the daisy chain, or aspirations-第5章
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scenes； and this free household mirth。
〃It is the first time you have seen us in perfection；〃 said Margaret；
〃with mamma at the head of the tableno； not quite perfection
either； without Richard。〃
〃I am very glad to have seen it；〃 repeated Alan。 〃What a blessing it
must be to your brothers to have such a home！〃
〃Yes； indeed；〃 said Margaret earnestly。
〃I cannot fancy any advantage in life equal to it。 Your father and
mother so entirely one with you all。〃
Margaret smiled； too much pleased to speak； and glanced at her
mother's sweet face。
〃You can't think how often I shall remember it； or how rejoiced I〃
He broke off； for the noise subsided； and his speech was not intended
for the public ear； so he dashed into the general conversation； and
catching his own name； exclaimed； 〃What's that base proposal； Ethel？〃
〃To put you on the donkey；〃 said Norman。
〃They want to see a sailor riding；〃 interposed the doctor。
〃Dr。 May！〃 cried the indignant voice of Hector Ernescliffe； as his
honest Scottish face flushed like a turkey cock； 〃I assure you that
Alan rides like〃
〃Like a horse marine；〃 said Norman。
Hector and Harry both looked furious； but 〃June〃 was too great a man
in their world for them to attempt any revenge； and it was left for
Mary to call out； 〃Why； Norman； nonsense！ Mr。 Ernescliffe rode the
new black kicking horse till he made it quite steady。〃
〃Made it steady！ No； Mary； that is saying too much for it；〃 said Mr。
Ernescliffe。
〃It has no harm in itcapital horsesplendid；〃 said the doctor； 〃I
shall take you out with it this afternoon； Maggie。〃
〃You have driven it several times？〃 said Alan。
〃Yes； I drove him to Abbotstoke yesterdaynever started； except at a
fool of a woman with an umbrella； and at the trainand we'll take
care not to meet that。〃
〃It is only to avoid the viaduct at half…past four；〃 said Mrs。 May；
and that is easily done。〃
〃So you are bound for Cocksmoor？〃 said the doctor。 〃I told the poor
fellow you were going to see his wife； and he was so thankful； that
it did one's heart good。〃
Is he better？ I should like to tell his wife；〃 said Flora。
The doctor screwed up his face。 〃A bad business；〃 he said； he is a
shade better to…day； he may get through yet； but he is not my
patient。 I only saw him because I happened to be there when he was
brought in； and Ward was not in the way。〃
〃And what's his name？〃
〃I can't telldon't think I ever heard。〃
〃We ought to know；〃 said Miss Winter； 〃it would be awkward to go
without。〃
〃To go roaming about Cocksmoor asking where the man in the hospital
lives！〃 said Flora。 〃We can't wait till Monday。〃
〃I've done；〃 said Norman； 〃I'll run down to the hospital and find
out。 May I； mamma？〃
〃Without your pudding； old fellow？〃
〃I don't want pudding；〃 said Norman； slipping back his chair。
〃May I； mamma？〃
〃To be sure you may；〃 and Norman； with a hand on the back of Ethel's
chair； took a flying leap over his own； that set all the glasses
ringing。
〃Stop； stop！ know what you are going after； sir；〃 cried his father。
〃What will they know there of Cocksmoor； or the man whose wife has
twins？ You must ask for the accident in number five。〃
〃And oh； Norman； come back in time！〃 said Ethel。
〃I'll be bound I'm back before Etheldred the Unready wants me；〃 he
answered； bounding off with an elasticity that caused his mother to
say the boy was made of india…rubber； and then putting his head in by
the window to say； 〃By…the…bye； if there's any pudding owing to me；
that little chorister fellow of ours； Bill Blake； has got a lot of
voracious brothers that want anything that's going。 Tom and Blanche
might take it down to 'em； I'm off！ Hooray！〃 and he scampered
headlong up the garden； prolonging his voice into a tremendous shout
as he got farther off； leaving every one laughing； and his mother
tenderly observing that he was going to run a quarter of a mile and
back； and lose his only chance of pudding for the weekold Bishop
Whichcote's rules contemplating no fare but daily mutton； to be
