the daisy chain, or aspirations-第52章

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upset　his　nerves　again。　　I'm　sorry　for　it。　　I　meant　him　to　have
followed　my　trade；　but　he'll　never　do　for　that。　　However；　he　has　wits
enough　to　make　himself　what　he　pleases；　and　I　dare　say　he　will　keep
at　the　head　of　the　school　after　all。〃

〃How　very　good　he　has　been　in　refraining　from　restlessness！〃

〃It's　beautiful！〃　said　Dr。　May；　with　strong　emotion。　　〃Poor　boy！　　I
trust　he'll　not　be　disappointed；　and　I　don't　think　he　will；　but　I've
promised　him　I　won't　be　annoyed　if　he　should　lose　his　placeso　we
must　take　especial　care　not　to　show　any　anxiety。　　However；　for　this
matter；　Margaret；　I　wish　you　would　sound　him；　and　see　whether　it
would　be　more　pleasure　or　pain。　　Only　mind　you　don't　let　him　think
that　I　shall　be　vexed；　if　he　feels　that　he　can't　make　up　his　mind；　I
would　not　have　him　fancy　that；　for　more　than　I　can　tell。〃

This　consultation　revived　the　spirits　of　both；　and　the　others
returning；　found　Margaret　quite　disposed　for　companionship。　　If　to
her　the　evening　was　sad　and　strange；　like　a　visit　in　a　dream　to　some
old　familiar　haunt；　finding　all　unnatural；　to　the　rest　it　was
delightful。　　The　room　was　no　longer　dreary；　now　that　there　was　a
centre　for　care　and　attentions；　and　the　party　was　no　longer　broken
upthe　sense　of　comfort；　cheerfulness；　and　home…gathering　had
returned；　and　the　pleasant　evening　household　gossip　went　round　the
table　almost　as　it　used　to　do。　　Dr。　May　resumed　his　old　habit　of
skimming　a　club　book；　and　imparting　the　cream　to　the　listeners；　and
Flora　gave　them　some　music；　a　great　treat　to　Margaret；　who　had　long
only　heard　its　distant　sounds。

Margaret　found　an　opportunity　of　talking　to　Norman；　and　judged
favourably。　　He　was　much　pleased　at　the　prospect　of　the　journey；　and
of　seeing　a　ship；　so　as　to　have　a　clearer　notion　of　the　scene　where
Harry's　life　was　to　be　spent；　and　though　the　charge　of　the　arm　was　a
drawback；　he　did　not　treat　it　as　insurmountable。

A　few　days'　attendance　in　his　father's　room　gave　him　confidence　in
taking　Richard's　place；　and；　accordingly；　the　third　important　measure
was　decided　on；　namely；　that　he　and　his　father　should　accompany　Harry
to　the　naval　school；　and　be　absent　three　nights。　　Some　relations
would　be　glad　to　receive　them　in　London；　and　Alan　Ernescliffe；　who
was　studying　steam　navigation　at　Woolwich；　volunteered　to　meet　them；
and　go　with　them　to　Portsmouth。

It　was　a　wonderful　event；　Norman　and　Harry　had　never　been　beyond
Whitford　in　their　lives；　and　none　of　the　young　ones　could　recollect
their　papa's　ever　going　from　home　for　more　than　one　night。　　Dr。　May
laughed　at　Margaret　for　her　anxiety　and　excitement　on　the　subject；
and　was　more　amused　at　overhearing　Richard's　precise　directions　to
Norman　over　the　packing　up。

〃Ay；　Ritchie；〃　said　the　doctor；　as　he　saw　his　portmanteau　locked；　and
the　key　given　to　Norman；　〃you　may　well　look　grave　upon　it。　　You　won't
see　it　look　so　tidy　when　it　comes　back　again；　and　I　believe　you　are
thinking　it　will　be　lucky　if　you　see　it　at　all。〃

There　was　a　very　affectionate　leave…taking　of　Harry；　who；　growing
rather　soft…hearted；　thought　it　needful　to　be　disdainful；　scolded
Mary　and　Blanche　for　〃lugging　off　his　figure…head；〃　and　assured　them
they　made　as　much　work　about　it　as　if　he　was　going　to　sea　at　once。
Then；　to　put　an　end　to　any　more　embraces；　he　marched　off　to　the
station　with　Tom；　and　nearly　caused　the　others　to　be　too　late；　by　the
search　for　him　that　ensued。

In　due　time；　Dr。　May　and　Norman　returned；　looking　the　better　for　the
journey。　　There　was；　first；　to　tell　of　Harry's　school　and　its　master；
and　Alan　Ernescliffe's　introduction　of　him　to　a　nice…looking　boy　of
his　own　age；　then　they　were　eloquent　on　the　wonders　of　the　dockyard；
the　Victory；　the　block　machinery。　　And　Londonwhile　Dr。　May　went　to
transact　some　business；　Norman　had　been　with　Alan　at　the　British
Museum；　and　though　he　had　intended　to　see　half　London　besides；　there
was　no　tearing　him　away　from　the　Elgin　marbles；　and　nothing　would
serve　him；　but　bringing　Dr。　May　the　next　morning　to　visit　the
Ninevite　bulls。　　Norman　further　said；　that　whereas　papa　could　never
go　out　of　his　house　without　meeting　people　who　had　something　to　say
to　him；　it　was　the　same　elsewhere。　　Six　acquaintances　he　had　met
unexpectedly　in　London；　and　two　at　Portsmouth。

