the daisy chain, or aspirations-第39章

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spoil　the　appearance　of　the　school；　and；　I　assure　you；　it　is　quite
unpleasant　to　the　teachers。〃

〃I　wish　they　would　give　them　all　to　me！〃　said　Ethel。　　〃But　I　do　hope
Mrs。　Ledwich　will　have　patience　with　them；　for　they　are　only　to　be
gained　gently。〃

The　visitors　took　their　leave；　and　the　two　sisters　began　exclaiming
Ethel　at　their　dislike　of　her　proteges；　and　Flora　at　what　they　had
said　of　Norman。　　〃And　you；　Ethel；　how　could　you　go　and　tell　them　we
were　surprised；　and　Norman　thought　it　was　hard　on　the　other　boys？
They'll　have　it　all　over　the　town　that　he　got　it　unjustly；　and　knows
it；　as　they　say　already　it　was　partiality　of　Mr。　Everard's。〃

〃Oh；　no；　no；　they　never　can　be　so　bad！〃　cried　Ethel；　〃they　must　have
understood　better　that　it　was　his　noble　humility　and　generosity。〃

〃They　understand　anything　noble！　　No；　indeed！　　They　think　every　one
like　their　own　beautiful　brother！　　I　knew　what　they　came　for　all　the
time；　they　wanted　to　know　whether　Norman　was　able　to　work　these
holidays；　and　you　told　them　the　very　thing　they　wanted　to　hear。　　How
they　will　rejoice　with　that　Harvey；　and　make　sure　of　the　Randall！〃

〃Oh；　no；　no！〃　cried　Ethel；　〃Norman　must　get　that！〃

〃I　don't　think　he　will；〃　said　Flora；　〃losing　all　this　time；　while
they　are　working。　　It　cannot　be　helped；　of　course；　but　it　is　a　great
pity。〃

〃I　almost　wish　he　had　not　been　put　up　at　all；　if　it　is　to　end　in　this
way；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃It　is　very　provoking；　and　to　have　them　triumphing
as　they　will！　　There's　no　bearing　it！〃

〃Norman；　certainly；　is　not　at　all　well；　poor　fellow；〃　said　Flora；
〃and　I　suppose　he　wants　rest；　but　I　wish　papa　would　let　him　do　what
he　can。　　It　would　be　much　better　for　him　than　moping　about　as　he　is
always　doing　now；　and　the　disappointment　of　losing　his　place　will　be
grievous；　though　now　he　fancies　he　does　not　care　for　it。〃

〃I　wonder　when　he　will　ever　care　for　anything　again。　　All　I　read　and
tell　him　only　seems　to　tease　him；　though　he　tries　to　thank　me。〃

〃There　is　a　strange　apathy　about　him；〃　said　Flora；　〃but　I　believe　it
is　chiefly　for　want　of　exertion。　　I　should　like　to　rouse　him　if　papa
would　let　me；　I　know　I　could；　by　telling　him　how　these　Andersons　are
reckoning　on　his　getting　down。　　If　he　does；　I　shall　be　ready　to　run
away；　that　I　may　never　meet　any　one　here　again。〃

Ethel　was　very　unhappy　till　she　was　able　to　pour　all　this　trouble　out
to　Margaret；　and　worked　herself　almost　into　crying　about　Norman's
being　passed　by　〃that　Harvey；〃　and　his　sisters　exulting；　and　papa
being　vexed；　and　Norman　losing　time　and　not　caring。

〃There　you　are　wrong；〃　said　Margaret；　〃Norman　did　care　very　much；　and
it　was　not　till　he　had　seen　clearly　that　it　was　a　matter　of　duty　to
do　as　papa　thought　right；　and　not　agitate　his　mind　about　his　chances
of　keeping　up；　that　he　could　bear　to　give　up　his　work；〃　and　she　told
Ethel　a　little　of　what　had　passed。

Ethel　was　much　struck。　　〃But　oh；　Margaret；　it　is　very　hard；　just　to
have　him　put　up　for　the　sake　of　being　put　down；　and　pleasing　the
Andersons！〃

〃Dear　Ethel；　why　should　you　mind　so　much　about　the　Andersons？　　May
they　not　care　about　their　brother　as　we　do　for　ours？〃

〃Such　a　brother　to　care　about！〃　said　Ethel。

〃But　I　suppose　they　may　like　him　the　best；〃　said　Margaret；　smiling。

〃I　suppose　they　do；〃　said　Ethel　grudgingly；　〃but　still　I　cannot　bear
to　see　Norman　doing　nothing；　and　I　know　Harvey　Anderson　will　beat
him。〃

〃Surely　you　had　rather　he　did　nothing　than　made　himself　ill！〃

〃To　be　sure；　but　I　wish　it　wasn't　so。〃

〃Yes；　but；　Ethel；　whose　doing　is　his　getting　into　this　state？〃

Ethel　looked　grave。　　〃It　was　wrong　of　me；〃　said　she；　〃but　then　papa
is　not　sure　that　Greek　would　hurt　him。〃

〃Not　sure；　but　he　thinks　it　not　wise　to　run　the　risk。　　But；　Ethel；
dear；　why　are　you　so　bent　on　his　being　dux　at　all　costs？〃

〃It　would　be　horrid　if　he　was　not。〃

〃Don't　you　remember　you　used　to　say　that　outward　praise　or　honour　was
not　to　be　cared　for　as　long　as　one　did　one's　duty；　and　that　it　might
be　a　temptation？〃

