm　as　they　went　down　the　garden；　and　Ethel　saw　her　talking
earnestly　to　him；　and　pressing　his　arm　with　her　other　hand　to　enforce
her　words；　but　if　she　did　tutor　him；　it　was　hardly　visible；　and　he
was　very　glad　of　whatever　counsel　she　gave。

She　spoke　not　a　word　after　the　ladies　were　left　with　Aubrey；　who　was
in　despair　at　not　being　allowed　to　follow　Hector　and　Tom；　but　was
left；　as　his　prematurely　classical　mind　expressed　it；　like　the
Gaulish　women　with　the　impedimenta　in　the　marsheswhereas　Tom　had
added　insult　to　injury；　by　a　farewell　to　〃Jack　among　the　maidens。〃

Meta　tried　to　console　him；　by　persuading　him　that　he　was　their
protector；　and　he　began　to　think　there　was　need　of　a　guard；　when　a
mighty　cheer　caused　him　to　take　refuge　behind　Ethel。　　Even　when
assured　that　it　was　anything　but　terrific；　he　gravely　declared　that
he　thought　Margaret　would　want　him；　but　he　could　not　cross　the　garden
without　Meta　to　protect　him。

She　would　not　allow　any　one　else　to　relieve　her　from　the　doughty
champion；　and　thereby　she　missed　the　spectacle。　　It　might　be　that　she
did　not　regret　it；　for　though　it　would　have　been　unkind　to　refuse　to
come　in　with　her　brother　and　sister；　her　wound　was　still　too　fresh
for　crowds；　turmoil；　and　noisy　rejoicing　to　be　congenial。　　She　did
not　withdraw　her　hand；　which　Aubrey　squeezed　harder　at　each
resounding　shout；　nor　object　to　his　conducting　her　to　see　his　museum
in　the　dark　corner　of　the　attics；　most　remote　from　the　tumult。

The　loss　was　not　great。　　The　others　could　hear　nothing　distinctly；
and　see　only　a　wilderness　of　heads；　but　the　triumph　was　complete。
Dr。　May　had　been　cheered　enough　to　satisfy　even　Hector；　George　Rivers
had　made　a　very　fair　speech；　and　hurrahs　had　covered　all
deficiencies；　Hector　had　shouted　till　he　was　as　hoarse　as　the
jackdaws；　the　opposite　candidate　had　never　come　forward　at　all；
Tomkins　was　hiding　his　diminished　head；　and　the　gentlemen　had　nothing
to　report　but　success；　and　were　in　the　highest　spirits。

By　and　by　Blanche　was　missing；　and　Ethel；　going　in　quest　of　her；
spied　a　hem　of　blue　merino　peeping　out　under　all　the　cloaks　in　the
hall　cupboard；　and　found　the　poor　little　girl　sobbing　in　such
distress；　that　it　was　long　before　any　explanation　could　be　extracted；
but　at　last　it　was　revealedwhen　the　door　had　been　shut；　and　they
stood　in　the　dark；　half　stifled　among　the　cloaks；　that　George's
spirits　had　taken　his　old　facetious　style　with　Blanche；　and　in　the
very　hearing　of　Hector！　　The　misery　of　such　jokes　to　a　sensitive
child；　conscious　of　not　comprehending　their　scope；　is　incalculable；
and　Blanche　having　been　a　baby…coquette；　was　the　more　susceptible。
She　hid　her　face　again　from　the　very　sound　of　her　own　confession；　and
resisted　Ethel's　attempts　to　draw　her　out　of　the　musty　cupboard；
declaring　that　she　could　never　see　either　of　them　again。　　Ethel；　in
vain；　assured　her　that　George　was　gone　to　the　dinner　at　the　Swan；
nothing　was　effectual　but　being　told　that　for　her　to　notice　what　had
passed　was　the　sure　way　to　call　Hector's　attention　thereto；　when　she
bridled；　emerged；　and　begged　to　know　whether　she　looked　as　if　she　had
been　crying。　　Poor　child；　she　could　never　again　be　unconscious；　but；
at　least；　she　was　rendered　peculiarly　afraid　of　a　style　of　notice；
that　might　otherwise　have　been　a　temptation。

