the daisy chain, or aspirations-第20章

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〃Yes；　thank　you；　she　has　been　very　good；　but　she　was　tired　of　lying
here；　and　I　can't　move　her　about；〃　said　Margaret。

〃Oh；　Margaret；　I　have　such　a　plan；〃　said　Ethel；　as　she　walked　about
with　little　Gertrude；　but　Tom　interrupted。

〃Margaret；　will　you　see　if　I　can　say　my　lesson？〃　and　the　thumbed
Latin　grammar　came　across　her　just　as　Dr。　May's　door　opened；　and　he
came　in　exclaiming；　〃Latin　grammar！　　Margaret；　this　is　really　too
much　for　you。　　Good…morning；　my　dears。　　Ha！　Tommy；　take　your　book
away；　my　boy。　　You　must　not　inflict　that　on　sister　now。　　There's　your
regular　master；　Richard；　in　my　room；　if　it　is　fit　for　his　ears　yet。
What；　the　little　one　here　too？〃

〃How　is　your　arm；　papa？〃　said　Margaret。　　〃Did　it　keep　you　awake？〃

〃Not　longit　set　me　dreaming　though；　and　a　very　romantic　dream　it
was；　worthy　of　Ethel　herself。〃

〃What　was　it；　papa？〃

〃Oh；　it　was　an　odd　thing；　joining　on　strangely　enough　with　one　I　had
three　or　four　and　twenty　years　ago；　when　I　was　a　young　man；　hearing
lectures　at　Edinburgh；　and　courting〃he　stopped；　and　felt　Margaret's
pulse；　asked　her　a　few　questions；　and　talked　to　the　baby。　　Ethel
longed　to　hear　his　dream；　but　thought　he　would　not　like　to　go　on；
however；　he　did　presently。

〃The　old　dream　was　the　night　after　a　picnic　on　Arthur's　Seat　with　the
Mackenzies；　mamma　and　Aunt　Flora　were　there。　　'Twas　a　regular　boy's
dream；　a　tournament；　or　something　of　that　nature；　where　I　was　victor；
the　queenyou　know　who　she　wasgiving　me　her　tokena　Daisy　Chain。〃

〃That　is　why　you　like　to　call　us　your　Daisy　Chain；〃　said　Ethel。

〃Did　you　write　it　in　verse？〃　said　Margaret。　　〃I　think　I　once　saw　some
verses　like　it　in　her　desk。〃

〃I　was　in　love；　and　three…and…twenty；〃　said　the　doctor；　looking
drolly　guilty　in　the　midst　of　his　sadness。　　〃Ay；　those　fixed　it　in　my
memory；　perhaps　my　fancy　made　it　more　distinct　than　it　really　was。
An　evening　or　two　ago　I　met　with　them；　and　that　stirred　it　up　I
suppose。　　Last　night　came　the　tournament　again；　but　it　was　the　melee；
a　sense　of　being　crushed　down；　suffocated　by　the　throng　of　armed
knights　and　horsespain　and　woundsand　I　looked　in　vain　through　the
opposing　overwhelming　host　for　mymy　Maggie。　　Well；　I　got　the　worst
of　it；　my　sword　arm　was　brokenI　fell；　was　stifledcrushedin
miseryall　I　could　do　was　to　grasp　my　tokenmy　Daisy　Chain；〃　and　he
pressed　Margaret's　hand　as　he　said　so。　　〃And；　behold；　the　tumult　and
despair　were　passed。　　I　lay　on　the　grass　in　the　cloisters；　and　the
Daisy　Chain　hung　from　the　sky；　and　was　drawing　me　upwards。　　Thereit
is　a　queer　dream　for　a　sober　old　country　doctor。　　I　don't　know　why　I
told　you；　don't　tell　any　one　again。〃

And　he　walked　away；　muttering。　　〃For　he　told　me　his　dreams；　talked　of
eating　and　drinking；〃　leaving　Margaret　with　her　eyes　full　of　tears；
and　Ethe1　vehemently　caressing　the　baby。

〃How　beautiful！〃　said　Ethel。

〃It　has　been　a　comfort　to　him；　I　am　sure；〃　said　Margaret。

〃You　don't　think　it　ominous；〃　said　Ethel　with　a　slight　tremulous
voice。

〃More　soothing　than　anything　else。　　It　is　what　we　all　feel；　is　it
not？　that　this　little　daisy　bud　is　the　link　between　us　and　heaven？〃

〃But　about　him。　　He　was　victor　at　firstvanquished　the　next　time。〃

〃I　thinkif　it　is　to　have　an　interpretation；　though　I　am　not　sure　we
ought　to　take　it　so　seriously；　it　would　only　mean　that　in　younger
days　people　care　for　victory　and　distinction　in　this　world；　like
Norman；　or　as　papa　most　likely　did　then；　but；　as　they　grow　older；
they　care　less；　and　others　pass　them；　and　they　know　it　does　not
signify；　for　in　our　race　all　may　win。〃

〃But　he　has　a　great　name。　　How　many　people　come　from　a　distance　to
consult　him！　he　is　looked　upon；　too；　in　other　ways！　he　can　do
anything　with　the　corporation。〃

Margaret　smiled。　　〃All　this　does　not　sound　grandit　is　not　as　if　he
had　set　up　in　London。〃

〃Oh；　dear；　I　am　so　glad　he　did　not。〃

〃Shall　I　tell　you　what　mamma　told　me　he　said　about　it；　when　Uncle
Mackenzie　said　he　ought？　　He　answered　that　he　thought　health　and
happy　home　attachments　were　a　better　provision　for　us　to　set　out　in
life　with　than　thousands。〃