〃Yes；　I　know　I　did；〃　said　Ethel；　faltering；　〃but　that　was　for
oneself。〃

〃It　is　harder；　I　think；　to　feel　so　about　those　we　care　for；〃　said
Margaret；　〃but　after　all；　this　is　just　what　will　show　whether　our
pride　in　Norman　is　the　right　true　loving　pride；　or　whether　it　is　only
the　family　vanity　of　triumphing　over　the　Andersons。〃

Ethel　hung　her　head。　〃There's　some　of　that；〃　she　said；　〃but　it　is　not
all。　　NoI　don't　want　to　triumph　over　them；　nobody　would　do　that。〃

〃Not　outwardly　perhaps；　but　in　their　hearts。〃

〃I　can't　tell；〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　it　is　the　being　triumphed　over　that
I　cannot　bear。〃

〃Perhaps　this　is　all　a　lesson　in　humility　for　us；〃　said　Margaret　　〃It
is　teaching　us；　'Whosoever　exalteth　himself　shall　be　abased；　and　he
that　humbleth　himself　shall　be　exalted。'〃

Ethel　was　silent　for　some　little　space；　then　suddenly　exclaimed；　〃And
you　think　he　will　really　be　put　down？〃

Margaret　seemed　to　have　been　talking　with　little　effect；　but　she　kept
her　patience；　and　answered；　〃I　cannot　guess；　Ethel；　but　I'll　tell　you
one　thing…桰　think　there's　much　more　chance　if　he　comes　to　his　work
fresh　and　vigorous　after　a　rest；　than　if　he　went　on　dulling　himself
with　it　all　this　time。〃

With　which　Ethel　was　so　far　appeased　that　she　promised　to　think　as
little　as　she　could　of　the　Andersons；　and　a　walk　with　Richard　to
Cocksmoor　turned　the　current　of　her　thoughts。　　They　had　caught　some
more　Sunday…school　children　by　the　help　of　Margaret's　broth；　but　it
was　uphill　work；　the　servants　did　not　like　such　guests　in　the
kitchen；　and　they　were　still　less　welcome　at　school。

〃What　do　you　think　I　heard；　Ethel？〃　said　Flora；　the　next　Sunday；　as
they　joined　each　other　in　the　walk　from　school　to　church；　〃I　heard
Miss　Graves　say　to　Miss　Boulder；　'I　declare　I　must　remonstrate。　　I
undertook　to　instruct　a　national；　not　a　ragged　school；'　and　then　Miss
Boulder　shook　out　her　fine　watered　silk　and　said；　〃It　positively　is
improper　to　place　ladies　in　contact　with　such　squalid　objects。'〃

〃Ladies！〃　cried　Ethel。　　〃A　stationer's　daughter　and　a　banker's
clerk's！　　Why　do　they　come　to　teach　at　school　at　all？〃

〃Because　our　example　makes　it　genteel；〃　said　Flora。

〃I　hope　you　did　something　more　in　hopes　of　making　it　genteel。〃

〃I　caught　one　of　your　ragged　regiment　with　her　frock　gaping　behind；
and　pinned　it　up。　　Such　rags　as　there　were　under　it！　　Oh；　Ethel！〃

〃Which　was　it？〃

〃That　merry　Irish…looking　child。　　I　don't　know　her　name。〃

〃Oh！　it　is　a　real　charming　Irish　name；　Una　M'Carthy。　　I　am　so　glad
you　did　it；　Flora。　　I　hope　they　were　ashamed。〃

〃I　doubt　whether　it　will　do　good。　　We　are　sure　of　our　station　and　can
do　anything？they　are　struggling　to　be　ladies。〃

〃But　we　ought　not　to　talk　of　them　any　more；　Flora；　here　we　are　almost
at　the　churchyard。〃

The　Tuesday　of　this　week　was　appointed　for　the　visit　of　the　London
surgeon；　Sir　Matthew　Fleet；　and　the　expectation　caused　Dr。　May　to
talk　much　to　Margaret　of　old　times；　and　the　days　of　is　courtship；
when　it　had　been　his　favourite　project　that　his　friend　and　fellow…
student　should　marry　Flora　Mackenzie；　and　there　had　been　a　promising
degree　of　liking；　but　〃Mat〃　had　been　obliged　to　be　prudent；　and　had
ended　by　never　marrying　at　all。　　This　the　doctor；　as　well　as　his
daughters；　believed　was　for　the　sake　of　Aunt　Flora；　and　thus　the
girls　were　a　good　deal　excited　about　his　coming；　almost　as　much　on
his　own　account；　as　because　they　considered　him　as　the　arbiter　of
Margaret's　fate。　　He　only　came　in　time　for　a　seven　o'clock　dinner；
and　Margaret　did　not　see　him　that　night；　but　heard　enough　from　her
sisters；　when　they　came　up　to　tell　the　history　of　their　guest；　and　of
the　first　set　dinner　when　Flora　had　acted　as　lady　of　the　house。　　The
dinner　it　appeared　had　gone　off　very　well。　　Flora　had　managed
admirably；　and　the　only　mishap　was　some　awkward　carving　of　Ethel's
which　had　caused　the　dish　to　be　changed　with　Norman。　　As　to　the
guest；　Flora　said　he　was　very　good…looking　and　agreeable。　　Ethel
abruptly　pronounced；　〃I　am　very　glad　Aunt　Flora　married　Uncle　Arnott
instead。〃

〃I　can't　think　why；〃　said　Flora。　〃I　never　saw　a　person　of　pleasanter
manners。〃

〃Did　they　talk　of　old　tim