the daisy chain, or aspirations-第8章

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There　they　were　cut　short。　　There　was　a　plantation　to　be　crossed；
with　a　gate　that　would　not　open；　and　that　seemed　an　effectual　barrier
against　both　Miss　Winter　and　the　donkey；　until　by　persuasive
eloquence　and　great　gallantry；　Mr。　Ernescliffe　performed　the
wonderful　feat　of　getting　the　former　over　the　tall　fence；　while
Norman　conducted　the　donkey　a　long　way　round；　undertaking　to　meet
them　at　the　other　side　of　the　plantation。

The　talk　became　desultory；　as　they　proceeded　for　at　least　a　mile
along　a　cart…track　through　soft…tufted　grass　and　heath　and　young　fir…
trees。　　It　ended　in　a　broad　open　moor；　stony；　and　full　of　damp　boggy
hollows；　forlorn　and　desolate　under　the　autumn　sky。　　Here　they　met
Norman　again；　and　walked　on　along　a　very　rough　and　dirty　road；　the
ground　growing　more　decidedly　into　hills　and　valleys　as　they
advanced；　till　they　found　themselves　before　a　small；　but　very　steep
hillock；　one　side　of　which　was　cut　away　into　a　slate　quarry。　　Round
this　stood　a　colony　of　roughly…built　huts；　of　mud；　turf；　or　large
blocks　of　the　slate。　　Many　workmen　were　engaged　in　splitting　up　the
slates；　or　loading　wagons　with　them；　rude　wild…looking　men；　at　the
sight　of　whom　the　ladies　shrank　up　to　their　protectors；　but　who
seemed　too　busy　even　to　spare　time　for　staring　at　them。

They　were　directed　to　John　Taylor's　house；　a　low　mud　cottage；　very
wretched　looking；　and　apparently　so　smoky　that　Mr。　Ernescliffe　and
Norman　were　glad　to　remain　outside　and　survey　the　quarry；　while　the
ladies　entered。

Inside　they　found　more　cleanliness　and　neatness　than　they　had
expected；　but　there　was　a　sad　appearance　of　poverty；　insufficient
furniture；　and　the　cups　and　broken　tea…pot　on　the　table；　holding
nothing　but　toast　and　water；　as　a　substitute　for　their　proper
contents。　　The　poor　woman　was　sitting　by　the　fire　with　one　twin　on
her　lap；　and　the　other　on　a　chair　by　her　side；　and　a　larger　child　was
in　the　corner　by　the　fire；　looking　heavy　and　ill；　while　others　of
different　ages　lounged　about　listlessly。　　She　was　not　untidy；　but
very　pale；　and　she　spoke　in　a　meek；　subdued　way；　as　if　the　ills　of
life　were　so　heavy　on　her　that　she　had　no　spirit　even　to　complain。
She　thanked　them　for　their　gifts　but　languidly；　and　did　not　visibly
brighten　when　told　that　her　husband　was　better。

Flora　asked　when　the　babes　would　be　christened。

〃I　can't　hardly　tell；　Miss'tis　so　far　to　go。〃

〃I　suppose　none　of　the　children　can　go　to　school？　　I　don't　know　their
faces　there；〃　said　Flora；　looking　at　a　nice　tall；　smooth…haired　girl
of　thirteen　or　fourteen。

〃No；　Miss'tis　so　far。　　I　am　sorry　they　should　not；　for　they　always
was　used　to　it　where　we　lived　before；　and　my　oldest　girl　she　can　work
very　nicely。　　I　wish　I　could　get　a　little　place　for　her。〃

〃You　would　hardly　know　what　to　do　without　her；〃　said　Miss　Winter。

〃No；　ma'am；　but　she　wants　better　food　than　I　can　give　her；　and　it　is
a　bad　wild　place　for　a　girl　to　grow　up。　　It　is　not　like　what　I　was
used　to；　ma'am；　I　was　always　used　to　keep　to　my　school　and　to　my
churchbut　it　is　a　bad　place　to　live　in　here。〃

No　one　could　deny　it；　and　the　party　left　the　cottage　gravely。　　Alan
and　Norman　joined　them；　having　heard　a　grievous　history　of　the
lawlessness　of　the　people　from　a　foreman　with　whom　they　had　met。
There　seemed　to　be　no　visible　means　of　improvement。　　The　parish
church　was　Stoneborough；　and　there　the　living　was　very　poor；　the
tithes　having　been　appropriated　to　the　old　Monastery；　and　since　its
dissolution　having　fallen　into　possession　of　a　Body　that　never　did
anything　for　the　town。　　The　incumbent；　Mr。　Ramsden；　had　small　means；
and　was　not　a　high　stamp　of　clergyman；　seldom　exerting　himself；　and
leaving　most　of　his　parish　work　to　the　two　under　masters　of　the
school；　Mr。　Wilmot　and　Mr。　Harrison；　who　did　all　they　had　time　and
strength　for；　and　more　too；　within　the　town　itself。　　There　was　no
hope　for　Cocksmoor！

〃There　would　be　a　worthy　ambition！〃　said　Etheldred；　as　they　turned
their　steps　homeward。　　〃Let　us　propose　that　aim　to　ourselves；　to
build　a　church　on　Cocksmoor！〃

〃How　many　years　do　you　give　us　to　do　it　in？〃　said　Norman。

〃Few　or　many；　I　don't　care。　　I'll　never　leave　off　thinking　about　it
till　it　is　done。〃

