the daisy chain, or aspirations-第114部分

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He　was　a　worse　dragon　nearer　home；　hating　all　schools；　especially
hating　Dr。　May。

However；　said　Dr。　Spencer；　in　eastern　form；　〃Have　I　encountered
Rajahs；　and　smoked　pipes　with　three…tailed　Pachas；　that　I　should
dread　the　face　of　the　father　of　quarrymen。〃

What　he　did　with　the　father　of　quarrymen　was　not　known；　whether　he
talked　him　over；　or　bought　him　offMargaret　hoped　the　former；　Dr。
May　feared　the　latter；　the　results　were　certain；　Mr。　Nicolson　had
agreed　that　the　land　should　be　given
up。

The　triumphant　Dr。　Spencer　sat　down　to　write　a　statement　to　be　shown
to　the　college　authorities；　when　they　should　come　to　hold　their
court。

〃The　land　must　be　put　into　the　hands　of　trustees；〃　he　said。　　〃The
incumbent　of　course？〃

〃Then　yourself；　and　we　must　have　another。　　Your　son…in…law？〃

〃You；　I　should　think；〃　said　Dr。　May。

〃I！　　Why；　I　am　going。〃

〃Going；　but　not　gone；〃　said　his　friend。

〃I　must　go！　　I　tell　you；　Dick；　I　must　have　a　place　of　my　own　to　smoke
my　pipe　in。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃I　think　you　might　be　accommodated
here；　unless　you　wished　to　be　near　your　sister。〃

〃My　sister　is　always　resorting　to　watering…places。　　My　nieces　do
nothing　but　play　on　the　piano。　　No；　I　shall　perhaps　go　off　to
America；　the　only　place　I　have　not　seen　yet；　and　I　more　than　half
engaged　to　go　and　help　at　Poonshedagore。〃

〃Better　order　your　coffin　then；〃　muttered　Dr。　May。

〃I　shall　try　lodgings　in　London；　near　the　old　hospital；　perhapsand
go　and　turn　over　the　British　Museum　library。〃

〃Look　you　here；　Spencer；　I　have　a　much　better　plan。　　Do　you　know　that
scrap　of　a　house　of　mine；　by　the　back　gate；　just　big　enough　for　you
and　your　pipe？　　Set　up　your　staff　there。　　Ethel　will　never　get　her
school　built　without　you。〃

〃Oh！　that　would　be　capital！〃　cried　Ethel。

〃It　would　be　the　best　speculation　for　me。　　You　would　pay　rent；　and
the　last　old　woman　never　did；〃　continued　Dr。　May。　　〃A　garden　the
length　of　this　one〃

〃But　I　sayI　want　to　be　near　the　British　Museum。〃

〃Take　a　season…ticket；　and　run　up　once　a　week。〃

〃I　shall　teach　your　boys　to　smoke！〃

〃I'll　see　to　that！〃

〃You　have　given　Cocksmoor　one　lift；〃　said　Ethel；　〃and　it　will　never
go　on　without　you。〃

〃It　is　such　a　nice　house！〃　added　the　children；　in　chorus；　〃it　would
be　such　fun　to　have　you　there。〃

〃Daisy　will　never　be　able　to　spare　her　other　doctor；〃　said　Margaret；
smiling。

〃Run　to　Mrs。　Adams；　Tom；　and　get　the　key；〃　said　Dr。　May。

There　was　a　putting　on　of　hats　and　bonnets；　and　the　whole　party
walked　down　the　garden　to　inspect　the　housea　matter　of　curiosity　to
somefor　it　was　where　the　old　lady　had　resided　on　whom　Harry　had
played　so　many　tricks；　and　the　subject　of　many　myths　hatched　between
him　and　George　Larkins。

It　was　an　odd；　little　narrow　slip　of　a　house；　four　stories；　of　two
rooms　all　the　way　up；　each　with　a　large　window；　with　a　marked　white
eyebrow。　　Dr。　May　eagerly　pointed　out　all　the　conveniences；　parlour；
museum；　smoking　den；　while　Dr。　Spencer　listened；　and　answered
doubtfully；　and　the　children's　clamorous　anxiety　seemed　to　render　him
the　more　silent。

Hector　Ernescliffe　discovered　a　jackdaw's　nest　in　the　chimney；
whereupon　the　whole　train　rushed　off　to　investigate；　leaving　the　two
doctors　and　Ethel　standing　together　in　the　empty　parlour；　Dr。　May
pressing；　Dr。　Spencer　raising　desultory　objections；　but　so　evidently
against　his　own　wishes；　that　Ethel　said；　〃Now；　indeed；　you　must　not
disappoint　us　all。〃

