the daisy chain, or aspirations-第194章

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gift。　　〃And；　besides；〃　she　said；　〃George　Rivers　made　us　a　beautiful
present；　which　Meta　hunted　up。　　Old　Mr。　Rivers；　knowing　no　better；
once　bought　all　the　beautiful　carved　fittings　of　a　chapel　in　France；
meaning　to　fit　up　a　library　with　them；　but；　happily；　he　never　did；
and　a　happy　notion　came　into　Meta's　head；　so　she　found　them　out；　and
Dr。　Spencer　has　adapted　them；　and　set　them　all　to　rights；　and　they
are　most　exquisite。　　You　never　saw　such　foliage。〃

Thus　Margaret　proceeded　with　the　description　of　everything　in　the
church；　and　all　the　little　adventures　of　the　building；　as　if　she
could　not　turn　away　from　the　subject；　and　her　aunt　listened　and
wondered；　and；　when　called　away；　that　Margaret　might　rest　before
nurse　came　to　dress　her；　she　expressed　her　wonder　to　Meta。

〃Yes；〃　was　the　answer；　〃it　is　her　chief　occupation　and　interest。　　I
do　not　mean　that　she　has　not　always　her　own　dear　full　sympathy　for
every　one's　concerns；　but　Cocksmoor　is　her　concern；　almost　more　than
even　Ethel's。　　I　think　she　could　chronicle　every　stage　in　the
building　better　than　Dr。　Spencer　himself；　and　it　is　her　daily　delight
to　hear　his　histories　of　his　progress。　　And　not　only　with　the　church
but　the　people；　she　knows　all　about　every　family；　Richard　and　Ethel
tell　her　all　their　news；　she　talks　over　the　school　with　the　mistress
every　Sunday；　and　you　cannot　think　what　a　feeling　there　is　for　her　at
Cocksmoor。　　A　kind　message　from　Miss　May　has　an　effect　that　the
active　workers　cannot　always　produce。〃

Mrs。　Arnott　saw　that　Meta　was　right；　when；　in　the　afternoon；　she
walked　with　her　nieces　to　see　Cocksmoor。　　It　was　not　a　desolate　sight
as　in　old　times；　for　the　fair　edifice；　rising　on　the　slope；　gave　an
air　of　protection　to　the　cottages；　which　seemed　now　to　have　a　centre
of　unity；　instead　of　lying　forlorn　and　scattered。　　Nor　were　they　as
wretched　in　themselves；　for　the　impulse　of　civilisation　had　caused
windows　to　be　mended　and　railings　to　be　tidied；　and　Richard　promoted；
to　the　utmost；　cottage　gardening；　so　that；　though　there　was　an　air　of
poverty；　there　was　no　longer　an　appearance　of　reckless　destitution
and　hopeless　neglect。

In　the　cottages；　Mrs。　Taylor　had　not　entirely　ceased　to　speak　with　a
piteous　voice；　even　though　she　told　of　the　well…doing　of　her　girls　at
service；　but　Granny　Hall's　merry　content　had　in　it　something　now　of
principle；　and　Sam　had　married　a　young　Fordholm　wife；　who　promised　to
be　a　pattern　for　Cocksmoor。　　Every　one　asked　after　Miss　May；　with　a
tenderness　and　affection　that　Mrs。　Arnott　well　appreciated；　and　when
they　went　into　the　large　fresh　school；　where　Richard　was　hearing　a
class；　Cherry　Elwood　looked　quite　cheered　and　enlivened　by　hearing
that　she　had　been　able　to　enjoy　seeing　her　aunt。　　Mrs。　Arnott　was　set
to　enlighten　the　children　about　the　little　brown　girls　whom　she　was
wont　to　teach；　and　came　away　with　a　more　brilliant　impression　of
their　intelligence　than　she　might　have　had；　if　she　had　not　come　to
them　fresh　from　the　Antipodes。

She　had　to　tell　Margaret　all　her　impressions　on　her　return；　and　very
pretty　smiles　repaid　her　commendations。　　She　understood　better　the
constant　dwelling　on　the　subject；　as　she　perceived　how　little　capable
Margaret　was　of　any　employment。　　The　book；　the　writing　materials；　and
work…basket　were　indeed　placed　by　her　side；　but　very　seldom　did　the
feeble　fingers　engage　in　any　of　the　occupations　once　so　familiarnow
and　then　a　pencilled　note　would　be　sent　to　Flora；　or　to　Hector
Ernescliffe；　or　a　few　stitches　be　set　in　her　work；　or　a　page　or　two
turned　of　a　book；　but　she　was　far　more　often　perfectly　still；　living；
assuredly　in　no　ordinary　sphere　of　human　life；　but　never　otherwise
than　cheerful；　and　open　to　the　various　tidings　and　interests　which；
as　Ethel　had　formerly　said；　shifted　before　her　like　scenes　in　a　magic
lantern；　and；　perhaps；　with　less　of　substance　than　in　those　earlier
days；　when　her　work　among　them　was　not　yet　done；　and　she　was　not；　as
it　were；　set　aside　from　them。　　They　were　now　little　more　than　shadows
reflected　from　the　world　whence　she　was　passing。