Ethel　privately　begged　Flora　to　hint　to　George　to　alter　his　style　of
wit；　and　the　suggestion　was　received　better　than　the　blundering
manner　deserved；　Flora　was　too　exulting　to　take　offence；　and　her
patronage　of　all　the　world　was　as　full…blown　as　her　ladylike　nature
allowed。　　Ethel；　she　did　not　attempt　to　patronise；　but　she　promised
all　the　sights　in　London　to　the　children；　and　masters　to　Mary　and
Blanche；　and　she　perfectly　overwhelmed　Miss　Bracy　with　orphan　asylums
for　her　sisters。　　She　would　have　liked　nothing　better　than　dispersing
cards；　with　Mrs。　Rivers　prominent　among　the　recommenders　of　the　case。

〃A　fine　coming…out　for　you；　little　lady；〃　said　she　to　her　baby；　when
taking　leave　that　evening。　　〃If　it　was　good　luck　for　you　to　make　your
first　step　in　life　upwards；　what　is　this？〃

〃Excelsior？〃　said　Ethel；　and　Flora　smiled；　well　pleased；　but　she　had
not　caught　half　the　meaning。　　〃May　it　be　the　right　excelsior〃　added
Ethel；　in　a　low　voice　that　no　one　heard；　and　she　was　glad　they　did
not。　　They　were　all　triumphant；　and　she　could　not　tell　why　she　had　a
sense　of　sadness；　and　thought　of　Flora's　story　long　ago；　of　the　girl
who　ascended　Mont　Blanc；　and　for　what？

All　she　had　to　do　at　present　was　to　listen　to　Miss　Bracy；　who　was
sure　that　Mrs。　Rivers　thought　Mary　and　Blanche　were　not　improved；　and
was　afraid　she　was　ungrateful　for　all　the　intended　kindness　to　her
sister。

Ethel　had　more　sympathy　here；　for　she　had　thought　that　Flora　was
giving　herself　airs；　and　she　laughed　and　said　her　sister　was　pleased
to　be　in　a　position　to　help　her　friends；　and　tried　to　turn　it　off；
but　ended　by　stumbling　into　allowing　that　prosperity　was　apt　to　make
people　over…lavish　of　offers　of　kindness。

〃Dear　Miss　Ethel；　you　understand　so　perfectly。　　There　is　no　one　like
you！〃　cried　Miss　Bracy；　attempting　to　kiss　her　hand。

If　Ethel　had　not　spoken　rightly　of　her　sister；　she　was　sufficiently
punished。

What　she　did　was　to　burst　into　a　laugh；　and　exclaim；　〃Miss　Bracy！
Miss　Bracy！　　I　can't　have　you　sentimental。　　I　am　the　worst　person　in
the　world　for　it。〃

〃I　have　offended。　　You　cannot　feel　with　me！〃

〃Yes；　I　can；　when　it　is　sense；　but　please　don't　treat　me　like　a
heroine。　　I　am　sure　there　is　quite　enough　in　the　world　that　is
worrying；　without　picking　shades　of　manner　to　pieces。　　It　is　the　sure
way　to　make　an　old　crab　of　me；　and　so　I　am　going　off。　　Only；　one
parting　piece　of　advice；　Miss　Bracyread　'Frank　Fairlegh'；　and　put
everybody　out　of　your　head。〃

And；　thinking　she　had　been　savage　about　her　hand；　Ethel　turned　back；
and　kissed　the　little　governess's　forehead；　wished　her　goodnight；　and
ran　away。

She　had　learned　that；　to　be　rough　and　merry；　was　the　best　way　of
doing　Miss　Bracy　good　in　the　end；　and　so　she　often　gave　herself　the
present　pain　of　knowing　that　she　was　being　supposed　careless　and
hard…hearted；　but　the　violent　affection　for　her　proved　that　the
feeling　did　not　last。

Ethel　was　glad　to　sit　by　the　fire　at　bed…time；　and　think　over　the
day；　outwardly　so　gay；　inwardly　so　fretting　and　perplexing。

It　was　the　first　time　that　she　had　seen　much　of　her　little　niece。
She　was　no　great　baby…handler；　nor　had　she　any　of　the　phrases　adapted
to　the　infant　mind；　but　that　pretty　little　serene　blue…eyed　girl　had
been　her　chief　thought　all　day；　and　she　was　abashed　by　recollecting
how　little　she　had　dwelt　on　her　own　duties　as　her　sponsor；　in　the
agitations　excited　by　the　doubts　about　her　coadjutor。

She　took　out　her　Prayer…book；　and　read　the　Service　for　Baptism；
recollecting　the　thoughts　that　had　accompanied　her　youngest　sister's
orphaned　christening；　〃The　vain　pomp　and　glory　of　the　world；　and　all
covetous　desires　of　the