the daisy chain, or aspirations-第25章

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of　it。　　I　thought　you　would　like　to　read　what　relates　to　yourself。〃

Richard　laid　before　him　the　sheet　of　notepaper　on　which　this　portion
of　the　letter　was　written；　and　left　him　alone　with　it；　while　he　set
out　on　the　promised　walk　with　Ethel。

They　found　the　old　woman；　Granny　Hall；　looking　like　another　creature；
smoke…dried　and　withered　indeed；　but　all　briskness　and　animation。

〃Well！　be　it　you；　sir；　and　the　young　lady？〃

〃Yes；　here　we　are　come　to　see　you　again；〃　said　Richard。　　〃I　hope　you
are　not　disappointed　that　I've　brought　my　sister　this　time　instead　of
the　doctor。〃

〃No；　no；　sir；　I've　done　with　the　doctor　for　this　while；〃　said　the　old
woman；　to　Ethel's　great　amusement。　　〃He　have　done　me　a　power　of　good；
and　thank　him　for　it　heartily；　but　the　young　lady　is　right　welcome
herebut　'tis　a　dirty　walk　for　her。〃

〃Never　mind　that；〃　said　Ethel；　a　little　shyly；　〃I　camewhere　are
your　grandchildren？〃

〃Oh；　somewhere　out　among　the　blocks。　　They　gets　out　with　the　other
children；　I　can't　be　always　after　them。〃

〃I　wanted　to　know　if　these　would　fit　them；〃　said　Ethel；　beginning　to
undo　her　basket。

〃Well；　'pon　my　word！　　If　ever　I　see！　　Here！〃　stepping　out　to　the
door；　〃PollyJenny！　come　in；　I　say；　this　moment！　　Come　in；　ye　bad
girls；　or　I'll　give　you　the　stick；　I'll　break　every　bone　of　you；　that
I　will！〃　all　which　threats　were　bawled　out　in　such　a　good…natured；
triumphant　voice；　and　with　such　a　delighted　air；　that　Richard　and
Ethel　could　not　help　laughing。

After　a　few　moments；　Polly　and　Jenny　made　their　appearance；　extremely
rough　and　ragged；　but　compelled　by　their　grandmother　to　duck　down；　by
way　of　courtesies；　and；　with　finger　in　mouth；　they　stood；　too　shy　to
show　their　delight；　as　the　garments　were　unfolded；　Granny　talking　so
fast　that　Ethel　would　never　have　brought　in　the　stipulation；　that　the
frocks　should　be　worn　to　school　and　church；　if　Richard；　in　his　mild；
but　steady　way；　had　not　brought　the　old　woman　to　listen　to　it。　　She
was　full　of　asseverations　that　they　should　go；　she　took　them　to
church　sometimes　herself；　when　it　was　fine　weather　and　they　had
clothes；　and　they　could　say　their　catechiz　as　well　as　anybody
already；　yes；　they　should　come；　that　they　should；　and　next　Sunday。
Ethel　promised　to　be　there　to　introduce　them　to　the　chief　lady；　the
president　of　the　Committee；　Mrs。　Ledwich；　and；　with　a　profusion　of
thanks；　they　took　leave。

They　found　John　Taylor；　just　come　out　of　the　hospital；　looking　weak
and　ill；　as　he　smoked　his　pipe　over　the　fire；　his　wife　bustling　about
at　a　great　rate；　and　one　of　the　infants　crying。　　It　seemed　to　be　a
great　relief　that　they　were　not　come　to　complain　of　Lucy；　and　there
were　many　looks　of　surprise　on　hearing　what　their　business　really
was。　　Mrs。　Taylor　thanked　them；　and　appeared　not　to　know　whether　she
was　glad　or　sorry；　and　her　husband；　pipe　in　hand；　gazed　at　the　young
gentleman　as　if　he　did　not　comprehend　the　species；　since　he　could　not
be　old　enough　to　be　a　clergyman。

Richard　hoped　they　would　find　sponsors　by　that　time；　and　there　Mrs。
Taylor　gave　little　hope；　it　was　a　bad　lotthere　was　no　one　she　liked
to　ask　to　stand；　she　said；　in　a　dismal　voice；　but　there　her　husband
put　in；　〃I'll　find　some　one　if　that's　all；　my　missus　always　thinks
nobody　can't　do　nothing。〃

〃To　be　sure；〃　said　the　lamentable　Mrs。　Taylor；　〃all　the　elder　ones
was　took　to　church；　and　I'm　loath　the　little　ones　shouldn't；　but　you
see；　sir；　we　are　poor　people；　and　it's　a　long　way；　and　they　was　set
down　in　the　gentleman's　register　book。〃

〃But　you　know　that　is　not　the　same；　Mrs。　Taylor。　　Surely　Lucy　could
have　told　you　that；　when　she　went　to　school。〃

〃No；　sir；　'tis　not　the　sameI　knows　that；　but　this　is　a　bad　place　to
live　in〃

〃Always　the　old　song；　missus！〃　exclaimed　her　husband。　　〃Thank　you
kindly；　siryou　have　been　a　good　friend　to　us；　and　so　was　Dr。　May；
when　I　was　up　to　the　hospital；　through　the　thick　of　his　own　troubles。
I　believe　you　are　in　the　right　of　it；　sir；　and　thank　you。　　The
children　shall　be　ready；　and　little　Jack　too；　and　I'll　find　gossips；
and　let　'em　christened　on　Sunday。〃

