the daisy chain, or aspirations-第178章

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doctor；　who　could　not　bear　to　have　her　continually　harassed　and
disturbed；　and　yet　was　much　affected　by　witnessing　so　much
tenderness；　especially　in　Flora；　always　the　cold　utilitarian　member
of　his　family。

In　the　middle　of　the　day　she　rose　and　dressed；　because　George　was
unhappy　at　having　to　sit　without　her；　though　only　in　the　next　room。
She　sat　in　the　large　arm…chair；　turned　away　from　the　blinded　windows；
never　speaking　nor　moving；　save　when　he　came　to　her；　to　make　her　look
at　his　letters　and　notes；　when　she　would；　with　the　greatest　patience
and　sweetness；　revise　them；　suggest　word　or　sentence；　rouse　herself
to　consider　each　petty　detail；　and　then　sink　back　into　her　attitude
of　listless　dejection。　　To　all　besides；　she　appeared　totally
indifferent；　gently　courteous　to　Meta　and　to　her　father；　when　they
addressed　her；　but　otherwise　showing　little　consciousness　whether
they　were　in　the　room；　and　yet；　when　something　was　passing　about　her
father's　staying　or　returning；　she　rose　from　her　seat；　came　up　to　him
before　he　was　aware；　and　said；　〃Papa！　papa！　you　will　not　leave　me！〃
in　such　an　imploring　tone；　that　if　he　had　ever　thought　of　quitting
her；　he　could　not　have　done　so。

He　longed　to　see　her　left　to　perfect　tranquillity；　but　such　could　not
be　in　London。　　Though　theirs　was　called　a　quiet　house；　the　rushing
stream　of　traffic　wearied　his　country　ears；　the　door　bell　seemed
ceaselessly　ringing；　and　though　Meta　bore　the　brunt　of　the　notes　and
messages；　great　numbers　necessarily　came　up　to　Mr。　Rivers；　and　of
these　Flora　was　not　spared　one。　　Dr。　May　had　his　share　too　of
messages　and　business；　and　friends　and　relations；　the　Rivers'
kindred；　always　ready　to　take　offence　with　their　rich　connections；
and　who　would　not　be　satisfied　with　inquiries；　at　the　door；　but　must
see　Meta；　and　would　have　George　fetched　down　to　themold　aunts；　who
wanted　the　whole　story　of　the　child's　illness；　and　came　imagining
there　was　something　to　be　hushed　up；　Lady　Leonora　extremely　polite；
but　extremely　disgusted　at　the　encounter　with　them；　George　ready　to
be　persuaded　to　take　every　one　up　to　see　his　wife；　and　the
prohibition　to　be　made　by　Dr。　May　over　and　over　againit　was　a　most
tedious；　wearing　afternoon；　and　at　last；　when　the　visitors　had　gone；
and　George　had　hurried　back　to　his　wife；　Dr。　May　threw　himself　into
an　arm…chair　and　said；　〃Oh；　Meta；　sorrow　weighs　more　heavily　in　town
than　in　the　country！〃

〃Yes！〃　said　Meta。　　〃If　one　only　could　go　out　and　look　at　the　flowers；
and　take　poor　Flora　up　a　nosegay！〃

〃I　don't　think　it　would　make　much　difference　to　her；〃　sighed　the
doctor。

〃Yes；　I　think　it　would；〃　said　Meta；　〃it　did　to　me。　　The　sights　there
speak　of　the　better　sights。〃

〃The　power　to　look　must　come　from　within；〃　said　Dr。　May；　thinking　of
his　poor　daughter。

〃Ay；〃　said　Meta；　〃as　Mr。　Ernescliffe　said；　'heaven　is　as　near！'
But　the　skirts　of　heaven　are　more　easily　traced　in　our　mountain　view
than　here；　where；　if　I　looked　out　of　window；　I　should　only　see　that
giddy　string　of　carriages　and　people　pursuing　each　other！〃

〃Well；　we　shall　get　her　home　as　soon　as　she　is　able　to　move；　and　I
hope　it　may　soothe　her。　　What　a　turmoil　it　is！　　There　has　not　been
one　moment　without　noise　in　the　twenty…two　hours　I　have　been　here！〃

〃What　would　you　say　if　you　were　in　the　city？〃

〃Ah！　there's　no　talking　of　it；　but　if　I　had　been　a　fashionable　London
physician；　as　my　father…in…law　wanted　to　make　me；　I　should　have　been
dead　long　ago！〃

〃No；　I　think　you　would　have　liked　it　very　much。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Love's　a　flower　that　will　not　die；〃　repeated　Meta；　half　smiling。
〃You　would　have　found　so　much　good　to　do〃

〃And　so　much　misery　to　rend　one's　heart；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃But；　after
all；　I　suppose　there　is　only　a　certain　capacity　of　feeling。〃

〃It　is　within；　not　without；　as　you　said；〃　returned　Meta。

〃Ha；　there's　another！〃　cried　Dr。　May；　almost　petulant　at　the　sound　of
the　bell　again；　breaking　into　the　conversation　that　was　a　great
refreshment。

〃It　was　Sir　Henry　Walkinghame's　ring；〃　said　Meta。　　〃It　is　always　his
time　of　day。〃

