the daisy chain, or aspirations-第32章

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of　Cocksmoor　felt　a　good　deal　puzzled。

At　last　Flora　said；　〃You　will　soon　get　her　clothed　if　she　comes
regularly　to　school　on　Sundays；　for　she　will　be　admitted　into　the
club；　I　will　recommend　her　if　she　has　a　good　character　and　comes
regularly。　　Good…morning；　Mrs。　Watts。　　Now　we　must　go；　or　it　will　be
dark　before　we　get　home。〃　　And　they　walked　hastily　away。

〃Horrid　woman！〃　was　Ethel's　exclamation。

〃But　Flora；〃　said　innocent　Mary；　〃why　would　you　not　let　me　give　the
little　girl　my　boots？〃

〃Perhaps　I　may；　if　she　is　good　and　comes　to　school；　said　Flora。

〃I　think　Margaret　ought　to　settle　what　you　do　with　your　boots；〃　said
Richard；　not　much　to　Flora's　satisfaction。

〃It　is　the　same；〃　she　said。　〃If　I　approve；　Margaret　will　not　object。〃

〃How　well　you　helped　us　out；　Flora；〃　said　Ethel；　〃I　did　not　know　in
the　least　what　to　say。〃

〃It　will　be　the　best　way　of　testing　her　sincerity；　said　Flora；　and　at
least　it　will　do　the　child　good；　but　I　congratulate　you　on　the
promising　aspect　of　Cocksmoor。〃

〃We　did　not　expect　to　find　a　perfect　place；〃　said　Ethel；　if　it　were；
it　would　be　of　no　use　to　go　to　it。〃

Ethel　could　answer　with　dignity；　but　her　heart　sank　at　the　aspect　of
what　she　had　undertaken。　　She　knew　there　would　be　evil；　but　she　had
expected　it　in　a　more　striking　and　less　disagreeable　form。

That　walk　certainly　made　her　less　impatient；　though　it　did　not　relax
her　determination；　nor　the　guard　over　her　lion　and　bear；　which　her
own　good　feeling；　aided　by　Margaret's　council；　showed　her　were　the
greatest　hindrances　to　her　doing　anything　good　and　great。

Though　she　was　obliged　to　set　to　work　so　many　principles　and
reflections　to　induce　herself　to　wipe　a　pen；　or　to　sit　straight　on
her　chair；　that　it　was　like　winding　up　a　steam…engine　to　thread　a
needle；　yet　the　work　was　being　doneshe　was　struggling　with　her
faults；　humbled　by　them；　watching　them；　and　overcoming　them。

Flora；　meanwhile；　was　sitting　calmly　down　in　the　contemplation　of　the
unexpected　services　she　had　rendered；　confident　that　her　character
for　energy　and　excellence　was　established；　believing　it　herself；　and
looking　back　on　her　childish　vanity　and　love　of　domineering　as　long
past　and　conquered。　　She　thought　her　grown…up　character　had　begun；
and　was　too　secure　to　examine　it　closely。




CHAPTER　XI。



One　thing　is　wanting　in　the　beamy　cup
　　Of　my　young　life！　one　thing　to　be　poured　in；
Ay；　and　one　thing　is　wanting　to　fill　up
　　The　measure　of　proud　joy；　and　make　it　sin。F。　W。　F。


Hopes　that　Dr。　May　would　ever　have　his　mind　free；　seemed　as
fallacious　as　mamma's　old　promise　to　Margaret；　to　make　doll's　clothes
for　her　whenever　there　should　be　no　live　dolls　to　be　worked　for　in
the　nursery。

Richard　and　Ethel　themselves　had　their　thoughts　otherwise　engrossed。
The　last　week　before　the　holidays　was　an　important　one。　　There　was　an
examination；　by　which　the　standing　of　the　boys　in　the　school　was
determined；　and　this　time　it　was　of　more　than　ordinary　importance；　as
the　Randall　scholarship　of　？00　a　year　for　three　years　would　be　open
in　the　summer　to　the　competition　of　the　first　six　boys。　　Richard　had
never　come　within　six　of　the　top；　but　had　been　past　at　every
examination　by　younger　boys；　till　his　father　could　bear　it　no　longer；
and　now　Norman　was　too　young　to　be　likely　to　have　much　chance　of
being　of　the　number。　　There　were　eight　decidedly　his　seniors；　and
Harvey　Anderson；　a　small；　quick…witted　boy；　half　a　year　older；　who
had　entered　school　at　the　same　time；　and　had　always　been　one　step
below　him；　had；　in　the　last　three　months；　gained　fast　upon　him。

Harry；　however；　meant　Norman　to　be　one　of　the　six；　and　declared　all
the　fellows　thought　he　would　be；　except　Andersen's　party。　　Mr。
Wilmot；　in　a　call　on　Ethel　and　Flora；　told　them　that　he　thought　their
brother　had　a　fair　chance；　but　he　feared　he　was　over…working　himself；
and　should　tell　the　doctor　so；　whenever　he　could　catch　him；　but　this
was　difficult；　as　there　was　a　great　deal　of　illness　just　then；　and　he
was　less　at　home　than　usual。

All　this　excited　the　home　party；　but　Norman　only　seemed　annoyed　by
talk　about　it；　and　though　always　with　a　book　in　his　hand；　was　so
dreamy　and　listless；　that　Flora　declared　that　there　was　no　fear　of
his　doing　too　muchshe　thought　he　would　fail　for　want　of　trying。