bought at a shilling per sheep。 A little private discussion ensued
between Harry and Hector on the merits of the cakes at Ballhatchet's
gate； and old Nelly's pies； which led the doctor to mourn over the
loss of the tarts of the cranberries； that used to grow on Cocksmoor；
before it was inhabited； and to be the delight of the scholars of
Stoneborough； when he was one of themand then to enchant the boys
by relations of ancient exploits； especially his friend Spencer
climbing up； and engraving a name on the top of the market cross； now
no moreswept away by the Town Council in a fit of improvement；
which had for the last twenty years enraged the doctor at every
remembrance of it。 Perhaps at this moment his wife could hardly
sympathise； when she thought of her boys emulating such deeds。
〃Papa；〃 said Ethel； 〃will you lend me a pair of spectacles for the
walk？〃
〃And make yourself one； Ethel；〃 said Flora。
〃I don't careI want to see the view。〃
〃It is very bad for you； Ethel；〃 further added her mother； 〃you will
make your sight much shorter if you accustom your eyes to them。〃
〃Well； mamma； I never do wear them about the house。〃
〃For a very good reason；〃 said Margaret； 〃because you haven't got
them。〃
〃No； I believe Harry stole them in the holidays。〃
〃Stole them！〃 said the doctor； 〃as if they weren't my property；
unjustifiably appropriated by her！〃
〃They were that pair that you never could keep on； papa；〃 said
Ethel〃no use at all to you。 Come； do lend me them。〃
〃I'm sure I shan't let you wear them；〃 said Harry。 〃I shan't go；
if you choose to make yourself such an object。〃
〃Ah！〃 said the father； 〃the boys thought it time to put a stop to it
when it came to a caricature of the little doctor in petticoats。〃
〃Yes； in Norman's Lexicon；〃 said Ethel； 〃a capital likeness of you；
papa； but I never could get him to tell me who drew it。〃
Nor did Ethel know that that caricature had been the cause of the
black eye that Harry had brought home last summer。 Harry returned；
to protest that he would not join the walk； if she chose to be seen
in the spectacles； while she undauntedly continued her petition；
though answered that she would attract the attacks of the quarrymen；
who would take her for an attenuated owl。
〃I wish you were obliged to go about without them yourself； papa！〃
cried Ethel； 〃and then you would know how tiresome it is not to see
twice the length of your own nose。〃
〃Not such a very short allowance either；〃 said the doctor quaintly；
and therewith the dinner concluded。 There was apt to be a race
between the two eldest girls for the honour of bringing down the
baby； but this time their father strode up three steps at once；
turned at the top of the first flight； made his bow to them； and
presently came down with his little daughter in his arms； nodded
triumphantly at the sisters； and set her down on her mother's lap。
〃There； Maggie； you are complete； you old hen…and…chicken daisy。
Can't you take her portrait in the character； Margaret？〃
〃With her pink cap； and Blanche and Aubrey as they are now； on each
side？〃 said Flora。
〃Margaret ought to be in the picture herself；〃 said Ethel。 〃Fetch the
artist in Norman's Lexicon； Harry。〃
〃Since he has hit off one of us so well；〃 said the doctor。 〃Well！
I'm off。 I must see old Southern。 You'll be ready by three？ Good…
bye； hen and chicken。〃
〃And I may have the spectacles？〃 said Ethel； running after him； 〃you
know I am an injured individual； for mamma won't let me carry baby
about the house because I am so blind。〃
〃You are welcome to embellish yourself； as far as I am concerned。〃
A general dispersion ensued； and only Mrs。 May； Margaret； and the
baby； remained。
〃Oh； no！〃 sighed Margaret； 〃you can't be the hen…and…chicken daisy
properly； without all your chickens。 It is the first christening we
ever had without our all being there。〃
〃It was best not to press it； my dear；〃 said her mother。 〃Your papa
would have had his thoughts turned to the disappointment again and it
makes Richard himself so unhappy to see his vexation； that I believe
it is better not to renew it。〃
