the daisy chain, or aspirations-第102部分

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bit　of　dress　out　of　the　common　way　for　myself　or　others；〃　said　she；
smiling；　〃and　then　all　the　external　show　and　things　belonging　to
stationI　naturally　care　much　more　for　them　than　even　Flora　does。
Ethel　would　bear　all　those　things　as　if　they　did　not　existI　could
not。〃

〃They　would　be　a　temptation？〃

〃They　would　once　have　been。　　Yes；　they　would　now；〃　said　Margaret。
〃And　government；　and　management；　and　influenceyou　would　not　guess
what　dreams　I　used　to　waste　on　them；　and　now　here　am　I　set　aside　from
it　all；　good　for　nothing　but　for　all　you　dear　ones　to　be　kind　to。〃

〃They　would　not　say　so；〃　said　Richard　kindly。

〃Not　say　it；　but　I　feel　it。　　Papa　and　Ethel　are　all　the　world　to　each
otherRichard；　I　may　say　it　to　you。　　There　has　been　only　one　thing
more　hard　to　bear　than　thatdon't　suppose　there　was　a　moment's
neglect　or　disregard；　but　when　first　I　understood　that　Ethel　could　be
more　to　him　than　I；　then　I　could　not　always　feel　rightly。　　It　was　the
punishment　for　always　wanting　to　be　first。〃

〃My　father　would　be　grieved　that　you　had　the　notion。　　You　should　not
keep　it。〃

〃He　does　not　know　it　is　so；〃　said　Margaret；　〃I　am　his　first　care；　I
fear；　his　second　grief；　but　it　is　not　in　the　nature　of　things　that
Ethel　should　not　be　more　his　comfort　and　companion。　　Oh！　I　am　glad　it
was　not　she　who　married！　　What　shall　we　do　when　she　goes？〃

This　came　from　Margaret's　heart；　so　as　to　show　that　if　there　had　once
been　a　jealous　pang　of　mortification；　it　had　been　healed　by
overflowing；　unselfish　affection　and　humility。

They　went　off　to　praise　Ethel；　and　thence　to　praise　Norman；　and　the
elder　brother　and　sister；　who　might　have　had　some　jealousy　of　the
superiority　of　their　juniors；　spent　a　good　happy　hour　in　dwelling　on
the　shining　qualities　they　loved　so　heartily。

And　Richard　was　drawn　into　talking　of　his　own　deeper　thoughts；　and
Margaret　had　again　the　comfort　of　clerical　counseland　now　from　her
own　most　dear　brother！　　So　they　sat　till　darkness　closed　in；　when
Ethel　came　down；　bringing　Gertrude　and　her　great　favour；　very　full　of
chatter；　only　not　quite　sure　whether　she　had　been　bride；　bride's…
maid；　or　bridegroom。

The　schoolroom　set；　with　Tom　and　Aubrey；　came　home　soon　after；　and
tongues　went　fast　with　stories　of　roast…beef；　plum…pudding；　and
blind…man's…buff。　　How　the　dear　Meta　had　sent　a　cart　to　Cocksmoor　to
bring　Cherry　herself；　and　how　many　slices　everybody　had　eaten；　and
how　the　bride's　health　had　been　drunk　by　the　children　in　real　wine；
and　how　they　had　all　played；　Norman　and　all；　and　how　Hector　had　made
Blanche　bold　enough　to　extract　a　raisin　from　the　flaming　snap…dragon。
It　was　not　half　told　when　Dr。　May　came　home；　and　Ethel　went　up　to
dress　for　her　dinner　at　Abbotstoke；　Mary　following　to　help　her　and
continue　her　narration；　which　bade　fair　to　entertain　Margaret　the
whole　evening。

Dr。　May；　Richard；　and　Ethel　had　a　comfortable　dark　drive　to　the
Grange；　and；　on　arriving；　found　Hector　deep　in　'Wild　Sports　of　the
West'；　while　Norman　and　Meta　were　sitting　over　the　fire　talking；　and
Mr。　Rivers　was　resting　in　his　library。

And　when　Ethel　and　Meta　spent　the　time　before　the　gentlemen　came　in
from　the　dining…room；　in　a　happy　tete…a…tete；　Ethel　learned　that　the
fire…light　dialogue　had　been　the　pleasantest　part　of　the　whole　day；
and　that　Meta　had　had　confided　to　her　the　existence　of　Decius　Musa
secret　which　Ethel　had　hitherto　considered　as　her　own　peculiar
property；　but　she　supposed　it　was　a　pledge　of　the　sisterhood；　which
Meta　professed　with　all　the　house　of　May。