〃It　need　not　be　long；〃　said　Flora；　〃if　one　could　get　up　a
subscription。〃

〃A　penny　subscription？〃　said　Norman。　　〃I'd　rather　have　it　my　own
doing。〃

〃You　agree　then；〃　said　Ethel；　〃do　you；　Mr。　Ernescliffe？〃

〃I　may　safely　do　so；〃　he　answered；　smiling。　　Miss　Winter　looked　at
Etheldred　reprovingly；　and　she　shrank　into　herself；　drew　apart；　and
indulged　in　a　reverie。　　She　had　heard　in　books　of　girls　writing
poetry；　romance；　historygaining　fifties　and　hundreds。　　Could　not
some　of　the　myriads　of　fancies　floating　in　her　mind　thus　be　made
available？　　She　would　compose；　publish；　earn　moneysome　day　call
papa；　show　him　her　hoard；　beg　him　to　take　it；　and；　never　owning
whence　it　came；　raise　the　building。　　Spire　and　chancel；　pinnacle　and
buttress；　rose　before　her　eyes；　and　she　and　Norman　were　standing　in
the　porch　with　an　orderly；　religious　population；　blessing　the　unknown
benefactor；　who　had　caused　the　news　of　salvation　to　be　heard　among
them。

They　were　almost　at　home；　when　the　sight　of　a　crowd　in　the　main
street　checked　them。　　Norman　and　Mr。　Ernescliffe　went　forward　to
discover　the　cause；　and　spoke　to　some　one　on　the　outskirtsthen　Mr。
Ernescliffe　hurried　back　to　the　ladies。

〃There's　been　an　accident；〃　he　said　hastily〃you　had　better　go　down
the　lane　and　in　by　the　garden。〃

He　was　gone　in　an　instant；　and　they　obeyed　in　silence。　　Whence　came
Ethel's　certainty　that　the　accident　concerned　themselves？　　In　an
agony　of　apprehension；　though　without　one　outward　sign　of　it；　she
walked　home。　　They　were　in　the　gardenall　was　apparently　as　usual；
but　no　one　was　in　sight。　　Ethel　had　been　first；　but　she　held　back；
and　let　Miss　Winter　go　forward　into　the　house。　　The　front　door　was
openservants　were　standing　about　in　confusion；　and　one　of　the
maids；　looking　dreadfully　frightened；　gave　a　cry；　〃Oh！　MissMiss
have　you　heard？〃

〃Nowhat？　　What　has　happened？　　Not　Mrs。　May〃　exclaimed　Miss
Winter。

〃Oh；　ma'am！　it　is　all　of　them。　　The　carriage　is　overturned；　and〃

〃Who's　hurt？　　Mamma！　papa！　　Oh；　tell　me！〃　cried　Flora。

〃There's　nurse；〃　and　Ethel　flew　up　to　her。　　〃What　is　it？　　Oh；　nurse！〃

〃My　poor；　poor　children；〃　said　old　nurse；　passionately　kissing　Ethel。
Harry　and　Mary　were　on　the　stairs　behind　her；　clinging　together。

A　stranger　looked　into　the　house；　followed　by　Adams；　the　stableman。
〃They　are　going　to　bring　Miss　May　in；〃　some　one　said。

Ethel　could　bear　it　no　longer。　　As　if　she　could　escape；　she　fled
upstairs　into　her　room；　and；　falling　on　her　knees；　hid　her　face　on
her　bed。

There　were　heavy　steps　in　the　house；　then　a　sound　of　hasty　feet
coming　up　to　her。　　Norman　dashed　into　the　room；　and　threw　himself　on
a　chair。　　He　was　ghastly　pale；　and　shuddered　all　over。

〃Oh；　Norman；　Norman；　speak！　　What　is　it？〃　　He　groaned；　but　could　not
speak；　he　rested　his　head　against　her；　and　gasped。　She　was　terribly
frightened。　　〃I'll　call〃　and　she　would　have　gone；　but　he　held　her。
〃Nonothey　can't！〃　　He　was　prevented　from　saying　more；　by
chattering　teeth　and　deadly　faintness。　　She　tried　to　support　him；　but
could　only　guide　him　as　he　sank；　till　he　lay　at　full　length　on　the
floor；　where　she　put　a　pillow　under　his　head；　and　gave　him　some
water。　　〃Is　itoh；　tell　me！　　Are　they　much　hurt？　　Oh；　try　to　say！〃

〃They　say　Margaret　is　alive；〃　said　Norman；　in　gasps；　〃butAnd
papahe　stood　upsatwalkedwas　better…〃

〃Is　he　hurtmuch　hurt？〃

〃His　arm〃　and　the　tremor　and　fainting　stopped　him　again。

〃Mamma？〃　whispered　Ethel；　but　Norman　only　pressed　his　face　into　the
pillow。

She　was　so　bewildered　as　to　be　more　alive　to　the　present　distress　of
his　condition　than　to　the　vague　horrors　downstairs。　　Some　minutes
passed　in　silence；　Norman　lying　still；　excepting　a　nervous　trembling
that　agitated　his　whole　frame。　　Again　was　heard　the　strange　tread；
doors　opening　and　shutting；　and　suppressed　voices；　and　he　turned　his
face　upwards；　and　listened　with　his　hand　pressed　to　his　forehead；　as
if　to　keep　himself　still　enough　to　listen。

〃Oh！　what　is　the　matter？