the daisy chain, or aspirations-第76章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

〃You　would　not　if　you　saw　the　place；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃I　believe
Norman　is　very　angry　with　me　for　letting　them　go　near　it。〃

〃Ah！　but　they　are　of　real　use　there！〃

〃And　Miss　Meta　is　obliged　to　take　to　envying　the　black…hole　of
Cocksmoor；　instead　of　being　content　with　the　eglantine　bowers　of
Abbotstoke！　　I　commiserate　her！〃　said　the　doctor。

〃If　I　did　any　good　instead　of　harm　at　Abbotstoke！〃

〃Harm！〃　exclaimed　Margaret。

〃They　went　on　very　well　without　me；〃　said　Meta；　〃but　ever　since　I
have　had　the　class　they　have　been　getting　naughtier　and　noisier　every
Sunday；　and；　last　Sunday；　the　prettiest　of　allthe　one　I　liked　best；
and　had　done　everything　forshe　began　to　mimic　meheld　up　her
finger；　as　I　did；　and　made　them　all　laugh！〃

〃Well；　that　is　very　bad！〃　said　Margaret；　〃but　I　suppose　she　was　a
very　little　one。〃

〃No；　a　quick　clever　one；　who　knew　much　better；　about　nine　years　old。
She　used　to　be　always　at　home　in　the　week；　dragging　about　a　great
baby；　and　we　managed　that　her　mother　should　afford　to　stay　at　home
and　send　her　to　school。　　It　seemed　such　a　pity　her　cleverness　should
be　wasted。〃

The　doctor　smiled。　　〃Ah！　depend　upon　it；　the　tyrant…baby　was　the　best
disciplinarian。〃

Meta　looked　extremely　puzzled。

〃Papa　means；〃　said　Margaret；　〃that　if　she　was　inclined　to　be
conceited；　the　being　teased　at　home　might　do　her　more　good　than　being
brought　forward　at　school。〃

〃I　have　done　everything　wrong；　it　seems；〃　said　Meta；　with　a　shade　of
what　the　French　call　depit。　　〃I　thought　it　must　be　right　and　good
but　it　has　only　done　mischief；　and　now　papa　says　they　are　an
ungrateful　set；　and　that；　if　it　vexes　me；　I　had　better　have　no　more
to　do　with　them！〃

〃It　does　not　vex　you　so　much　as　that；　I　hope；〃　said　Margaret。

〃Oh；　I　could　not　bear　that！〃　said　Meta；　〃but　it　is　so　different　from
what　I　thought！〃

〃Ah！　you　had　an　Arcadia　of　good　little　girls　in　straw　hats；　such　as　I
see　in　Blanche's　little　books；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃all　making　the
young　lady　an　oracle；　and　doing　wrongif　they　do　it　at　allin　the
simplest　way；　just　for　an　example　to　the　others。〃

〃Dr。　May！　　How　can　you　know　so　well？　　But　do　you　really　think　it　is
their　fault；　or　mine？〃

〃Do　you　think　me　a　conjurer？〃

〃Well；　but　what　do　you　think？〃

〃What　do　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Charles　Wilmot　think？〃

〃I　know　Mrs。　Wilmot　thinks　I　spoil　my　class。　　She　spoke　to　me　about
making　favourites；　and　sometimes　has　seemed　surprised　at　things　which
I　have　done。　　Last　Sunday　she　told　me　she　thought　I　had　better　have　a
steadier　class；　and　I　know　whom　she　will　give　methe　great　big；
stupid　ones；　at　the　bottom　of　the　first　class！　　I　do　believe　it　is
only　out　of　good…nature　that　she　does　not　tell　me　not　to　teach　at
all。　　I　have　a　great　mind　I　will　not；　I　know　I　do　nothing　but　harm。〃

〃What　shall　you　say　if　I　tell　you　I　think　so　too？〃　asked　the　doctor。

〃Oh；　Dr。　May；　you　don't　really？　　Now；　does　he；　Miss　May？　　I　am　sure　I
only　want　to　do　them　good。　　I　don't　know　what　I　can　have　done。〃

Margaret　made　her　perceive　that　the　doctor　was　smiling；　and　she
changed　her　tone；　and　earnestly　begged　to　be　told　what　they　thought
of　the　case；　for　if　she　should　show　her　concern　at　home；　her　father
and　governess　would　immediately　beg　her　to　cease　from　all　connection
with　the　school；　and　she　did　not　feel　at　all　convinced　that　Mrs。
Wilmot　liked　to　have　her　there。　　Feeling　injured　by　the　implied
accusation　of　mismanagement；　yet；　with　a　sense　of　its　truth；　used　to
be　petted；　and　new　to　rebuffs；　yet　with　a　sincere　wish　to　act
rightly；　she　was　much　perplexed　by　this；　her　first　reverse；　and　had
come　partly　with　the　view　of　consulting　Flora；　though　she　had　fallen
on　other　counsellors。

〃Margaret；　our　adviser　general；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃what　do　you　say？
Put　yourself　in　the　place　of　Mrs。　Charles　Wilmot；　and　say；　shall　Miss
Rivers　teach　or　not？〃

〃I　had　rather　you　would；　papa。〃

〃Not　II　never　kept　school。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　being　Mrs。　Wilmot；　should　certainly　be　mortified　if
Miss　Rivers　deserted　me　because　the　children　were　naughty。　　I　think；
I　think　I　had　rather　she　came　and　asked　me　what　she　had　better　do。〃

