the daisy chain, or aspirations-第75章

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〃But；　Tom；　do　cheer　up。　　It　is　nothing　to　be　in　such　distress　at。
Papa　knows　all　about　it；　and　while　he　does；　I　don't　care　half　so
much。〃

〃Oh；　I　wishI　wish〃

〃You　see；　Tom；〃　said　Norman；　〃after　all；　though　it　is　very　kind　of
you　to　be　sorry　for　not　being　able　to　get　me　out　of　this　scrape；　the
thing　one　wants　you　to　be　sorry　about　is　your　own　affair。〃

〃I　wish　I　had　never　come　to　school！　　I　wish　Anderson　would　leave　me
alone！　　It　is　all　his　fault！　　A　mean…spirited；　skulking；　bullying〃

〃Hush；　hush；　Tom；　he　is　bad　enough；　but　now　you　know　what　he　is；　you
can　keep　clear　of　him　for　the　future。　　Now　listen。　　You　and　I　will
make　a　fresh　start；　and　try　if　we　can't　get　the　Mays　to　be　looked　on
as　they　were　when　Harry　was　here。　　Let　us　mind　the　rules；　and　get
into　no　more　mischief。〃

〃You'll　keep　me　from　Ned　Anderson　and　Axworthy？〃　whispered
Tom。

〃Yes；　that　I　will。　　And　you'll　try　and　speak　the　truth；　and　be
straightforward？〃

〃I　will；　I　will；〃　said　Tom；　worn　out　in　spirits　by　his　long　bondage；
and　glad　to　catch　at　the　hope　of　relief　and　protection。

〃Then　let　us　come　home；〃　and　Tom　put　his　hand　into　his　brother's；　as
a　few　weeks　back　would　have　seemed　most　unworthy　of　schoolboy
dignity。

Thenceforth　Tom　was　devoted　to　Norman；　and　kept　close　to　him；　sure
that　the　instant　he　was　from　under　his　wing　his　former　companions
would　fall　on　him　to　revenge　his　defection；　but　clinging　to　him　also
from　real　affection　and　gratitude。　　Indolence　and　timidity　were　the
true　root　of　what　had　for　a　time　seemed　like　a　positively　bad
disposition；　beneath；　there　was　a　warm　heart；　and　sense　of　right；
which　had　been　almost　stifled　for　the　time；　in　the　desire；　from
moment　to　moment；　to　avoid　present　trouble　or　fear。　　Under　Norman's
care　his　better　self　had　freer　scope；　he　was　guarded　from　immediate
terror；　and　kept　from　the　suggestions　of　the　worse　sort　of　boys；　as
much　as　was　in　his　brother's　power；　and　the　looks　they　cast　towards
him；　and　the　sly　torments　they　attempted　to　inflict；　by　no　means
invited　him　back　to　them。　　The　lessons；　where　he　had　a　long
inveterate　habit　of　shuffling；　came　under　Norman's　eye　at　the　same
time。　　He　always　prepared　them　in　his　presence；　instead　of　in　the
most　secret　manner　possible；　and　with　all　Anderson's　expeditious
modes　of　avoiding　the　making　them　of　any　use。　　Norman　sat　by；　and
gave　such　help　as　was　fair　and　just；　showed　him　how　to　learn；　and
explained　difficulties；　and　the　ingenuity　hitherto　spent　in　eluding
learning　being　now　directed　to　gaining　it；　he　began　to　make　real
progress　and　find　satisfaction　in　it。　　The　comfort　of　being　good
dawned　upon　him　once　more；　but　still　there　was　much　to　contend　with；
he　had　acquired　such　a　habit　of　prevarication　that；　if　by　any　means
taken　by　surprise；　his　impulse　was　to　avoid　giving　a　straightforward
answer；　and　when　he　recollected　his　sincerity；　the　truth　came　with
the　air　of　falsehood。　　Moreover；　he　was　an　arrant　coward；　and
provoked　tricks　by　his　manifest　and　unreasonable　terrors。　　It　was　no
slight　exercise　of　patience　that　Norman　underwent；　but　this　was　the
interest　he　had　made　for　himself；　and　the　recovery　of　the　boy's
attachment；　and　his　improvement；　though　slow；　were　a　present
recompense。

Ernescliffe；　Larkins；　and　others　of　the　boys；　held　fast　to　him；　and
after　the　first　excitement　was　past；　all　the　rest　returned　to　their
former　tone。　　He　was　decidedly　as　much　respected　as　ever；　and；　at　the
same　time；　regarded　with　more　favour　than　when　his　strictness　was
resented。　　And　as　for　the　discipline　of　the　school；　that　did　not
suffer。　　Anderson　felt　that；　for　his　own　credit；　he　must　not　allow
the　rules　to　be　less　observed　than　in　May's　reign；　and　he　enforced
them　upon　the　reluctant　and　angry　boys　with　whom　he　had　been
previously　making　common　cause。　　Dr。　Hoxton　boasted　to　the　under…
masters　that　the　school　had　never　been　in　such　good　order　as　under
Anderson；　little　guessing　that　this　was　but　reaping　the　fruits　of　a
past　victory；　or　that　every　boy　in　the　whole　school　gave　the　highest
place　in　their　esteem　to　the　deposed　dux。

