the daisy chain, or aspirations-第80章
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Margaret； and make a mark against me at everything I leave about； and
if I pay a farthing for each； it will be so much away from Cocksmoor；
so I must cure myself！〃
〃And what shall become of the forfeits？〃 asked Richard。
〃Oh； they won't be enough to be worth having； I hope；〃 said Margaret。
〃Give them to the Ladies' Committee；〃 said Ethel； making a face。
〃Oh； Ritchie！ they are worse than ever。 We are so glad that Flora is
going to join it； and see whether she can do any good。〃
〃We？〃 said Margaret； hesitating。
〃Ah！ I know you aren't； but papa said she mightand you know she
has so much tact and management〃
〃As Norman says；〃 observed Margaret doubtfully。 〃I cannot like the
notion of Flora going and squabbling with Mrs。 Ledwich and Louisa
Anderson！〃
〃What do you think； Ritchie？〃 asked Ethel。 〃Is it not too bad that
they should have it all their own way； and spoil the whole female
population？ Why； the last thing they did was to leave off reading
the Prayer…book prayers morning and evening！ And it is much expected
that next they will attack all learning by heart。〃
〃It is too bad；〃 said Richard； 〃but Flora can hardly hinder them。〃
〃It will be one voice；〃 said Ethel； 〃but oh！ if I could only say half
what I have in my mind； they must see the error。 Why； these； these
what they call formalthese the tieslinks on to the Churchon to
what is goodif they don't learn them soundlyrammed down hardyou
know what I meanso that they can't remember the firstremember
when they did not know themthey will never get to learnknow
understand when they can understand！〃
〃My dear Ethel； don't frown so horribly； or it will spoil your
eloquence；〃 said Margaret。
〃I don't understand either；〃 said Richard gravely。 〃Not understand
when they can understand？ What do you mean？〃
〃Why； Ritchie； don't you see？ If they don't learn themhard； firm；
by rote when they can'tthey won't understand when they can。〃
〃If they don't learn when they can't； they won't understand when they
can？〃 puzzled Richard； making Margaret laugh； but Ethel was too much
in earnest for amusement。
〃If they don't learn them by rote when they have strong memories。
Yes； that's it！〃 she continued； 〃they will not know them well enough
to understand them when they are old enough！〃
〃Who won't learn and understand what？〃 said Richard。
〃Oh； Ritchie； Ritchie！ Why the childrenthe Psalmsthe Gospels
the things。 They ought to know them； love them； grow up to them；
before they know the meaning； or they won't care。 Memory；
association； affection； all those come when one is younger than
comprehension！〃
〃Younger than one's own comprehension？〃
〃Richard； you are grown more tiresome than ever。 Are you laughing at
me？〃
〃Indeed； I beg your pardonI did not mean it；〃 said Richard。 〃I am
very sorry to be so stupid。〃
〃My dear Ritchie； it was only my blundering…never mind。〃
〃But what did you mean？ I want to know； indeed； Ethel。〃
〃I mean that memory and association come before comprehension； so
that one ought to know all good thingsfawith familiarity before
one can understand； because understanding does not make one love。
Oh！ one does that before； and； when the first little gleam； little
bit of a sparklet of the meaning does come； then it is so valuable
and so delightful。〃
〃I never heard of a little bit of a sparklet before；〃 said Richard；
〃but I think I do see what Ethel means； and it is like what I heard
and liked in a university sermon some Sundays ago； saying that these
lessons and holy words were to be impressed on us here from infancy
on earth； that we might be always unravelling their meaning； and
learn it fully at lastwhere we hope to be。〃
〃The very same thought！〃 exclaimed Margaret； delighted； 〃but；〃 after
a pause； 〃I am afraid the Ladies' Committee might not enter into it
in plain English； far less in Ethel's language。〃
〃Now； Margaret！ You know I never meant myself。 I never can get the
right words for what I mean。〃
〃And you leave about your faux commencements； as M。 Ballompre would
