the daisy chain, or aspirations-第193章

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without　a　queen。〃

〃Well；　but〃

〃Listen；〃　continued　Ethel。　　〃Meta　is　a　concentration　of　spirit　and
energy；　delights　in　practical　matters；　is　twice　the　housewife　I　am；
and　does　all　like　an　accomplishment。　　Between　them；　they　will　make　a
noble　missionary〃

〃But　she　looks〃

〃Hush；〃　continued　the　niece。　　〃You　will　think　me　domineering；　but
please　don't　give　any　judgment　without　seeing；　for　they　look　to　you
as　an　arbitrator；　and　casual　words　will　weigh。〃

〃Thank　you；　Ethel；　perhaps　you　are　right。　　When　does　he　think　of
coming　out？〃

〃When　he　is　ordainedsome　time　next　year。〃

〃Does　she　live　with　you？〃

〃I　suppose　she　lives　with　Flora；　but　we　always　manage　to　get　her　when
Norman　is　at　home。〃

〃You　have　told　me　nothing　of　Flora　or　Mary。〃

〃I　have　little　real　to　tell。　　Good　old　Mary！　　I　dare　say　Harry　talked
to　you　plentifully　of　her。　　She　is　aa　nice　old　darling；〃　said　Ethel
fondly。　　〃We　want　her　again　very　much；　and　did　not　quite　bargain　for
the　succession　of　smart　visits　that　she　has　been　paying。〃

〃With　Flora？〃

〃Yes。　　Unluckily　George　Rivers　has　taken　an　aversion　to　the　Grange；
and　I　have　not　seen　Flora　this　whole　year。〃

Ethel　stopped　short；　and　said　that　she　must　not　keep　Margaret
expecting　her。　　Perhaps　her　aunt　guessed　that　she　had　touched　the
true　chord　of　anxiety。

The　morning　brought　a　cheering　account　of　Margaret；　and　Mrs。　Arnott
was　to　see　her　directly　after　breakfast。　　In　the　meantime；　the　firm
limbs；　blue　eyes；　and　rosy　face　of　Gertrude　seemed　a　fair
representation　of　the　little　bride's…maid；　whom　she　remembered。

A　very　different　niece　did　she　find　upstairs；　though　the　smiling；
overflowing　eyes；　and　the　fond；　eager　look　of　recognition；　as　if
asking　to　be　taken　to　her　bosom；　had　in　them　all　the　familiarity　of
old　tenderness。　　〃Auntie！　dear　auntie！　that　you　should　have　come　back
to　me　again！〃

Mrs。　Arnott　fondly　caressed　her；　but　could　not　speak　at　first；　for
even　her　conversation　with　Ethel　had　not　prepared　her　for　so　wasted
and　broken　an　appearance。　　Dr。　May　spoke　briskly　of　Margaret's　having
behaved　very　well　and　slept　like　a　good　child；　told　Margaret　where　he
had　to　go　that　morning；　and　pointed　out　to　Mrs。　Arnott　some　relics　of
herself　still　remaining；　but　the　nervous　tremulousness　of　manner　did
not　much　comfort　her；　although　Margaret　answered　cheerfully。　　Nothing
was　so　effectual　in　composing　the　aunt　as　Aubrey's　coming　headlong　in
to　announce　the　gig；　and　to　explain　to　Margaret　his　last　design　for　a
cathedraldrawing　plans　being　just　now　his　favourite　sport。

〃Architecture　is　all　our　rage　at　present；〃　said　Margaret；　as　her
father　hurried　away。

〃I　am　so　glad　to　have　come　in　time　for　the　consecration！〃　said　Mrs。
Arnott；　following　her　niece's　lead。　　〃Is　that　a　model　of　the　church？〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　cried　Margaret；　lighting　up。　　〃Richard　made　it　for　me。〃

〃May　I　show　it　to　Aunt　Flora？〃　said　Aubrey。

〃Bring　it　here；　if　you　can　lift　it；〃　said　Margaret；　and；　Aunt　Flora
helping；　the　great　cumbersome　thing　was　placed　beside　her；　whilst　she
smiled　and　welcomed　it　like　a　child；　and　began　an　eager　exhibition。
Was　it　not　a　beautiful　little　pierced　spire？that　was　an
extravagance　of　Dr。　Spencer's　own。　　Papa　said　he　could　not　ask
Captain　Gordon　to　sanction　itthe　model　did　it　no　justice；　but　it
was　so　very　beautiful　in　the　rich　creamy　stone　rising　up　on　the　moor；
and　the　blue　sky　looking　through；　and　it　caught　the　sunset　lights　so
beautifully。　　So　animated　was　her　description；　that　Mrs。　Arnott　could
not　help　asking；　〃Why；　my　dear；　when　have　you　seen　it？〃

〃Never；〃　said　Margaret；　with　her　sweet　smile。　〃I　have　never　seen
Cocksmoor；　but　Dr。　Spencer　and　Meta　are　always　sketching　it　for　me；
and　Ethel　would　not　let　an　effect　pass　without　telling　me。　　I　shall
hear　how　it　strikes　you　next。〃

〃I　hope　to　see　it　by　and　by。　　What　a　comfortable　deep　porch！　　If　we
could　build　such　churches　in　the　colonies；　Margaret！〃