〃I　am　sure　he　was　right！〃　said　Ethel　earnestly。　　〃Then　you　don't
think　the　dream　meant　being　beaten；　only　that　our　best　things　are　not
gained　by　successes　in　this　world？〃

〃Don't　go　and　let　it　dwell　on　your　mind　as　a　vision；〃　said　Margaret。
〃I　think　dear　mamma　would　call　that　silly。〃

An　interruption　occurred；　and　Ethel　had　to　go　down　to　breakfast　with
a　mind　floating　between　romance；　sorrow；　and　high　aspirations；　very
unlike　the　actual　world　she　had　to　live　in。　　First；　there　was　a　sick
man　walking　into　the　study；　and　her　father；　laying　down　his　letters；
saying；　〃I　must　despatch　him　before　prayers；　I　suppose。　　I've　a　great
mind　to　say　I　never　will　see　any　one　who　won't　keep　to　my　days。〃

〃I　can't　imagine　why　they　don't；〃　said　Flora；　as　he　went。　　〃He　is
always　saying　so；　but　never　acting　on　it。　　If　he　would　once　turn　one
away；　the　rest　would　mind。〃

Richard　went　on　in　silence；　cutting　bread　and　butter。

〃There's　another　ring；〃　said　Mary。

〃Yes；　he　is　caught　now；　they'll　go　on　in　a　stream。　　I　shall　not　keep
Margaret　waiting　for　her　breakfast；　I　shall　take　it　up。〃

The　morning　was　tiresome；　though　Dr。　May　had　two　regular　days　for
seeing　poor　people　at　his　house；　he　was　too　good…natured　to　keep
strictly　to　them；　and　this　day；　as　Flora　had　predicted；　there　was　a
procession　of　them　not　soon　got　rid　of；　even　by　his　rapid　queries　and
the　talismanic　figures　made　by　his　left　hand　on　scraps　of　paper；　with
which　he　sent　them　off　to　the　infirmary。　　Ethel　tried　to　read；　the
children　lingered　about；　it　was　a　trial　of　temper　to　all　but　Tom；　who
obtained　Richard's　attention　to　his　lessons。　　He　liked　to　say　them　to
his　brother；　and　was　an　incentive　to　learn　them　quickly；　that　none
might　remain　for　Miss　Winter　when　Richard　went　out　with　his　father。
If　mamma　had　been　there；　she　would　have　had　prayers；　but　now　no　one
had　authority　enough；　though　they　did　at　last　even　finish　breakfast。
Just　as　the　gig　came　to　the　door；　Dr。　May　dismissed　his　last　patient；
rang　the　bell　in　haste；　and　as　soon　as　prayers　were　over；　declared　he
had　an　appointment；　and　had　no　time　to　eat。　　There　was　a　general
outcry　that　it　was　bad　enough　when　he　was　well；　and　now　he　must　not
take　liberties；　Flora　made　him　drink　some　tea；　and　Richard　placed
morsels　in　his　way；　while　he　read　his　letters。　　He　ran　up　for　a　final
look　at　Margaret；　almost　upset　the　staid　Miss　Winter　as　he　ran　down
again；　called　Richard　to　take　the　reins；　and　was　off。

It　was　French　day；　always　a　trial　to　Ethel。　　M。　Ballompre；　the
master；　knew　what　was　good　and　bad　French；　but　could　not　render　a
reason；　and　Ethel；　being　versed　in　the　principles　of　grammar；　from
her　Latin　studies；　chose　to　know　the　why　and　wherefore　of　his
correctionsshe　did　not　like　to　see　her　pages　defaced；　and　have　no
security　against　future　errors；　while　he　thought　her　a　troublesome
pupil；　and　was　put　out　by　her　questions。　　They　wrangled；　Miss　Winter
was　displeased；　and　Ethel　felt　injured。

Mary's　inability　to　catch　the　pronunciation；　and　her　hopeless　dull
look　when　she　found　that　coeur　must　not　be　pronounced　cour；　nor　cur；
but　something　between；　to　which　her　rosy　English　lips　could　never
comeall　this　did　not　tease　M。　Ballompre；　for　he　was　used　to　it。

His　mark　for　Ethel's　lesson　was　〃de　l'humeur。〃

〃I　am　sorry；〃　said　Miss　Winter；　when　he　was　gone。　　〃I　thought　you　had
outgrown　that　habit　of　disputing　over　every　phrase。〃

〃I　can't　tell　how　a　language　is　to　be　learned　without　knowing　the
reasons　of　one's　mistakes；〃　said　Ethel。

〃That　is　what　you　always　say；　my　dear。　　It　is　of　no　use　to　renew　it
all；　but　I　wish　you　would　control　yourself。　　Now；　Mary；　call　Blanche；
and　you　and　Ethel　take　your　arithmetic。〃

So　Flora　went　to　read　to　Margaret；　while　Blanche　went　lightly　and
playfully　through　her　easy　lessons；　and　Mary　floundered　piteously
over　the　difficulties　of　Compound　Long　Division。　　Ethel's　mind　was　in
too　irritated　and　tumultuous　a　state　for　her　to　derive　her　usual
solace　from　Cube　Root。　　Her　sum　was　wrong；　and　she　wanted　to　work　it
right；　but　Miss　Winter；　who　had　little　liking　for　the　higher　branches
of　a