the daisy chain, or aspirations-第60章

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came　over　him。　　But　his　sorrow　was　now　not　what　it　had　been　before
his　father's　resignation　had　tempered　it；　and　soon　it　turned　to
prayer；　resolution；　and　hope。

He　would　try　again　to　reason　quietly　with　him；　when　the　alarm　of
detection　and　irritation　should　have　gone　off；　and　he　sought　for　the
occasion；　but；　alas！　Tom　had　learned　to　look　on　all　reproof　as
〃rowing；〃　and　considered　it　as　an　additional　injury　from　a　brother；
who；　according　to　the　Anderson　view；　should　have　connived　at　his
offences；　and　turned　a　deafened　ear　and　dogged　countenance　to　all　he
said。　　The　foolish　boy　sought　after　the　Andersons　still　more；　and
Norman　became　more　dispirited　about　him；　greatly　missing　Harry；　that
constant　companion　and　follower；　who　would　have　shared　his
perplexities；　and　removed　half　of　them；　in　his　own　part　of　the
school；　by　the　influence　of　his　high；　courageous；　and　truthful
spirit。

In　the　meantime　Richard　was　studying　hard　at　home；　with　greater
hopefulness　and　vigour　than　he　had　ever　thrown　into　his　work　before。
〃Suppose；〃　Ethel　had　once　said　to　him；　〃that　when　you　are　a
clergyman；　you　could　be　Curate　of　Cocksmoor；　when　there　is　a　church
there。〃

〃When？〃　said　Richard；　smiling　at　the　presumption　of　the　scheme；　and
yet　it　formed　itself　into　a　sort　of　definite　hope。　　Perhaps　they
might　persuade　Mr。　Ramsden　to　take　him　as　a　curate　with　a　view　to
Cocksmoor；　and　this　prospect；　vague　as　it　was；　gave　an　object　and
hope　to　his　studies。　　Every　one　thought　the　delay　of　his　examination
favourable　to　him；　and　he　now　read　with　a　determination　to　succeed。
Dr。　May　had　offered　to　let　him　read　with　Mr。　Harrison　but　Richard
thought　he　was　getting　on　pretty　well；　with　the　help　Norman　gave　him；
for　it　appeared　that　ever　since　Norman's　return　from　London；；　he　had
been　assisting　Richard；　who　was　not　above　being　taught　by　a　younger
brother；　while；　on　the　other　hand；　Norman；　much　struck　by　his
humility；　would　not　for　the　world　have　published　that　he　was　fit　to
act　as　his　elder's　tutor。

One　evening；　when　the　two　boys　came　in　from　school；　Tom　gave　a　great
start；　and；　pulling　Mary　by　the　sleeve；　whispered；　〃How　came　that
book　here？〃

〃It　is　Mr。　Harrison's。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；　but　how　came　it　here？〃

〃Richard　borrowed　it　to　look　out　something；　and　Ethel　brought　it
down。〃

A　little　reassured；　Tom　took　up　an　exciting　story…book；　and　ensconced
himself　by　the　fire；　but　his　agonies　were　great　during　the　ensuing
conversation。

〃Norman；〃　Ethel　was　exclaiming　in　delight；　〃do　you　know　this　book？〃

〃Smith？　　Yes；　it　is　in　the　school　library。〃

〃There's　everything　in　it　that　one　wants；　I　do　believe。　　Here　is　such
an　account　of　ancient　galleysI　never　knew　how　they　managed　their
banks　of　rowers　beforeoh！　and　the　Greek　houseslook　at　the
pictures　too。〃

〃Some　of　them　are　the　same　as　Mr。　Rivers's　gems；〃　said　Norman；
standing　behind　her；　and　turning　the　leaves；　in　search　of　a
favourite。

〃Oh！　what　did　I　see？　is　that　ink？〃　said　Flora；　from　the　opposite　side
of　the　table。

〃Yes；　didn't　you　hear？〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Mr。　Harrison　told　Ritchie　when
he　borrowed　it；　that　unluckily　one　day　this　spring　he　left　it　in
school；　and　some　of　the　boys　must　have　upset　an　inkstand　over　it；
but；　though　he　asked　them　all　round；　each　denied　it。　　How　I　should
hate　for　such　things　to　happen！　and　it　was　a　prize…book　too。〃

While　Ethel　spoke　she　opened　the　marked　page；　to　show　the　extent　of
the　calamity；　and　as　she　did　so　Mary　exclaimed；　〃Dear　me！　how　funny！
why；　how　did　Harry's　blotting…paper　get　in　there？〃

Tom　shrank　into　nothing；　set　his　teeth；　and　pinched　his　fingers；
ready　to　wish　they　were　on　Mary's　throat；　more　especially　as　the
words　made　some　sensation。　　Richard　and　Margaret　exchanged　looks；　and
their　father；　who　had　been　reading；　sharply　raised　his　eyes　and　said；
〃Harry's　blotting…paper！　　How　do　you　know　that；　Mary？〃

〃It　is　Harry's；〃　said　she；　all　unconscious；　〃because　of　that　anchor
up　in　one　corner；　and　the　Union　Jack　in　the　other。　　Don't　you　see；
Ethel？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Ethel；　〃nobody　drew　that　but　Harry。〃