〃And　you　would　answer　'teach；'　for　fear　of　vexing　her；〃　said　Meta。

〃I　should；　and　also　for　the　sake　of　letting　her　learn　to　teach。〃

〃The　point　where　only　trial　shows　one's　ignorance；〃　said　Dr。　May。

〃But　I　don't　want　to　do　it　for　my　own　sake；〃　said　Meta。　　〃I　do
everything　for　my　own　sake　already。〃

〃For　theirs；　then；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃If　teaching　will　not　come　by
nature；　you　must　serve　an　apprenticeship；　if　you　mean　to　be　of
service　in　that　line。　　Perhaps　it　was　the　gift　that　the　fairies
omitted。〃

〃But　will　it　do　any　good　to　them？〃

〃I　can't　tell；　but　I　am　sure　it　would　do　them　harm　for　you　to　give　it
up；　because　it　is　disagreeable。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Meta；　with　a　sigh；　〃I'll　go　and　talk　to　Mrs。　Wilmot。　　I
could　not　bear　to　give　up　anything　that　seems　right　just　now；　because
of　the　Confirmation。〃

Margaret　eagerly　inquired；　and　it　appeared　that　the　bishop　had　given
notice　for　a　Confirmation　in　August；　and　that　Mr。　Wilmot　was　already
beginning　to　prepare　his　candidates；　whilst　Mr。　Ramsden；　always
tardy；　never　gave　notice　till　the　last　moment　possible。　　The　hope　was
expressed　that　Harry　might　be　able　to　profit　by　this　opportunity；　and
Harry's　prospects　were　explained　to　Meta；　then　the　doctor；
recollecting　something　that　he　wished　to　say　to　Mr。　Rivers；　began　to
ask　about　the　chance　of　his　coming　before　the　time　of　an　engagement
of　his　own。

〃He　said　he　should　be　here　at　about　half…past　four；〃　said　Meta。　　〃He
is　gone　to　the　station　to　inquire　about　the　trains。　　Do　you　know　what
time　the　last　comes　in？〃

〃At　nine　forty…five；〃　said　the　doctor。

〃That　is　what　we　were　afraid　of。　It　is　for　Bellairs；　my　maid。　　Her
mother　is　very　ill；　and　she　is　afraid　she　is　not　properly　nursed。　　It
is　about　five　miles　from　the　Milbury　Station；　and　we　thought　of
letting　her　go　with　a　day…ticket　to　see　about　her。　　She　could　go　in
the　morning；　after　I　am　up；　but　I　don't　know　what　is　to　be　done；　for
she　could　not　get　back　before　I　dress　for　dinner。〃

Margaret　felt　perfectly　aghast　at　the　cool　tone；　especially　after
what　had　passed。

〃It　would　be　quite　impossible；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃Even　going　by　the
eight　o'clock　train；　and　returning　by　the　last；　she　would　only　have
two　hours　to　spareshort　enough　measure　for　a　sick　mother。〃

〃Papa　means　to　give　her　whatever　she　wants　for　any　nurse　she　may
get。〃

〃Is　there　no　one　with　her　mother　now？〃

〃A　son's　wife；　who；　they　think；　is　not　kind。　　Poor　Bellairs　was　so
grateful　for　being　allowed　to　go　home。　　I　wonder　if　I　could　dress　for
once　without　her？〃

〃Do　you　know　old　Crabbe？〃　said　the　doctor。

〃The　dear　old　man　at　Abbotstoke？　　Oh；　yes；　of　course。〃

〃There　was　a　very　sad　case　in　his　family。　　The　mother　was　dying　of　a
lingering　illness；　when　the　son　met　with　a　bad　accident。　　The　only
daughter　was　a　lady's…maid；　and　could　not　be　spared；　though　the
brother　was　half　crazy　to　see　her；　and　there　was　no　one　to　tend　them
but　a　wretch　of　a　woman；　paid　by　the　parish。　　The　poor　fellow　kept
calling　for　his　sister　in　his　delirium；　and；　at　last；　I　could　not
help　writing　to　the　mistress。〃

〃Did　she　let　her　come？〃　said　Meta；　her　cheek　glowing。

〃As　a　great　favour；　she　let　her　set　out　by　the　mail　train；　after
dressing　her　for　a　ball；　with　orders　to　return　in　time　for　her
toilette　for　an　evening　party　the　next　day。〃

〃Oh；　I　remember；〃　said　Margaret；　〃her　coming　here　at　five　in　the
morning；　and　your　taking　her　home。〃

〃And　when　we　got　to　Abbotstoke　the　brother　was　dead。　　That　parish
nurse　had　not　attended　to　my　directions；　and；　I　do　believe；　was　the
cause　of　it。　　The　mother　had　had　a　seizure；　and　was　in　the　most
precarious　state。〃

〃Surely　she　stayed！〃

〃It　was　as　much　as　her　place　was　worth；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃and　her
wages　were　the　chief　maintenance　of　the　family。　　So　she　had　to　go
back　to　dress　her　mistress；　while　the　old　woman　lay　there；　wailing
after　Betsy。　　She　did　give　warning　then；　but；　before　the　month　was
out；　the　mother　was　dead。〃

Meta　did　not　speak；　and　Dr。　May　presently　rose；　saying　he　sho