call them； for us to stumble over；〃 said Margaret。
〃But Flora would manage！〃 said Ethel。 〃She has power over people；
and can influence them。 Oh； Ritchie； don't persuade papa out of
letting her go。〃
〃Does Mr。 Wilmot wish it？〃 asked Richard。
〃I have not heard him say； but he was very much vexed about the
prayers；〃 said Ethel。
〃Will he stay here for the holidays？〃
〃No； his father has not been well； and he is gone to take his duty。
He walked with us to Cocksmoor before he went； and we did so wish for
you。〃
〃How have you been getting on？〃
〃Pretty well； on the whole；〃 said Ethel； 〃but； oh； dear！ oh； dear；
Richard； the M'Carthys are gone！〃
〃Gone； where？〃
〃Oh； to Wales。 I knew nothing of it till they were off。 Una and
Fergus were missing； and Jane Taylor told me they were all gone。 Oh；
it is so horrid！ Una had really come to be so good and so much in
earnest。 She behaved so well at school and church； that even Mrs。
Ledwich liked her； and she used to read her Testament half the day；
and bring her Sunday…school lessons to ask me about！ Oh！ I was so
fond of her； and it really seemed to have done some good with her。
And now it is all lost！ Oh； I wish I knew what would become of my
poor child！〃
〃The only hope is that it may not be all lost；〃 said Margaret。
〃With such a woman for a mother！〃 said Ethel； 〃and going to some
heathenish place again！ If I could only have seen her first； and
begged her to go to church and say her prayers。 If I only knew where
she is gone！ but I don't。 I did think Una would have come to wish me
good…bye！〃
〃I am very sorry to lose her；〃 said Richard。
〃Mr。 Wilmot says it is bread cast on the waters；〃 said Margaret〃he
was very kind in consoling Ethel； who came home quite in despair。〃
〃Yes； he said it was one of the trials；〃 said Ethel； 〃and that it
might be better for Una as well as for me。 And I am trying to care
for the rest still； but I cannot yet as I did for her。 There are
none of the eyes that look as if they were eating up one's words
before they come； and that smile of comprehension！ Oh； they all are
such stupid little dolts； and so indifferent！〃
〃Why； Ethel！〃
〃Fancy last FridayMary and I found only eight there〃
〃Do you remember what a broiling day Friday was？〃 interrupted
Margaret。 〃Miss Winter and Norman both told me I ought not to let
them go； and I began to think so when they came home。 Mary was the
colour of a peony！〃
〃Oh！ it would not have signified if the children had been good for
anything； but all their mothers were out at work； and； of those that
did come； hardly one had learned their lessonsWilly Blake had lost
his spelling…card； Anne Harris kicked Susan Pope； and would not say
she was sorry； Mary Hale would not know M from N； do all our Mary
would； and Jane Taylor； after all the pains I have taken with her；
when I asked how the Israelites crossed the Red Sea； seemed never to
have heard of them。〃
Margaret could have said that Ethel had come in positively crying
with vexation； but with no diminution of the spirit of perseverance。
〃I am so glad you are come； Richard！〃 she continued。 〃You will put a
little new life into them。 They all looked so pleased when we told
them Mr。 Richard was coming。〃
〃I hope we shall get on；〃 said Richard。
〃I want you to judge whether the Popes are civilised enough to be
dressed for Sunday…school。 Oh； and the money！ Here is the account…
book〃
〃How neatly you have kept it； Ethel。〃
〃Ah！ it was for you； you know。 Receiptssee； aren't you surprised？〃
〃Four pounds eighteen and eightpence！ That is a great deal！〃
〃The three guineas were Mr。 Rivers's fees； you know； then； Margaret
gave us half…a…sovereign； and Mary a shilling； and there was one that
we picked up； tumbling about the house； and papa said we might have；
and the twopence were little Blanche's savings。 Oh； Ritchie！〃 as a
bright coin appeared on the book。
〃That is all I could save this term；〃 he said。
〃Oh； it is famous！ Now； I do think I may put another whole sovereign
away into the purse for the church。 See； here is what we have paid。
Shoesthose did bring o