〃I　believe　you　will　be　glad　of　it；〃　said　Richard；　and　he　went　on　to
speak　of　the　elder　children　coming　to　school　on　Sunday；　thus　causing
another　whining　from　the　wife　about　distance　and　bad　weather；　and　no
one　else　going　that　way。　　He　said　the　little　Halls　were　coming；　but
Mrs。　Taylor　begun　saying　she　disliked　their　company　for　the　children…
…granny　let　them　get　about　so　much；　and　they　said　bad　words。　　The
father　again　interfered。　　Perhaps　Mr。　Wilmot；　who　acted　as　chaplain
at　the　hospital；　had　been　talking　to　him；　for　he　declared　at　once
that　they　should　come；　and　Richard　suggested　that　he　might　see　them
home　when　he　came　from　church；　then；　turning　to　the　boy　and　girl；
told　them　they　would　meet　their　sister　Lucy；　and　asked　them　if　they
would　not　like　that。

On　the　whole；　the　beginning　was　not　inauspicious；　though　there　might
be　a　doubt　whether　old　Mrs。　Hall　would　keep　all　her　promises。　　Ethel
was　so　much　diverted　and　pleased　as　to　be　convinced　she　would；
Richard　was　a　little　doubtful　as　to　her　power　over　the　wild　girls。
There　could　not　be　any　doubt　that　John　Taylor　was　in　earnest；　and　had
been　worked　upon　just　at　the　right　moment；　but　there　was　danger　that
the　impression　would　not　last。　　〃And　his　wife　in　such　a　horrible
whining　dawdle！〃　said　Ethel〃there　will　be　no　good　to　be　done　if　it
depends　on　her。〃

Richard　made　no　answer；　and　Ethel　presently　felt　remorseful　for　her
harsh　speech　about　a　poor　ignorant　woman；　overwhelmed　with　poverty；
children；　and　weak　health。

〃I　have　been　thinking　a　great　deal　about　what　you　said　last　time　we
took　this　walk；〃　said　Richard；　after　a　considerable　interval。

〃Oh；　have　you！〃　cried　Ethel　eagerly；　and　the　black　peaty　pond　she　was
looking　at　seemed　to　sparkle　with　sunlight。

〃Do　you　really　mean　it？〃　said　Richard　deliberately。

〃Yes；　to　be　sure；〃　she　said；　with　some　indignation。

〃Because　I　think　I　see　a　way　to　make　a　beginning；　but　you　must　make
up　your　mind　to　a　great　deal　of　trouble；　and　dirty　walks；　and　you
must　really　learn　not　to　draggle　your　frock。〃

〃Well；　well；　but　tell　me。〃

〃This　is　what　I　was　thinking。　　I　don't　think　I　can　go　back　to　Oxford
after　Christmas。　　It　is　not　fit　to　leave　you　while　papa　is　so
disabled。〃

〃Oh　no；　he　could　not　get　on　at　all。　　I　heard　him　tell　Mr。　Wilmot　the
other　day　that　you　were　his　right　hand。〃

Ethel　was　glad　she　had　repeated　this；　for　there　was　a　deepening
colour　and　smiling　glow　of　pleasure　on　her　brother's　face；　such　as
she　had　seldom　seen　on　his　delicate；　but　somewhat　impassive　features。

〃He　is　very　kind！〃　he　said　warmly。　　〃No；　I　am　sure　I　cannot　be　spared
till　he　is　better　able　to　use　his　arm；　and　I　don't　see　any　chance　of
that　just　yet。　　Then　if　I　stay　at　home；　Friday　is　always　at　my　own
disposal；　while　papa　is　at　the　hospital　meeting。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　and　we　could　go　to　Cocksmoor；　and　set　up　a　school。　　How
delightful！〃

〃I　don't　think　you　would　find　it　quite　so　delightful　as　you　fancy；〃
said　Richard；　〃the　children　will　be　very　wild　and　ignorant；　and　you
don't　like　that　at　the　National　School。〃

〃Oh；　but　they　are　in　such　need；　besides　there　will　be　no　Mrs。　Ledwich
over　me。　　It　is　just　rightI　shan't　mind　anything。　　You　are　a
capital　Ritchie；　for　having　thought　of　it！〃

〃I　don't　thinkif　I　am　ever　to　be　what　I　wish；　that　is；　if　I　can　get
through　at　OxfordI　don't　think　it　can　be　wrong　to　begin　this；　if
Mr。　Ramsden　does　not　object。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Ramsden　never　objects　to　anything。〃

〃And　if　Mr。　Wilmot　will　come　and　set　us　off。　　You　know　we　cannot
begin　without　that；　or　without　my　father's　fully　liking　it。〃

〃Oh！　there　can　be　no　doubt　of　that！〃

〃This　one　thing；　Ethel；　I　must　stipulate。　　Don't　you　go　and　tell　it
all　out　at　once　to　him。　　I　cannot　have　him　worried　about　our
concerns。〃

〃But　howno　one　can　question　that　this　is　right。　　I　am　sure　he　won't
object。〃

〃Stop；　Ethel；　don't　you　see；　it　can't　be　done　for　nothing？　　If　we
undertake　it；　we　must　go　on　with　it；　and　when　I　am　away　it　will　fall
on　you　and　Flora。　　Well；　then；　it　ought　to　be　considered　whether　you
are　old　enough　and　steady　enough；　and　if　it　can　be　managed　f