CHAPTER　VIII。



The　rest　all　accepted　the　kind　invitation；
And　much　bustle　it　caused　in　the　plumed　creation；
Such　ruffling　of　feathers；　such　pruning　of　coats；
Such　chirping；　such　whistling；　such　clearing　of　throats；
Such　polishing　bills；　and　such　oiling　of　pinions；
Had　never　been　known　in　the　biped　dominions。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Peacock　at　Home。


Etheldred　was　thankful　for　that　confidence　to　Meta　Rivers；　for
without　it；　she　would　hardly　have　succeeded　in　spurring　Norman　up　to
give　the　finishing　touches　to　Decius；　and　to　send　him　in。　　If　she
talked　of　the　poem　as　the　devotion　of　Decius；　he　was　willing　enough；
and　worked　with　spirit；　for　he　liked　the　ideas；　and　enjoyed　the
expressing　them；　and　trying　to　bring　his　lines　to　his　notion　of
perfection；　but　if　she　called　it　the　〃Newdigate；〃　or　the　〃Prize
Poem；〃　and　declared　herself　sure　it　would　be　successful；　he　yawned；
slackened；　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　and　began　to　read　other　people's
poetry；　which　Ethel　was　disrespectful　enough　not　to　think　nearly　as
good　as　his　own。

It　was　completed　at　last；　and　Ethel　stitched　it　up　with　a　narrow　red
and　white　ribbonthe　Balliol　colours；　and　set　Meta　at　him　till　a
promise　was　extorted　that　he　would　send　it　in。
And；　in　due　time；　Ethel　received　the　following　note：


〃My　Dear　Ethel；

〃My　peacock　bubble　has　flown　over　the　house。　　Tell　them　all　about　it。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…Your　affectionate；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　N。　W。　M。〃


They　were　too　much　accustomed　to　Norman's　successes　to　be
extraordinarily　excited；　Ethel　would　have　been　much　mortified　if　the
prize　had　been　awarded　to　any　one　else；　but；　as　it　was；　it　came
rather　as　a　matter　of　course。　　The　doctor　was　greatly　pleased；　and
said　he　should　drive　round　by　Abbotstoke　to　tell　the　news　there；　and
then　laughed　beyond　measure　to　hear　that　Meta　had　been　in　the　plot；
saying　he　should　accuse　the　little　humming…bird　of　being　a　magpie；
stealing　secrets。

By　this　time　the　bride　and　bridegroom　were　writing　that　they　thought
of　soon　returning；　they　had　spent　the　early　spring　at　Paris；　had
wandered　about　in　the　south　of　France；　and　now　were　at　Paris　again。
Flora's　letters　were　long；　descriptive；　and　affectionate；　and　she　was
eager　to　be　kept　fully　informed　of　everything　at　home。　　As　soon　as
she　heard　of　Norman's　success；　she　wrote　a　whole　budget　of　letters；
declaring　that　she　and　George　would　hear　of　no　refusal；　they　were
going　to　spend　a　fortnight　at　Oxford　for　the　Commemoration；　and　must
have　Meta　and　Ethel　with　them　to　hear　Norman's　poem　in　the　theatre。

Dr。　May；　who　already　had　expressed　a　hankering　to　run　up　for　the　day
and　take　Ethel　with　him；　was　perfectly　delighted　at　the　proposal；　and
so　was　Mr。　Rivers；　but　the　young　ladies　made　many　demurs。　　Ethel
wanted　Mary　to　go　in　her　stead；　and　had　to　be　told　that　this　would
not　be　by　any　means　the　same　to　the　other　partiesshe　could　not　bear
to　leave　Margaret；　it　was　a　long　time　since　there　had　been　letters
from　the　Alcestis；　and　she　did　not　like　to　miss　being　at　home　when
they　should　come；　and　Meta；　on　her　side；　was　so　unwilling　to　leave
her　father　that；　at　last；　Dr。　May　scolded　them　both　for　a　pair　of
conceited；　self…important　damsels；　who　thought　nothing　could　go　on
without　them；　and　next；　compared　them　to　young　birds；　obliged　to　be
shoved　by　force　into　flying。