The　doctor　did　not　like　it　the　better。

Sir　Henry　sent　up　a　message　to　ask　whether　he　could　see　Mr。　or　Miss
Rivers。

〃I　suppose　we　must；〃　said　Meta；　looking　at　the　doctor。　　〃Lady
Walkinghame　must　be　anxious　about　Flora。〃

She　blushed　greatly；　fancying　that　Dr。　May　was　putting　his　own
construction　on　the　heightened　colour　which　she　could　not　control。
Sir　Henry　came　in；　just　what　he　ought　to　be；　kindly　anxious；　but　not
overwhelming；　and　with　a　ready；　pleased　recognition　of　the　doctor；　as
an　old　acquaintance　of　his　boyhood。　　He　did　not　stay　many　minutes；
but　there　was　a　perceptible　difference　between　his　real　sympathy　and
friendly　regard　only　afraid　of　obtruding；　and　the　oppressive
curiosity　of　their　former　visitors。　　Dr。　May　felt　it　due；　both　from
kindness　and　candour；　to　say　something　in　his　praise　when　he　was
gone。

〃That　is　a　sensible　superior　man；〃　he　said。　〃He　will　be　an
acquisition　when　he　takes　up　his　abode　at　Drydale。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Meta；　a　very　simple　yes；　from　which　nothing　could　be
gathered。

The　funeral　was　fixed　for　Monday；　the　next　day　but　one；　at　the　church
where　Mr。　Rivers　had　been　buried。　　No　one　was　invited　to　be　present；
Ethel　wrote　that；　much　as　she　wished　it；　she　could　not　leave
Margaret；　and；　as　the　whole　party　were　to　return　home　on　the
following　day；　they　should　soon　see　Flora。

Flora　had　laid　aside　all　privileges　of　illness　after　the　first　day；
she　came　downstairs　to　breakfast　and　dinner；　and　though　looking
wretchedly　ill；　and　speaking　very　low　and　feebly；　she　was　as　much　as
ever　the　mistress　of　her　house。　　Her　father　could　never　draw　her　into
conversation　again　on　the　subject　nearest　his　heart；　and　could　only
draw　the　sad　conclusion　that　her　state　of　mind　was　unchanged；　from
the　dreary　indifference　with　which　she　allowed　every　word　of　cheer　to
pass　by　unheeded；　as　if　she　could　not　bear　to　look　beyond　the　grave。
He　had　some　hope　in　the　funeral；　which　she　was　bent　on　attending；　and
more　in　the　influence　of　Margaret；　and　the　counsel　of　Richard；　or　of
Mr。　Wllmot。

The　burial；　however；　failed　to　bring　any　peaceful　comfort　to　the
mourning　mother。　　Meta's　tears　flowed　freely；　as　much　for　her　father
as　for　her　little　niece；　and　George's　sobs　were　deep　and　choking；　but
Flora；　externally；　only　seemed　absorbed　in　helping　him　to　go　through
with　it；　she；　herself；　never　lost　her　fixed；　composed；　hopeless　look。

After　her　return；　she　went　up　to　the　nursery；　and　deliberately　set
apart　and　locked　up　every　possession　of　her　child's；　then；　coming
down；　startled　Meta　by　laying　her　hand　on　her　shoulder　and　saying；
〃Meta；　dear；　Preston　is　in　the　housekeeper's　room。　　Will　you　go　and
speak　to　her　for　a　moment；　to　reassure　her　before　I　come？〃

〃Oh；　Flora！〃

〃I　sent　for　her；〃　said　Flora；　in　answer。　　〃I　thought　it　would　be　a
good　opportunity　while　George　is　out。　　Will　you　be　kind　enough　to
prepare　her；　my　dear？〃

Meta　wondered　how　Flora　had　known　whither　to　send；　but　she　could　not
but　obey。　　Poor　Preston　was　an　ordinary　sort　of　woman；　kind…hearted；
and　not　without　a　conscience；　but　her　error　had　arisen　from　the　want
of　any　high　religious　principle　to　teach　her　obedience；　or　sincerity。
Her　grief　was　extreme；　and　she　had　been　so　completely　overcome　by　the
forbearance　and　consideration　shown　to　her；　that　she　was　even　more
broken…hearted　by　the　thought　of　them；　than　by　the　terrible　calamity
she　had　occasioned。

Kind…hearted　Mrs。　Larpent　had　tried　to　console　her；　as　well　as　to
turn　the　misfortune　to　the　best　account；　and　Dr。　May　had　once　seen
her；　and　striven　gently　to　point　out　the　true　evil　of　the　course　she
had　pursued。　　She　was　now　going　to　her　home；　and　they　augured　better
of　her；　that　she　had　been　as　yet　too　utterly　downcast　to　say　one　word
of　that　first　thought　with　a　servant；　her　character。

Meta　found　her　sobbing　uncontrollably　at　the　associations　of　her
master's　house；　and　dreadfully　frightened　at　hearing　that　she　was　to
see　Mrs。　Rivers；　she　began　to　entreat　to　the　contrary　with　the
vehemence　of　a　person　unused　to　any　self…government；　but；　in　the
midst；　the　low　calm　tones　were　heard；　and　her　mistress　stood　before
he