〃I　mean　to　try；〃　said　Norman；　〃say　no　more　about　it；　pray。〃

The　great　day　was　the　20th　of　December；　and　Ethel　ran　out；　as　the
boys　went　to　school；　to　judge　of　Norman's　looks；　which　were　not
promising。　　〃No　wonder；〃　said　Harry；　since　he　had　stayed　up　doing
Euripides　and　Cicero　the　whole　length　of　a　candle　that　had　been　new
at　bedtime。　　〃But　never　mind；　Ethel；　if　he　only　beats　Anderson；　I
don't　care　for　anything　else。〃

〃Oh；　it　will　be　unbearable　if　he　does　not！　　Do　try；　Norman；　dear。〃

〃Never　you　mind。〃

〃He'll　light　up　at　the　last　moment；〃　said　Ethel；　consolingly；　to
Harry；　but　she　was　very　uneasy　herself；　for　she　had　set　her　heart　on
his　surpassing　Harvey　Anderson。　　No　more　was　heard　all　day。　　Tom　went
at　dinner…time　to　see　if　he　could　pick　up　any　news；　but　he　was　shy；
or　was　too　late；　and　gained　no　intelligence。　　Dr。　May　and　Richard
talked　of　going　to　hear　the　speeches　and　viva　voce　examination　in　the
afternoonobjects　of　great　interest　to　all　Stoneborough　menbut
just　as　they　came　home　from　a　long　day's　work；　Dr。　May　was　summoned
to　the　next　town；　by　an　electric　telegraph；　and；　as　it　was　to　a　bad
case；　he　did　not　expect　to　be　at　home　till　the　mail…train　came　in　at
one　o'clock　at　night。　　Richard　begged　to　go　with　him；　and　he
consented；　unwillingly；　to　please　Margaret；　who　could　not　bear　to
think　of　his　〃fending　for　himself〃　in　the　dark　on　the　rail…road。

Very　long　did　the　evening　seem　to　the　listening　sisters。　　Eight；　and
no　tidings；　nine；　the　boys　not　come；　Tom　obliged　to　go　to　bed　by
sheer　sleepiness；　and　Ethel　unable　to　sit　still；　and　causing　Flora
demurely　to　wonder　at　her　fidgeting　so　much；　it　would　be　so　much
better　to　fix　her　attention　to　some　employment；　while　Margaret　owned
that　Flora　was　right；　but　watched；　and　started　at　each　sound；　almost
as　anxiously　as　Ethel。

It　was　ten；　when　there　was　a　sharp　pull　at　the　bell；　and　down　flew
the　sisters；　but　old　James　was　beforehand；　and　Harry　was　exclaiming；
〃Dux！　　James；　he　is　Dux！　　Hurrah！　　Flossy；　Ethel；　Mary！　　There　stands
the　Dux　of　Stoneborough！　　Where's　papa？〃

〃Sent　for　to　Whitford。　　But　oh！　　Norman；　Dux！　　Is　he　really？〃

〃To　be　sure；　but　I　must　tell　Margaret；〃　and　up　he　rushed；　shouted　the
news　to　her；　but　could　not　stay　for　congratulation；　broke　Tom's
slumber　by　roaring　it　in　his　ear；　and　dashed　into　the　nursery；　where
nurse　for　once　forgave　him　for　waking　the　baby。　　Norman；　meanwhile；
followed　his　eager　sisters　into　the　drawing…room；　putting　up　his　hand
as　if　the　light　dazzled　him；　and　looking；　by　no　means；　as　it　he　had
just　achieved　triumphant　success。

Ethel　paused　in　her　exultation：　〃But　is　it；　is　it　true；　Norman？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said　wearily；　making　his　way　to　his　dark　corner。

〃But　what　was　it　for？　　How　is　it？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　answered。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　said　Flora。　　〃Are　you　tired；　Norman；　dear；　does
your　head　ache？〃

〃Yes；〃　and　the　pain　was　evidently　severe。

〃Won't　you　come　to　Margaret？〃　said　Ethel；　knowing　what　was　the
greater　suffering；　but　he　did　not　move；　and　they　forbore　to　torment
him　with　questions。　　The　next　moment　Harry　came　down　in　an　ecstacy；
bringing　in；　from　the　hall；　Norman's　beautiful　prize　books；　and
showing　off　their　Latin　inscription。

〃Ah！〃　said　he；　looking　at　his　brother；　〃he　is　regularly　done　for。　　He
ought　to　turn　in　at　once。　　That　Everard　is　a　famous　fellow　for　an
examiner。　　He　said　he　never　had　seen　such　a　copy　of　verses　sent　up　by
a　school…boy；　and　could　hardly　believe　June　was　barely　sixteen。　　Old
Hoxton　says　he　is　the　youngest　Dux　they　have　had　these　fifty　years
that　he　has　known　the　school；　and　Mr。　Wilmot　said　'twas　the　most
creditable　examination　he　had　ever　known；　and　that　I　might　tell　papa
so。　　What　did　possess　that　ridiculous　old　landlubber　at　Whitford；　to
go　and　get　on　the　sick…list　on　this；　of　all　the　nights　of　the　year？
June；　how　can　you　go　on　sitting　there；　when　you　know　you　ought　t