〃No；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃it　is　a　settled　thing。〃

〃No；　no；　thanks；　thanks　to　you　all；　but　it　cannot　be。　　Let　me　go；〃
and　he　spoke　with　emotion。　　〃You　are　very　kind；　but　it　is　not　to　be
thought　of。〃

〃Why　not？〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃Spencer；　stay　with　me；〃　and　he　spoke　with
a　pleading；　almost　dependent　air。　　〃Why　should　you　go？〃

〃It　is　of　no　use　to　talk　about　it。　　You　are　very　kind；　but　it　will
not　do　to　encumber　you　with　a　lone　man；　growing　old。〃

〃We　have　been　young　together；〃　said　Dr。　May。

〃And　you　must　not　leave　papa；〃　added　Ethel。

〃No；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃Trouble　may　be　at　hand。　　Help　us　through　with
it。　　Remember；　these　children　have　no　uncles。〃

〃You　will　stay？〃　said　Ethel。

He　made　a　sign　of　assenthe　could　do　no　more；　and　just　then　Gertrude
came　trotting　back；　so　exceedingly　smutty；　as　to　call　everybody's
attention。　　Hector　had　been　shoving　Tom　half…way　up　the　chimney；　in
hopes　of　reaching　the　nest；　and　the　consequences　of　this　amateur
chimney…sweeping　had　been　a　plentiful　bespattering　of　all　the
spectators　with　soot；　that　so　greatly　distressed　the　young　ladies；
that　Mary　and　Blanche　had　fled　away　from　public　view。

Dr。　Spencer's　first　act　of　possession　was　to　threaten　to　pull　Tom
down　by　the　heels　for　disturbing　his　jackdaws；　whereupon　there　was　a
general　acclamation；　and　Dr。　May　began　to　talk　of　marauding　times；
when　the　jackdaws　in　the　Minster　tower　had　been　harried。

〃Ah！〃　said　Dr。　Spencer；　as　Tom　emerged；　blacker　than　the　outraged
jackdaws；　and　half　choked；　〃what　do　you　know　about　jackdaws'　nests？
You　that　are　no　Whichcote　scholars。〃

〃Don't　we？〃　cried　Hector；　〃when　there　is　a　jackdaw's　nest　in　Eton
Chapel；　twenty　feet　high。〃

〃Old　Grey　made　that！〃　said　Tom；　who　usually　acted　the　part　of　esprit
fort　to　Hector's　credulity。

〃Why；　there　is　a　picture　of　it　on　Jesse's　book；〃　said　Hector。

〃But　may　not　we　get　up　on　the　roof；　to　see　if　we　can　get　at　the　nest；
papa？　〃　said　Tom。

〃You　must　ask　Dr。　Spencer。　　It　is　his　house。〃

Dr。　Spencer　did　not　gainsay　it；　and　proceeded　even　to　show　the　old
Whichcote　spirit；　by　leading　the　assault；　and　promising　to　take　care
of　Aubrey；　while　Ethel　retained　Gertrude；　and　her　father　too；　for　Dr。
May　had　such　a　great　inclination　to　scramble　up　the　ladder　after
them；　that　she；　thinking　it　a　dangerous　experiment　for　so　helpless　an
arm；　was　obliged　to　assure　him　that　it　would　create　a　sensation　among
the　gossiphood　of　Stoneborough；　if　their　physician　were　seen
disporting　himself　on　the　top　of　the　house。

〃Ah！　　I'm　not　a　physician　unattached；　like　him；〃　said　Dr。　May；
laughing。　　〃Hullo！　have　you　got　up；　Tom？　　There's　a　door　up　there。
I'll　show　you〃

〃No；　don't　papa。　　Think　of　Mrs。　Ledwich；　and　asking　her　to　see　two
trustees　up　there！〃　said　Ethel。

〃Ah！　　Mrs。　Ledwich；　what　is　to　be　done　with　her；　Ethel？〃

〃I　am　sure　I　can't　tell。　　If　Flora　were　but　at　home；　she　would　manage
it。〃

〃Spencer　can　manage　anything！〃　was　the　answer。　　〃That　was　the
happiest　chance　imaginable　that　you　came　home　with　me；　and　so　we　came
to　go　by　the　same　train。〃

Ethel　was　only　afraid　that　time　was　being　cruelly　wasted；　but　the
best　men；　and　it　is　emphatically　the　best　that　generally　are　sohave
the　boy　strong　enough　on　one　side　or　other　of　their　natures；　to　be　a
great　provocation　to　womankind；　and　Dr。　Spencer　did　not　rest　from　his
pursuit　till　the　brood　of　the　jackdaws　had　been　discovered；　and　two
gray…headed　nestlings　kidnapped；　which　were　destined　to　a　wicker　cage
and　education。　　Little　Aubrey　was　beyond　measure　proud；　and　was
suggesting　all　sorts　of　outrageous　classical　names　for　them；　till
politely　told　by　Tom　that　he　would　make　them　as　great　prigs　as
himself；　and　that　their　names　should　be　nothing　but　Jack　and　Jill。

