the daisy chain, or aspirations-第192章

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now　for　the　bairnies。〃

〃Here　is　one；　but　there　is　but　a　poor　show　forthcoming　to…night。　　Do
you　know　her？〃

There　was　an　unspeakable　joy　in　being　pressed　in　Aunt　Flora's　arms；
like　a　returning　beam　from　the　sunshine　of　seven　years　ago。

〃This　must　be　Ethel！　　My　dear；　how　you　tower　above　meyou　that　I
left　in　arms！　　And；〃　as　she　advanced　into　the　drawing…room〃why；
surely　this　is　not　Margaret！〃

〃A　Margaretnot　the　Margaret。　　I　wish　I　were；〃　said　Meta；　as　Mrs。
Arnott　stood　with　an　arm　on　her　shoulder；　in　the　midst　of　an　embrace；
Dr。　May　enjoying　her　perplexity　and　Meta's　blushes。　　〃See；　Flora；
these　black　locks　never　belonged　to　Calton　Hill　daisies；　yet　a　daisy
of　my　own　she　is。　　Can't　you　guess？〃

〃Miss　Rivers！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Arnott；　and　though　she　kissed　her
cordially；　Meta　suspected　a　little　doubt　and　disappointment。

〃Yes；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃We　change　Mary　for　this　little　woman　as
Flora's　lady…in…waiting；　when　she　and　her　husband　go　out　yachting　and
shooling。〃

〃Flora　and　her　husband！　　There's　a　marvellous　sound！　　Where　are
they？〃

〃They　are　staying　at　Eccleswood　Castle；〃　said　Ethel；　〃and　Mary　with
them。　　They　would　have　been　at　home　to　receive　you；　but　your　note
yesterday　took　us　all　by　surprise。　　Norman　is　away　too；　at　a　college
meeting。〃

〃And　Margaretmy　Margaret！　　Does　not　she　come　downstairs？〃

〃Ah！　poor　dear；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃she　has　not　been　in　this　room　since
that　sultry　day　in　July。〃

〃The　eighteenth；〃　said　Richard；　the　precision　of　the　date　marking　but
too　well　the　consciousness　that　it　was　an　epoch。

〃We　can　keep　her　quieter　upstairs；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃but　you　must　not
see　her　to…night。　　She　will　enjoy　you　very　much　to…morrow；　but
excitement　at　night　always　does　her　harm；　so　we　put　her　to　bed；　and
told　her　to　think　about　no　one。〃

Mrs。　Arnott　looked　at　him　as　if　longing；　but　dreading；　to　ask
further；　and　allowed　her　nephew　and　niece　to　seat　her　at　the　table；
and　attend　to　her　wants；　before　she　spoke　again。　　〃Then　the　babies。〃

〃We　don't　keep　babies；　Gertrude　would　tell　you；〃　said　Dr。　May。
〃There　are　three　great　creatures；　whom　Ethel　barbarously　ordered　off
to　bed。　　Ethel　is　master　here；　you　must　know；　Florawe　all　mind　what
she　says。〃

〃Oh；　papa；〃　pleaded　Ethel；　distressed；　〃you　know　it　was　because　I
thought　numbers　might　be　oppressive。〃

〃I　never　dispute；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃We　bow　to　a　beneficial　despotism；
and　never　rebel；　do　we；　Meta？〃

Seeing　that　Ethel　took　the　imputation　to　heart；　Meta　rejoined；　　〃You
are　making　Mrs。　Arnott　think　her　the　strong…minded　woman　of　the
family；　who　winds　up　the　clock　and　cuts　the　bread。〃

〃No；　that　she　makes　you　do；　when　the　boys　are　away。〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Ethel；　〃I　can't　be　vituperated　about　hunches　of
bread。　　I　have　quite　enough　to　bear　on　the　score　of　tea。〃

〃Your　tea　is　very　good；〃　said　Richard。

〃See　how　they　propitiate　her；〃　maliciously　observed　the　doctor。

〃Not　at　all；　it　is　Richard　standing　up　for　his　pupil；〃　said　Ethel。
〃It　is　all　very　well　now；　with　people　who　know　the　capacities　of
mortal　tea；　but　the　boys　expect　it　to　last　from　seven　o'clock　to　ten；
through　an　unlimited　number　of　cups；　till　I　have　announced　that　a
teapot　must　be　carved　on　my　tombstone；　with　an　epitaph；　'Died　of
unreasonable　requirements。'〃

Mrs。　Arnott　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　amused；　observant；　and
perceiving　that　they　were　all　under　that　form　of　shyness　which　brings
up　family　wit　to　hide　embarrassment　or　emotion。

〃Is　Harry　one　of　these　unreasonable　boys？〃　she　asked。　　〃My　dear
HarryI　presume　Ethel　has　not　sent　him　to　bed。　　Is　there　any　hope　of
my　seeing　him？〃

〃Great　hope；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃He　has　been　in　the　Baltic　fleet；　a
pretty　little　summer　trip；　from　which　we　expect　him　to　return　any
day。　　My　old　Lion！　　I　am　glad　you　had　him　for　a　little　while；　Flora。

〃Dear　fellow！　his　only　fault　was　being　homesick；　and　making　me　catch
the　infection。〃

〃I　am　glad　you　did　not　put　off　your　coming；〃　said　Dr。　May　gravely。

〃You　are　in　time　for　the　consecration；〃　said　Richard。

〃Ah！　Cocksmoor！　　When　will　it　take　place？〃

〃On　St。　Andrew's　Day。　　It　is　St。　Andrew's　Church；　and　the　bishop
fixed　the　day；　otherwise　it　is　a　disappointment　that　Hector　cannot　be
present。〃