Yet　her　home　was　not　sad。　　When　Dr。　Spencer　came　in　the　evening；　and
old　Edinburgh　stories　were　discussed；　Dr。　May　talked　with　spirit；　and
laughed　with　the　merry　note　that　Mrs。　Amott　so　well　remembered；　and
Meta　Rivers　chimed　in　with　her　gay；　saucy　repartees；　nor；　though
Richard　was　always　silent；　and　Ethel's　brow　seemed　to　bear　a　weight
of　thought；　did　it　seem　as　if　their　spirits　were　depressed；　while
there　was　certainly　no　restraint　on　the　glee　of　Blanche；　Aubrey；　and
Gertrude；　who　were　running　into　Margaret's　room；　and　making　as　much
noise　there　as　they　chose。

Mrs。　Arnott　was　at　home　with　the　whole　family　from　the　first；　and　in
every　one's　confidence；　but　what　she　enjoyed　above　all　was；　the
sitting　in　Margaret's　room　in　the　morning；　when　there　was　no　danger
of　interruption；　the　three　children　being　all　safe　captives　to　their
lessons；　and　Meta；　in　Richard's　workshop；　illuminating　texts　on　zinc
scrolls　for　the　church。

Margaret　came　out　more　in　these　interviews。　　It　had　been　a　kind　of
shyness　that　made　her　talk　so　exclusively　of　the　church　at　the　first
meeting；　she　had　now　felt　her　way；　and　knew　againand　realisedthe
same　kind　aunt　with　whom　she　had　parted　in　her　childhood；　and　now　far
dearer；　since　she　herself　was　better　able　to　appreciate　her；　and　with
a　certain　resemblance　to　her　mother；　that　was　unspeakably　precious
and　soothing　to　one　deprived；　as　Margaret　had　been；　at　the
commencement　of　her　illness　and　anxiety。

She　could　hardly　see　her　aunt　come　near　her；　without　thanking　her　for
having　come　home；　and　saying　how　every　time　she　awoke　it　was　with　the
sense　that　something　was　comfortable；　then　remembering　it　was　Aunt
Flora's　being　in　the　house。　　She　seemed　to　have　a　feeling；　as　if
telling　everything　to　her　aunt　were　like　rendering　up　her　account　to
her　mother；　and；　at　different　times；　she　related　the　whole；　looking
back　on　the　various　decisions　she　had　had　to　make　or　to　influence；
and　reviewing　her　own　judgments；　though　often　with　self…blame；　not
with　acuteness　of　distress；　but　rather　with　a　humble　trust　in　the
Infinite　Mercy　that　would　atone　for　all　shortcomings　and　infirmities；
truly　sorrowed　for。

On　the　whole　it　was　a　peaceful　and　grateful　retrospect；　the　brothers
all　doing　so　well　in　their　several　ways；　and　such　a　comfort　to　their
father。　　Tom；　concerning　whom　she　had　made　the　greatest　mistake；
might　be　looked　upon　as　rescued　by　Norman。　　Aubrey；　Margaret　said；
smiling；　was　Ethel's　child；　and　had　long　been　off　her　mind；　Hector；
to　her　quite　a　brother；　would　miss　her　almost　more　than　her　own
brothers；　but　good　honest　fellow；　he　had　a　home　here；　and；　whispered
Margaret；　smiling　and　glowing　a　little；　〃don't　tell　any　one；　for　it
is　a　secret　of　secrets。　　Hector　told　me　one　evening　that；　if　he　could
be　very　steady；　he　hoped　he　might　yet　have　Blanche　at　Maplewood。
Poor　little　White　Mayflower；　it　won't　be　for　want　of　liking　on　her
part；　and　she　so　blushes　and　watches　when　Hector　comes　near；　that　I
sometimes　think　that　he　might　have　said　something　like　it　to　her。〃

Mrs。　Arnott　gave　no　opinion　on　the　plan　for　Norman　and　Meta；　but
Margaret；　however；　took　all　for　granted；　and　expressed　warm　hopes　for
their　sakes；　that　they　would　go　out　with　Mrs。　Arnott；　then；　when　the
suggestion　seemed　to　astonish　her　aunt；　who　thought　they　were　waiting
for　his　ordination；　she　said；　〃The　fact　is；　that　he　would　like　to　be
ordained　where　he　is　to　work；　but　I　believe　they　do　not　like　to　say
anything　about　the　wedding　because　of　me。　　Now；　of　all　persons；　I
must　chiefly　rejoice　in　what　may　help　to　teach　in　those　islands。　　I
cannot　bear　to　be　a　hindrance。　　Whatever　happens；　Aunt　Flora；　will
you　take　care　that　they　know　this？〃

As　to　her　father；　Margaret　was　at　rest。　　He　had　much　more　calmness
than　when　he　was　more　new　to　grief；　and　could　bear　far　more　patiently
and　hopefully　than　at　first。　　He　lived　more　on　his　affections　above；
and　much　as　he　loved　those　below；　he　did　not　rest　in　them　as　once；
and　could　better　afford　to　have　been　removed。　　〃Besides；〃　said
Margaret　serenely；　〃it　has　been　good　for　him　to　have　been　gradually
weaned　from　depending　on