〃There's　nothing　for　it　but　for　Aubrey　to　go　to　school；〃　cried　Tom；
sententiously　turning　round　to　Ethel。

〃Ay；　to　Stoneborough；〃　said　Dr。　Spencer。

Tom　coloured；　as　if　sorry　for　his　movement；　and　hastened　away　to　make
himself　sufficiently　clean　to　go　in　quest　of　a　prison　for　his
captives。

Dr。　Spencer　began　to　bethink　him　of　the　paper　that　he　had　been　so
eagerly　drawing　up；　and　looking　at　his　own　begrimed　hands；　asked
Ethel　whether　she　would　have　him　for　a　trustee。

〃Will　the　other　eight　ladies？〃　said　Ethel；　〃that's　the　point。〃

〃Ha；　Spencer！　you　did　not　know　what　you　were　undertaking。　　Do　you
wish　to　be　let　off？〃　said　Dr。　May。

〃Not　I；〃　said　the　undaunted　doctor。　　〃Come；　Ethel；　let　us　hear　what
should　be　done。〃

〃There's　no　time；〃　said　Ethel；　bewildered。　　〃The　court　will　be　only
on　the　day　after　to…morrow。〃

〃Ample　time！〃　said　Dr。　Spencer；　who　seemed　ready　to　throw　himself
into　it　with　all　his　might。　　〃What　we　have　to　do　is　this。　　The　ladies
to　be　propitiated　are〃

〃Nine　Muses；　to　whom　you　will　have　to　act　Apollo；〃　said　Dr。　May；　who；
having　put　his　friend　into　the　situation；　had　a　mischievous　delight
in　laughing　at　him；　and　watching　what　he　would　do。

〃One　and　two；　Ethel；　and　Mrs。　Rivers！〃

〃Rather　eight　and　nine；〃　said　Ethel；　〃though　Flora　may　be　somebody
now。〃

〃Seven　then；〃　said　Dr。　Spencer。　　〃Well　then；　Ethel；　suppose　we　set
out　on　our　travels　this　afternoon。　　Visit　these　ladies；　get　them　to
call　a　meeting　to…morrow；　and　sanction　their　three　trustees。〃

〃You　little　know　what　a　work　it　is　to　call　a　meeting；　or　how　many
notes　Miss　Rich　sends　out　before　one　can　be　accomplished。〃

〃Faint　heartyou　know　the　proverb；　Ethel。　　Allons。　　I'll　call　on
Mrs。　Ledwich〃

〃Stay；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃Let　Ethel　do　that；　and　ask　her　to　tea；　and　we
will　show　her　your　drawing　of　the　school。〃

So　the　remaining　ladies　were　dividedEthel　was　to　visit　Miss
Anderson；　Miss　Boulder；　and　Mrs。　Ledwich；　Dr。　Spencer；　the　rest；　and
a　meeting；　if　possible；　be　appointed　for　the　next　day。

Ethel　did　as　she　was　told；　though　rather　against　the　grain；　and　her
short；　abrupt　manner　was　excused　the　more　readily；　that　Dr。　Spencer
had　been　a　subject　of　much　mysterious　speculation　in　Stoneborough；
and　to　gain　any　intelligence　respecting　him；　was　a　great　object；　so
that　she　was　extremely　welcome　wherever　she　called。

Mrs。　Ledwich　promised　to　come　to　tea；　and　instantly　prepared　to　walk
to　Miss　Rich；　and　authorise　her　to　send　out　the　notes　of　summons　to
the　morrow's　meeting。　　Ethel　offered　to　walk　with　her；　and　found　Mrs。
and　Miss　Rich　in　a　flutter；　after　Dr。　Spencer's　call；　the　daughter
just　going　to　put　on　her　bonnet　and　consult　Mrs。　Ledwich；　and　both
extremely　enchanted　with　Dr。　Spencer；　who　〃would　be　such　an
acquisition。〃

The　hour　was　fixed　and　the　notes　sent　out；　and　Ethel　met　Dr。　Spencer
at　the　garden　gate。

〃Well！〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃I　think　we　have　fixed　them　offhave　not
we？〃

〃Yes；　but　is　it　not　heartless　that　everything　should　be　done　through
so　much　nonsense？〃

〃Did　you　ever　h