〃Hector？〃

〃Hector　Ernescliffepoor　Alan's　brother；　whom　we　don't　well　know
from　ourselves。〃

〃And　you　are　curate；　Ritchie？〃　said　his　aunt〃if　I　may　still　call
you　so。　　You　are　not　a　bit　altered　from　the　mouse　you　used　to　be。〃

〃Church　mouse　to　Cocksmoor；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃nearly　as　poor。　　We　are
to　invest　his　patrimony　in　a　parsonage　as　soon　as　our　architect　in
ordinary　can　find　time　for　it。　　Spenceryou　remember　him？〃

〃I　remember　how　you　and　he　used　to　be　inseparable！　　And　he　has
settled　down；　at　last；　by　your　side？〃

〃The　two　old　doctors　hope　to　bolster　each　other　up　till　Mr。　Tom　comes
down　with　modern　science　in　full　force。　　That　boy　will　do　great
thingshe　has　as　clear　a　head　as　I　ever　knew。〃

〃And　more〃　said　Ethel。

〃Ay；　as　sound　a　heart。　　I　must　find　you　his　tutor's　letter；　Flora。
They　have　had　a　row　in　his　tutor's　house　at　Eton；　and　our　boys　made　a
gallant　stand　for　the　right；　Tom　especially；　guarding　the　little
fellows　in　a　way　that　does　one　good　to　hear　of。〃

〃'I　must　express　my　strong　sense　of　gratitude　for　his　truth；
uprightness；　and　moral　courage；'〃　quoted　Meta。

〃Ah；　ha！　you　have　learned　it　by　heart！　　I　know　you　copied　it　out　for
Norman；　who　has　the　best　right　to　rejoice。〃

〃You　have　a　set　of　children　to　be　proud　of；　Richard！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。
Arnott。

〃To　be　surprised　atto　be　thankful　for；〃　said　Dr。　May；　almost
inarticulately。

To　see　her　father　so　happy　with　Mrs。　Arnott　necessarily　drew　Ethel's
heart　towards　her；　and；　when　they　had　bidden　him　goodnight；　the　aunt
instantly　assumed　a　caressing　confidence　towards　Ethel；　particularly
comfortable　to　one　consciously　backward　and　awkward；　and　making　her
feel　as　intimate　as　if　the　whole　space　of　her　rational　life　had　not
elapsed　since　their　last　meeting。

〃Must　you　go；　my　dear？〃　said　her　aunt；　detaining　her　over　her　fire。
〃I　can't　tell　how　to　spare　you。　　I　want　to　hear　of　your　dear　father。
He　looks　aged　and　thin；　Ethel；　and　yet　that　sweet　expression　is　the
same　as　ever。　　Is　he　very　anxious　about　poor　Margaret？〃

〃Not　exactly　anxious；〃　said　Ethel　mournfully〃there　is　not　much　room
for　that。〃

〃My　dear　Ethelyou　don't　mean？I　thought〃

〃I　suppose　we　ought　to　have　written　more　fully；〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　it
has　been　very　gradual；　and　we　never　say　it　to　ourselves。　　She　is　as
bright；　and　happy；　and　comfortable　as　ever；　in　general；　and；　perhaps；
may　be　so　for　a　long　time　yet；　but　each　attack　weakens　her。〃

〃What　kind　of　attack？〃

〃Faintness…sinking。　　It　is　suspended　action　of　the　heart。　　The　injury
to　the　spine　deranged　the　system；　and　then　the　long　suspense；　and　the
shock　It　is　not　one　thing　more　than　another；　but　it　must　go　on。
Dr。　Spencer　will　tell　you。　　You　won't　ask　papa　too　much　about　it？〃

〃No；　indeed。　　And　he　bears　it〃

〃He　bears　everything。　　Strength　comes　up　out　of　his　great　lovingness。
But；　oh！　I　sometimes　long　that　he　may　never　have　any　more　sorrows。〃

〃My　poor　child！〃　said　Mrs。　Arnott；　putting　her　arm　round　her　niece's
waist。

Ethel　rested　her　head　on　her　shoulder。　　〃Aunt　Flora！　　Aunt　Flora！　　If
any　words　could　tell　what　Margaret　has　been　ever　since　we　were　left。
Oh；　don't　make　me　talk　or　think　of　ourselves　without　her。　　It　is
wrong　to　wish。　　And　when　you　see　her；　that　dear　face　of　hers　will
make　you　happy　in　the　present。　　Then；〃　added　Ethel；　not　able　to　leave
off　with　such　a　subject；　〃you　have　our　Norman　to　see。〃

〃Ah！　　Norman's　project　is　too　delightful　to　us；　but　I　fear　what　it
may　be　to　your　father。〃

〃He　gives　dear　Norman；　as　his　most　precious　gift；　the　flower　and
pride　of　us　all。〃

〃But；　Ethel；　I　am　quite　frightened　at　Miss　Rivers's　looks。　　Is　it
possible　that〃

〃Aunt　Flora；〃　broke　in　Ethel；　〃don't　say　a　word　against　it。　　The
choicest　goods　wear　the　best；　and　whatever　woman　can　do；　Meta　Rivers
can。　　Norman　is　a　great　tall　fellow；　as　clever　as　possible；　but
perfectly　feckless。　　If　you　had　him　there　alone；　he　would　be　a　bee
without　a　queen。〃

〃Well；　but〃

〃Listen；〃　continued　Ethel。　　〃Meta　is　a　concentratio