So　the　conversation　went　on　all　the　evening；　to　the　great　delight　of
all。　　It　was　more　about　things　than　people；　though　Flora　inquired
after　Mr。　Ernescliffe；　and　was　told　he　had　met　them　at　the　station；
had　been　everywhere　with　them；　and　had　dined　at　the　Mackenzies'　each
day。　　〃How　was　he　looking？〃　Ethel　asked；　and　was　told　pretty　much　the
same　as　when　he　went　away；　and；　on　a　further　query　from　Flora；　it
appeared　that　an　old　naval　friend　of　his　father's　had　hopes　of　a
ship；　and　had　promised　to　have　him　with　him；　and　thereupon　warm　hopes
were　expressed　that　Harry　might　have　a　berth　in　the　same。

〃And　when　is　he　coming　here　again；　papa？〃　said　Ethel。

〃Eh！　oh！　I　can't　tell。　　I　say；　isn't　it　high　time　to　ring？〃

When　they　went　up　at　night；　every　one　felt　that　half　the　say　had　not
been　said；　and　there　were　fresh　beginnings　on　the　stairs。　　Norman
triumphantly　gave　the　key　to　Richard；　and　then　called　to　Ethel；　〃I
say；　won't　you　come　into　my　room　while　I　unpack？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　should　like　it　very　much。〃

Ethel　sat　on　the　bed；　rolled　up　in　a　cloak；　while　Norman　undid　his
bag；　announcing　at　the　same　time；　〃Well；　Ethel；　papa　says　I　may　get
to　my　Euripides　to…morrow；　if　I　please；　and　only　work　an　hour　at　a
time！〃

〃Oh；　I　am　so　glad。　　Then　he　thinks　you　quite　well？〃

〃Yes；　I　am　quite　well。　　I　hope　I've　done　with　nonsense。〃

〃And　how　did　you　get　on　with　his　arm？〃

〃Very　wellhe　was　so　patient；　and　told　me　how　to　manage。　　You　heard
that　Sir　Matthew　said　it　had　got　much　better　in　these　few　weeks。　　Oh；
here　it　is！　　There's　a　present　for　you。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you。　　From　you；　or　from　papa？〃

〃This　is　mine。　　Papa　has　a　present　for　every　one　in　his　bag。　　He
said；　at　last；　that　a　man　with　eleven　children　hadn't　need　to　go　to
London　very　often。〃

〃And　you　got　this　beautiful　'Lyra　Innocentium'　for　me？　　How　very　kind
of　you；　Norman。　　It　is　just　what　I　wished　for。　　Such　lovely　binding
and　those　embossed　edges　to　the　leaves。　　Oh！　they　make　a　pattern　as
they　open！　　I　never　saw　anything　like　it。〃

〃I　saw　such　a　one　on　Miss　Rivers's　table；　and　asked　Ernescliffe　where
to　get　one　like　it。　　See；　here's　what　my　father　gave　me。〃

〃'Bishop　Ken's　Manual'。　　That　is　in　readiness　for　the　Confirmation。〃

〃Look。　　I　begged　him　to　put　my　name；　though　he　said　it　was　a　pity　to
do　it　with　his　left　hand；　I　didn't　like　to　wait；　so　I　asked　him　at
least　to　write　N。　W。　May；　and　the　date。〃

〃And　he　has　added　Prov。　xxiii。　24；　25。　　Let　me　look　it　out。〃　　She　did
so；　and　instead　of　reading　it　aloud；　looked　at　Norman　full　of
congratulation。

〃How　it　ought　to　make　one〃and　there　Norman　broke　off　from　the
fullness　of　his　heart。

〃I'm　glad　he　put　both　verses〃　said　Ethel　presently。　　〃How　pleased
with　you　he　must　be！〃

A　silence　while　brother　and　sister　both　gazed　intently　at　the　crooked
characters；　till　at　last　Ethel；　with　a　long　breath；　resumed　her
ordinary　tone；　and　said；　〃How　well　he　has　come　to　write　with　his　left
hand　now。〃

〃Yes。　　Did　you　know　that　he　wrote　himself　to　tell　Ernescliffe　Sir
Matthew's　opinion　of　Margaret？〃

〃No：　did　he？〃

〃Do　you　know；　Ethel；〃　said　Norman；　as　he　knelt　on　the　floor；　and
tumbled　miscellaneous　articles　out　of　his　bag；　〃it　is　my　belief　that
Ernescliffe　is　in　love　with　her；　and　that　papa　thinks　so。〃

〃Dear　me！〃　cried　Ethel；　starting　up。　　〃That　is　famous。　　We　should
always　have　Margaret　at　home　when　he　goes　to　sea！〃

〃But　mind；　Ethel；　for　your　life　you　must　not　say　one　word　to　any
living　creature。〃

〃Oh；　no；　I　promise　you　I　won't；　Norman；　if　you'll　only　tell　me　how
you　found　it　out。〃

〃What　first　put　it　in　my　head　was　the　first　evening；　while　I　was
undoing　the　portmanteau；　my　father　leaned　on　the　mantel…shelf；　and
sighed　and　muttered；　'Poor　Ernescliffe！　　I　wish　it　may　end　well。'　　I
thought　he　forgot　that　I　was　there；　so　I　would　not　seem　to　notice；
but　I　soon　saw　it　was　that　he　meant。〃

〃How？〃　cried　Ethel　eagerly。

〃Oh；　I　don't　know