Meta　consented　first；　on　condition　that　Ethel　would；　and　Ethel　found
that　her　whole　house　would　be　greatly　disappointed　if　she　refused；　so
she　proceeded　to　be　grateful；　and　then　discovered　how　extremely
delightful　the　plan　was。　　Oxford；　of　which　she　had　heard　so　much；　and
which　she　had　always　wished　to　see！　　And　Norman's　gloryand　Meta's
companynay；　the　very　holiday；　and　going　from　home；　were　charms
enough　for　a　girl　of　eighteen；　who　had　never　been　beyond　Whitford　in
her　life。　　Besides；　to　crown　all；　papa　promised　that；　if　his　patients
would　behave　well；　and　not　want　him　too　much；　he　would　come　up　for
the　one　great　day。

Mr。　and　Mrs。　George　Rivers　came　to　Abbotstoke　to　collect　their　party。
They　arrived　by　a　railroad；　whose　station　was　nearer　to　Abbotstoke
than　to　Stoneborough；　therefore；　instead　of　their　visiting　the　High
Street　by　the　way；　Dr。　May；　with　Ethel　and　Mary；　were　invited　to　dine
at　the　Grange；　the　first　eveninga　proposal；　at　least；　as　new　and
exciting　to　Mary　as　was　the　journey　to　Oxford　to　her　sister。

The　two　girls　went　early；　as　the　travellers　had　intended　to　arrive
before　luncheon；　and；　though　Ethel　said　few　words；　but　let　Mary
rattle　on　with　a　stream　of　conjectures　and　questions；　her　heart　was
full　of　longings　for　her　sister；　as　well　as　of　strange　doubts　and
fears；　as　to　the　change　that　her　new　life　might　have　made　in　her。

〃There！　there！〃　cried　Mary。　　〃Yes！　it　is　Flora！　　Only　she　has　her
hair　done　in　a　funny　way！〃

Flora　and　Meta　were　both　standing　on　the　steps　before　the
conservatory；　and　Mary　made　but　one　bound　before　she　was　hugging
Flora。　　Ethel　kissed　her　without　so　much　violence；　and　then　saw　that
Flora　was　looking　very　well　and　bright；　more　decidedly　pretty　and
elegant　than　ever；　and　with　certainly　no　diminution　of　affection；　it
was　warmer；　though　rather　more　patronising。

〃How　natural　you　look！〃　was　her　first　exclamation；　as　she　held　Mary's
hand；　and　drew　Ethel's　arm　into　hers。　　〃And　how　is　Margaret？〃

〃Pretty　well…but　the　heat　makes　her　languid〃

〃Is　there　any　letter　yet？〃

〃No〃

〃I　do　not　see　any　cause　for　alarmletters　are　so　often　detained；
but；　of　course；　she　will　be　anxious。　　Has　she　had　pain　in　the　back
again？〃

〃Sometimes；　but　summer　always　does　her　good〃

〃I　shall　see　her　to…morrowand　the　Daisy。　　How　do　you　all　get　on？
Have　you　broken　down　yet；　Ethel？〃

〃Oh！　we　do　go　on；〃　said　Ethel；　smiling；　〃the　worst　thing　I　have　done
was　expecting　James　to　dress　the　salads　with　lamp…oil。〃

〃A　Greenland　salad！　　But　don't　talk　of　oilI　have　the　taste　still　in
my　mouth　after　the　Pyrennean　cookery！　　Oh！　Ethel；　you　would　have　been
wild　with　delight　in　those　places！〃

〃Snowy　mountains！　　Are　they　not　like　a　fairy…dream　to　you　now？　　You
must　have　felt　at　home；　as　a　Scotchwoman's　daughter。〃

〃Think　of　the　peaks　in　the　sunrise！　　Oh！　I　wanted　you　in　the　pass　of
Roncevalles；　to　hear　the　echo　of　Roland's　horn。　　And　we　saw　the　cleft
made　by　Roland's　sword　in　the　rocks。〃

〃Oh！　how　delightfuland　Spain　too！〃

〃Ay；　the　Isle　of　Pheasants；　where　all　the　conferences　took　place。〃

〃Where　Louis　XIV。　met　his　bride；　and　Francois　I。　sealed　his　treason
with　his　empty　flourish〃

〃Well；　don't　let　us　fight　about　Francois　I。　now；　I　want　to　know　how
Tom　likes　Eton。〃

〃He　gets　on　famously。　　I　am　so　glad　he　is　in　the　same　hou