To　Anderson；　Norman's　cordial　manner　and　ready　support　were　the
strangest　part　of　all；　only　explained　by　thinking　that　he　deemed　it；
as　he　tried　to　do　himself；　merely　the　fortune　of　war；　and　was
sensible　of　no　injury。

And；　for　Norman　himself；　when　the　first　shock　was　over；　and　he　was
accustomed　to　the　change；　he　found　the　cessation　of　vigilance　a
relief；　and　carried　a　lighter　heart　than　any　time　since　his　mother's
death。　　His　sisters　could　not　help　observing　that　there　was　less
sadness　in　the　expression　of　his　eyes；　that　he　carried　his　head
higher；　walked　with　freedom　and　elasticity　of　step；　tossed　and
flourished　the　Daisy　till　she　shouted　and　crowed；　while　Margaret
shrank　at　such　freaks；　and；　though　he　was　not　much　of　a　laugher
himself；　contributed　much　sport　in　the　way　of　bright　apposite　sayings
to　the　home　circle。

It　was　a　very　unexpected　mode　of　cure　for　depression　of　spirits；　but
there　could　be　no　question　that　it　succeeded；　and　when；　a　few
Saturdays　after；　he　drove　Dr。　May　again　to　Groveswood　to　see　young
Mr。　Lake；　who　was　recovering；　he　brought　Margaret　home　a　whole　pile
of　botanical　curiosities；　and　drew　his　father　into　an　animated　battle
over　natural　and　Linnaean　systems；　which　kept　the　whole　party　merry
with　the　pros　and　cons　every　evening　for　a　week。




CHAPTER　XXIII。



Oh！　the　golden…hearted　daisies；
　　Witnessed　there　before　my　youth；
To　the　truth　of　things；　with　praises
　　Of　the　beauty　of　the　truth。E。　B。　BROWNING。


〃Margaret；　see　here。〃

The　doctor　threw　into　her　lap　a　letter；　which　made　her　cheeks　light
up。

Mr。　Ernescliffe　wrote　that　his　father's　friend；　Captain　Gordon；
having　been　appointed　to　the　frigate　Alcestis；　had　chosen　him　as　one
of　his　lieutenants；　and　offered　a　nomination　as　naval　cadet　for　his
brother。　　He　had　replied　that　the　navy　was　not　Hector's　destination；
but；　as　Captain　Gordon　had　no　one　else　in　view；　had　prevailed　on　him
to　pass　on　the　proposal　to　Harry　May。

Alan　wrote　in　high　terms　of　his　captain；　declaring　that　he　esteemed
the　having　sailed　with　him　as　one　of　the　greatest　advantages　he　had
ever　received；　and　adding　that；　for　his　own　part；　Dr。　May　needed　no
promise　from　him　to　be　assured　that　he　would　watch　over　Harry　like
his　own　brother。　　It　was　believed　that　the　Alcestis　was　destined　for
the　South　American　station。

〃A　three　years'　business；〃　said　Dr。　May；　with　a　sigh。　　〃But　the　thing
is　done；　and　this　is　as　good　as　we　can　hope。〃

〃Far　better！〃　said　Margaret。　　〃What　pleasure　it　must　have　given　him！
Dear　Harry　could　not　sail　under　more　favourable　circumstances。〃

〃No；　I　would　trust　to　Ernescliffe　as　I　would　to　Richard。　　It　is
kindly　done；　and　I　will　thank　him　at　once。　　Where　does　he　date　from？〃

〃From　Portsmouth。　　He　does　not　say　whether　he　has　seen　Harry。〃

〃I　suppose　he　waited　for　my　answer。　　Suppose　I　enclose　a　note　for　him
to　give　to　Harry。　　There　will　be　rapture　enough；　and　it　is　a　pity　he
should　not　have　the　benefit　of　it。〃

The　doctor　sat　down　to　write；　while　Margaret　worked　and　mused；
perhaps　on　outfits　and　new　shirtsperhaps　on　Harry's　lion…locks；
beneath　a　blue　cap　and　gold　band；　or；　perchance；　on　the　coral　shoals
of　the　Pacific。

It　was　one　of　the　quiet　afternoons；　when　all　the　rest　were　out；　and
which　the　doctor　and　his　daughter　especially　valued；　when　they　were
able　to　spend　one　together　without　interruption。　　Soon；　however；　a
ring　at　the　door　brought　an　impatient　exclamation　from　the　doctor；
but　his　smile　beamed　out　at　the　words；　〃Miss　Rivers。〃　　They　were
great　friends；　in　fact；　on　terms　of　some　mutual　sauciness；　though
Meta　was；　as　yet；　far　less　at　home　with　his　daughters；　and　came　in；
looking　somewhat　shy。

〃Ah；　your　congeners　are　gone　out！〃　was　the　doctor's　reception。　　〃You
must　put　up　with　our　sober　selves。〃

〃Is　Flora　gone　far？〃　asked　Meta。

〃To　Cocksmoor；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃I　am　very　sorry　she　has　missed　you。〃

〃Shall　I　be　in　your　way？〃　said　Meta　timidly。　　〃Papa　has　several
things　to　do；　and　said　he　would　call　for　me　here。〃

〃Good　luck　for　Margaret；〃　said　Dr。　May。

〃So　they　are　gone　to　Cocksmoor！〃　said　Meta。　　〃How　I　envy　them！〃

〃You　w