〃Ay；　and　there　are　his　buttons；〃　said　Mary；　much　amused　and　delighted
with　these　relics　of　her　beloved　Harry。　　〃Don't　you　remember　one　day
last　holidays；　papa　desired　Harry　to　write　and　ask　Mr。　Ernescliffe
what　clothes　he　ought　to　have　for　the　naval　school；　and　all　the　time
he　was　writing　the　letter；　he　was　drawing　sailors'　buttons　on　his
blotting…paper。　　I　wonder　how　ever　it　got　into　Mr。　Harrison's　book！〃

Poor　Mary's　honest　wits　did　not　jump　to　a　conclusion　quite　so　fast　as
other　people's；　and　she　little　knew　what　she　was　doing　when；　as　a
great　discovery；　she　exclaimed；　〃I　know！　　Harry　gave　his　paper…case
to　Tom。　　That's　the　way　it　got　to　school！〃

〃Tom！〃　exclaimed　his　father；　suddenly　and　angrily；　〃where　are　you
going？〃

〃To　bed；〃　muttered　the　miserable　Tom；　twisting　his　hands。　　A　dead
silence　of　consternation　fell　on　all　the　room。　　Mary　gazed　from　one
to　the　other；　mystified　at　the　effect　of　her　words；　frightened　at　her
father's　loud　voice；　and　at　Tom's　trembling　confusion。　　The　stillness
lasted　for　some　moments；　and　was　first　broken　by　Flora；　as　if　she　had
caught　at　a　probability。　　〃Some　one　might　have　used　the　first
blotting…paper　that　came　to　hand。〃

〃Come　here；　Tom；〃　said　the　doctor；　in　a　voice　not　loud；　but　trembling
with　anxiety；　then　laying　his　hand　on　his　shoulder；　〃Look　in　my
face。〃　　Tom　hung　his　head；　and　his　father　put　his　hand　under　his
chin；　and　raised　the　pale　terrified　face。　　〃Don't　be　afraid　to　tell
us　the　meaning　of　this。　　If　any　of　your　friends　have　done　it；　we　will
keep　your　secret。　　Look　up；　and　speak　out。　　How　did　your　blotting…
paper　come　there？〃

Tom　had　been　attempting　his　former　system　of　silent　sullenness；　but
there　was　anger　at　Mary；　and　fear　of　his　father　to　agitate　him；　and
in　his　impatient　despair　at　thus　being　held　and　questioned；　he　burst
out　into　a　violent　fit　of　crying。

〃I　can't　have　you　roaring　here　to　distress　Margaret；〃　said　Dr。　May。
〃Come　into　the　study　with　me。〃

But　Tom；　who　seemed　fairly　out　of　himself；　would　not　stir；　and　a
screaming　and　kicking　scene　took　place；　before　he　was　carried　into
the　study　by　his　brothers；　and　there　left　with　his　father。　　Mary；
meantime；　dreadfully　alarmed；　and　perceiving　that；　in　some　way；　she
was　the　cause；　had　thrown　herself　upon　Margaret；　sobbing
inconsolably；　as　she　begged　to　know　what　was　the　matter；　and　why　papa
was　angry　with　Tomhad　she　made　him　so？

Margaret　caressed　and　soothed　her　to　the　best　of　her　ability；　trying
to　persuade　her　that；　if　Tom　had　done　wrong；　it　was　better　for　him　it
should　be　known；　and　assuring　her　that　no　one　could　think　her　unkind；
nor　a　tell…tale；　then　dismissing　her　to　bed；　and　Mary　was　not
unwilling　to　go；　for　she　could　not　bear　to　meet　Tom　again；　only
begging　in　a　whisper　to　Ethel；　〃that；　if　dear　Tom　had　not　done　it；
she　would　come　and　tell　her。〃

〃I　am　afraid　there　is　no　hope　of　that！〃　sighed　Ethel；　as　the　door
closed　on　Mary。

〃After　all；〃　said　Flora；　〃he　has　not　said　anything。　　If　he　has　only
done　it；　and　not　confessed；　that　is　not　so　badit　is　only　the　usual
fashion　of　boys。〃

〃Has　he　been　asked？　　Did　he　deny　it？〃　said　Ethel；　looking　in　Norman's
face；　as　if　she　hardly　ventured　to　put　the　question；　and　she　only
received　sorrowful　signs　as　answers。　　At　the　same　moment　Dr。　May
called　him。　　No　one　spoke。　　Margaret　rested　her　head　on　the　sofa；　and
looked　very　mournful；　Richard　stood　by　the　fire　without　moving　limb
or　feature；　Flora　worked　fast；　and　Ethel　leaned　back　on　an　arm…chair；
biting　the　end　of　a　paper…knife。

The　doctor　and　Norman　came　back　together。　　〃I　have　sent　him　up　to
bed；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃I　must　take　him　to　Harrison　to…morrow　morning。
It　is　a　terrible　business！〃

〃Has　he　confessed　it？〃　said　Margaret。

〃I　can　hardly　call　such　a　thing　a　confessionI　wormed　it　out　bit　by
bitI　could　not　tell　whether　he　was　telling　truth　or　not；　till　I
called　Norman　in。〃

〃But　he　has　not　said　anything　more　untrue〃

〃Yes；　he　has　though！〃　said　Dr。　May　indignantly。　　〃He　said　Ned
Anderson　put　the　paper　there；　and　had　been　taking　up　the　ink　with　it…
…'twas　his　doingthen　when　I　came　to　cross…examine　him　I　found　that
though　Anderson　did　take