〃See　what　little　Meta　will　do　for　you！　　Yes；　we　had　the　porch　deep
for　a　shelterthat　is　copied　from　the　west　door　of　the　minster；　and
is　it　not　a　fine　high…pitched　roof？　　John　Taylor；　who　is　to　be　clerk；
could　not　understand　its　being　open；　he　said；　when　he　saw　the
timbers；　that　a　man　and　his　family　might　live　up　among　them。　　They
are　noble　oak　beams；　we　would　not　have　any　shamhere；　Aubrey；　take
off　the　roof；　and　auntie　will　see　the　shape。〃

〃Like　the　ribs　of　a　ship；〃　explained　Aubrey；　unconscious　that　the
meaning　was　deeper　than　his　sister　could　express；　and　he　continued：
〃Such　fine　oak　beams！　　I　rode　with　Dr。　Spencer　one　day　last　year　to
choose　them。　　It　is　a　two…aisled　church；　you　see；　that　a　third　may　be
added。〃

Ethel　came　up　as　Aubrey　began　to　absorb　the　conversation。　　〃Lessons；
Aubrey；〃　she　said。　　〃So；　Margaret；　you　are　over　your　dear　model？〃

〃Not　forestalling　you　too　much　I　hope；　Ethel　dear；〃　said　Margaret；
〃as　you　will　show　her　the　church　itself。〃

〃You　have　the　best　right；〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　come；　Aubrey；　we　must　not
dawdle。〃

〃I　will　show　you　the　stones　I　laid　myself；　Aunt　Flora；〃　said　Aubrey；
running　off　without　much　reluctance。

〃Ethel　has　him　in　excellent　order；〃　said　Mrs。　Arnott。

〃That　she　has；　she　brings　him　on　beautifully；　and　makes　him　enjoy　it。
She　teaches　him　arithmetic　in　some　wonderful　scientific　way　that
nobody　can　understand　but　Norman；　and　he　not　the　details；　but　he　says
it　is　all　coming　right；　and　will　make　him　a　capital　mathematical
scholar；　though　he　cannot　add　up　pounds；　shillings；　and　pence。〃

〃I　expected　to　be　struck　with　Ethel；〃　said　Mrs。　Arnott；　〃and〃

〃Well；〃　said　Margaret；　waiting。

〃Yes；　she　does　exceed　my　expectations。　　There　is　something　curiously
winning　in　that　quaint；　quick；　decisive　manner　of　hers。　　There　is　so
much　soul　in　the　least　thing　she　does；　as　if　she　could　not　be
indifferent　for　a　moment。〃

〃Exactlyexactly　so；〃　said　Margaret；　delighted。　　〃It　is　really　doing
everything　with　all　her　might。　　Little；　simple；　everyday　matters　did
not　come　naturally　to　her　as　to　other　people；　and　the　having　had　to
make　them　duties　has　taught　her　to　do　them　with　that　earnest　manner；
as　if　there　were　a　right　and　a　wrong　to　her　in　each　little　mechanical
household　office。〃

〃Harry　described　her　to　me　thus；〃　said　Mrs。　Arnott；　smiling：　〃'As　to
Ethel；　she　is　an　odd　fish；　but　Cocksmoor　will　make　a　woman　of　her
after　all。'〃

〃Quite　true！〃　cried　Margaret。　　〃I　should　not　have　thought　Harry　had
so　much　discernment　in　those　days。　　Cocksmoor　gave　the　stimulus；　and
made　Ethel　what　she　is。　　Look　thereover　the　mantelpiece；　are　the
designs　for　the　painted　glass；　all　gifts；　except　the　east　window。
That　one　of　St。　Andrew　introducing　the　lad　with　the　loaves　and　fishes
is　Ethel's　window。　　It　is　the　produce　of　the　hoard　she　began　this
time　seven　years；　when　she　had　but　one　sovereign　in　the　world。　　She
kept　steadily　on　with　it；　spending　nothing　on　herself　that　she　could
avoid；　always　intending　it　for　the　church；　and　it　was　just　enough　to
pay　for　this　window。〃

〃Most　suitable；〃　said　Mrs。　Arnott。

〃Yes；　Mr。　Wilmot　and　I　persuaded　her　into　it；　but　I　do　not　think　she
would　have　allowed　it；　if　she　had　seen　the　application　we　made　of　it…
…the　gift　of　her　girlhood　blessed　and　extended。　　Dear　King　Etheldred；
it　is　the　only　time　I　ever　cheated　her。〃

〃This　is　a　beautiful　east　window。　　And　this　little　oneSt。　Margaret
I　see。〃

〃Ah！　papa　would　not　be　denied　choosing　that　for　his　subject。　　We
reproached　him　with　legendary　saints；　and　overwhelmed　him　with
antiquarianism；　to　show　that　the　Margaret　of　the　dragon　was　not　the
Margaret　of　the　daisy；　but　he　would　have　it；　and　said　we　might　thank
him　for　not　setting　his　heart　on　St。　Etheldreda。〃

〃This　one？〃

〃That　is　mine；〃　said　Margaret；　very　low；　and　her　aunt　abstained　from
remark；　though　unable　to　look；　without　tears；　at　the　ship　of　the
Apostles；　the　calming　of　the　storm；　and　the　scroll；　with　the　verse：


　　　　　　　　　He　bringeth　them　unto　the　haven　where　they　would　be。


Beneath　were　the　initials；　〃A。　H。　E。；〃　and　the　date　of　the　year；　the
only　memorials　of　the　founder。

Margaret　next　drew　attention　to　St。　Andrew　with　his　crossMeta's
gift。　　〃And；　besides；〃　she　said；　〃George　Rivers　made　us　a　beautiful
present；　which　Meta　hunted