the daisy chain, or aspirations-第87章
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company soon collected on the shady turf； where Richard made himself
extremely useful； and the feast was spread without any worse mishap
than Nipen's running away with half a chicken； of which he was
robbed； as Tom reported； by a surly…looking dog that watched in the
outskirts of the camp； and caused Tom to return nearly as fast as the
poor little white marauder。
Meta 〃very immorally；〃 as Norman told her； comforted Nipen with a
large share of her sandwiches。 Harry armed himself with a stick and
Mary with a stone； and marched off to the attack； but saw no signs of
the enemy； and had begun to believe him a figment of Tom's
imagination； when Mary spied him under a bush； lying at the feet of a
boy； with whom he was sharing the spoil。
Harry called out rather roughly； 〃Hallo！ what are you doing there？〃
The boy jumped up； the dog growled； Mary shrank behind her brother；
and begged him not to be cross to the poor boy； but to come away。
Harry repeated his question。
〃Please； sir； Toby brought it to me。〃
〃What； is Toby your dog？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Are you so hungry as to eat dog's meat？〃
〃I have not had nothing before to…day； sir。〃
〃Why； where do you live？ hereabouts？〃
〃Oh； no； sir； I lived with grandmother up in Cheshire； but she is
dead now； and father is just come home from sea； and he wrote down I
was to be sent to him at Portsmouth； to go to sea with him。〃
〃How do you live？ do you beg your way？〃
〃No； sir； father sent up a pound in a letter； only Nanny Brooks said
I owed some to her for my victuals； and I have not much of it left；
and bread comes dear； so when Toby brought me this bit of meat I was
glad of it； sir； but I would not have taken it〃
The boy was desired to wait while the brother and sister； in
breathless excitement； rushed back with their story。
Mrs。 Wilmot was at first inclined to fear that the naval part of it
had been inspired by Harry's uniform； but the examination of Jem
Jennings put it beyond a doubt that he spoke nothing but the truth；
and the choicest delight of the feast was the establishing him and
Toby behind the barrow； and feeding them with such viands as they had
probably never seen before。
The boy could not read writing； but he had his father's letter in his
pocket； and Mary capered at the delightful coincidence； on finding
that Jem Jennings was actually a quarter…master on board the
Alcestis。 It gave a sort of property in the boy； and she almost
grudged Meta the having been first to say that she would pay for the
rest of his journey； instead of doing it by subscription。
However； Mary had a consolation； she would offer to take charge of
Toby； who； as Harry observed； would otherwise have been drownedhe
could not be taken on board。 To be sure； he was a particularly ugly
animal； rough； grisly； short…legged； long…backed； and with an apology
for a tailbut he had a redeeming pair of eyes； and he and Jem lived
on terms of such close friendship； that he would have been miserable
in leaving him to the mercy of Nanny Brooks。
So； after their meal； Jem and Toby were bidden to wait for Dr。 May's
coming； and fell asleep together on the green bank； while the rest
either sketched； or wandered； or botanised。 Flora acted the grown…up
lady with Mrs。 Wilmot； and Meta found herself sitting by Ethel；
asking her a great many questions about Margaret； and her home； and
what it could be like to be one of such a numerous family。 Flora had
always turned aside from personal matters； as uninteresting to her
companion； and； in spite of Meta's admiration； and the mutual wish to
be intimate； confidence did not spring up spontaneously； as it had
done with the doctor； and； in that single hour； with Margaret。 Blunt
as Ethel was； her heartiness of manner gave a sense of real progress
in friendship。 Their Confirmation vows seemed to make a link； and
Meta's unfeigned enthusiasm for the doctor was the sure road to
Ethel's heart。 She was soon telling how glad Margaret was that he
had been drawn into taking pleasure in to…day's scheme； since； not
only were his spirits tried by the approach of Harry's departure； but
he had； within the last few days； been made very sad by reading and
answering Aunt Flora's first letter on the news of last October's
misfortune。
〃My aunt in New Zealand；〃 explained Ethel。
〃Have you an aunt in New Zealand？〃 cried Meta。 〃I never heard of
her！〃
〃Did not you？ Oh！ she does write such charming long letters！〃
〃Is she Dr。 May's sister？〃
〃No； he was an only child。 She is dear mamma's sister。 I don't
remember her； for she went out when I was a baby； but Richard and
Margaret were so fond of her。 They say she used to play with them；
and tell them stories； and sing Scotch songs to them。 Margaret says
the first sorrow of her life was Aunt Flora's going away。〃
〃Did she live with them？〃
〃Yes； after grandpapa died； she came to live with them； but then Mr。
Arnott came about。 I ought not to speak evil of him； for he is my
godfather； but we do wish he had not carried off Aunt Flora！ That
letter of hers showed me what a comfort it would be to papa to have
her here。〃
〃Perhaps she will come。〃
〃No； Uncle Arnott has too much to do。 It was a pretty story
altogether。 He was an officer at Edinburgh； and fell in love with
Aunt Flora； but my grandfather Mackenzie thought him too poor to
marry her； and it was all broken off； and they tried to think no more
of it。 But grandpapa died； and she came to live here； and somehow
Mr。 Arnott turned up again； quartered at Whitford； and papa talked
over my Uncle Mackenzie； and helped themand Mr。 Arnott thought the
best way would be to go out to the colonies。 They went when New
Zealand was very new； and a very funny life they had！ Once they had
their house burned in Heki's rebellionand Aunt Flora saw a Maori
walking about in her best Sunday bonnet； but； in general； everything
has gone on very well； and he has a great farm； besides an office
under government。〃
〃Oh； so he went out as a settler！ I was in hopes it was as a
missionary。〃
〃I fancy Aunt Flora has done a good deal that may be called
missionary work；〃 said Ethel； 〃teaching the Maori women and girls。
They call her mother； and she has quite a doctor's shop for them； and
tries hard to teach them to take proper care of their poor little
children when they are ill； and she cuts out clothes for the whole
pah； that is； the village。〃
〃And are they Christians？〃
〃Oh！ to be sure they are now！ They meet in the pah for prayers every
morning and eveningthey used to have a hoe struck against a bit of
metal for a signal； and when papa heard of it； he gave them a bell；
and they were so delighted。 Now there comes a clergyman every fourth
Sunday； and； on the others； Uncle Arnott reads part of the service to
the English near； and the Maori teacher to his people。〃
Meta asked ravenously for more details； and when she had pretty well
exhausted Ethel's stock； she said； 〃How nice it must be！ Ethel； did
you ever read the 'Faithful Little Girl？'〃
〃Yes； it was one of Margaret's old Sunday books。 I often recollected
it before I was allowed to begin Cocksmoor。〃
〃I'm afraid I am very like Lucilla！〃 said Meta。
〃What？ In wishing to be a boy； that you might be a missionary？〃 said
Ethel。 〃Not in being quite so cross at home？〃 she added； laughing。
〃I am not cross； because I have no opportunity；〃 said Meta。
〃No opportunity。 Oh； Meta； if people wish to be cross； it is easy
enough to find grounds for it。 There is always the moon to cry for。〃
〃Really and truly；〃 said Meta thoughtfully； 〃I never do meet with any
reasonable trial of temper； and I am often afraid it cannot be right
or safe to live so entirely at ease； and without contradictions。〃
〃Well； but；〃 said Ethel； 〃it is the state of life in which you are
placed。〃
〃Yes； but are we meant never to have vexations？〃
〃I thought you had them；〃 said Ethel。 〃Margaret told me about your
maid。 That would have worried some people； and made them horridly
cross。〃
〃Oh； no rational person；〃 cried Meta。 〃It was so nice to think of
her being with the poor mother； and I was quite interested in
managing for myself； besides；
