the daisy chain, or aspirations-第139部分

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as　she　placed　them　in　the　slender　glasses　and　classic　vases；　but
Flora's　discerning　eyes　perceived　some　mortification　on　the　part　of
the　gentleman；　and；　on　his　departure；　playfully　reproached　Meta　for
ingratitude。

〃Did　we　not　thank　him？　　I　thought　I　did　them　all　due　honour；　actually
using　the　Dresden　bowl。〃

〃You　little　wretch！　quite　insensible　to　the　sentiment　of　the　thing。〃

〃Sentiment！　　One　would　think　you　had　been　reading　about　the　language
of　flowers！〃

〃Whatever　there　was；　poor　Sir　Henry　did　not　mean　it　for　the　Dresden
bowl　or　Bohemian　glass。〃

〃Flora！　do　pray　tell　me　whether　you　are　in　fun？〃

〃You　ridiculous　child！〃　said　Flora；　kissing　her　earnest　forehead；
ringing　the　bell；　and　gathering　up　her　papers；　as　she　walked　out　of
the　room；　and　gave　her　notes　to　the　servant。

〃What　does　she　mean？　　Is　it　play？　　Oh；　no；　a　hint　would　be　far　more
like　her。　　But　I　hope　it　is　nonsense。　　He　is　very　kind　and　pleasant；
and　I　should　not　know　what　to　do。〃

Instances　of　his　complaisance　towards　herself　rose　before　her；　so　as
to　excite　some　warmth　and　gratitude。　　Her　lonely　heart　thrilled　at
the　idea　of　being　again　the　best　beloved；　and　her　energetic　spirit
bounded　at　the　thought　of　being　no　longer　condemned　to　a　life　of　idle
ease。　　Still　it　was　too　new　a　light　to　her　to　be　readily　accepted；
after　she　had　looked　on　him　so　long；　merely　as　a　familiar　of　the
house；　attentive　to　her；　because　she　fell　to　his　share；　when　Flora
was　occupied。　　She　liked　him；　decidedly；　she　could　possibly　do　more；
but　she　was　far　more　inclined　to　dread；　than　to　desire；　any
disturbance　of　their　present　terms　of　intercourse。

〃However；〃　thought　she；　〃I　must　see　my　way。　　If　he　should　have　any
such　thing　in　his　head；　to　go　on　as　we　do　now　would　be　committing
myself；　and　I　will　not　do　that；　unless　I　am　sure　it　is　right。　　　Oh；
papa；　you　would　settle　it　for　me！　　But　I　will　have　it　out　with　Flora。
She　will　find　out　what　I　cannothow　far　he　is　a　man　for　whom　one
ought　to　care。　　I　do　not　think　Norman　liked　him；　but　then　Norman　has
so　keen　a　sense　of　the　world…touched。　　I　suppose　I　am　that！　　If　any
other　life　did　but　seem　appointed　for　me；　but　one　cannot　tell　what　is
thwarting　providential　leading；　and　if　this　be　as　good　a　man　as
What　would　Ethel　say？　　If　I　could　but　talk　to　Dr。　May！　　But　Flora　I
will　catch；　before　I　see　him　again；　that　I　may　know　how　to　behave。〃

Catching　Flora　was　not　the　easiest　thing　in　the　world；　among　her
multifarious　occupations；　but　Meta　was　not　the　damsel　to　lose　an
opportunity　for　want　of　decision。

Flora　saw　what　was　coming；　and　was　annoyed　with　herself　for　having
given　the　alarm；　but；　after　all；　it　must　have　come　some　time　or
other；　though　she　had　rather　that　Meta　had　been　more　involved　first。

It　should　be　premised　that　Mrs。　Rivers　had　no　notion　of　the　degree　of
attachment　felt　by　her　brother　for　Meta；　she　only　knew　that　Lady
Leonora　had　a　general　distrust　of　her　family；　and　she　felt　it　a　point
of　honour　to　promote　no　dangerous　meetings；　and　to　encourage　Sir
Henrya　connection　who　would　be　most　valuable；　both　as　conferring
importance　upon　George　in　the　county；　and　as　being　himself　related　to
persons　of　high　influence；　whose　interest　might　push　on　her　brothers。
Preferment　for　Richard；　promotion　for　Harry；　nay；　diplomatic
appointments　for　Tom；　came　floating　before　her　imagination；　even
while　she　smiled　at　her　Alnaschar　visions。

But　the　tone　of　Meta；　as　she　drew　her　almost　forcibly　into　her　room；
showed　her　that　she　had　given　a　great　shock　to　her　basket。

〃Flora；　if　you　would　only　give　me　a　minute；　and　would　tell　me〃

〃What？〃　asked　Flora；　not　inclined　to　spare　her　blushes。

〃Whether；　whether　you　meant　anything　in　earnest？〃

〃My　dear　little　goose；　did　no　one　ever　make　an　innocent　joke　in　their
lives　before？〃

〃It　was　very　silly　of　me；〃　said　Meta；　〃but　you　gave　me　a　terrible
fright。〃

〃Was　it　so　very　terrible；　poor　little　bird？〃　said　Flora；　in
commiseration。　　〃Well　then；　you　may　safely　think　of　him　as　a　man　tame
about　the　house。　　It　was　much　prettier　of　you　not　to　appropriate　the
flowers；　as　any　other　damsel　would　have　done。〃

〃Do　you　really　and　truly　think〃　began　Meta；　but；　from　the　colour　of
her　cheek　and　the　timid　resolution　of　her　tone；　Flora　thought　it
safest　not　to　hear　the　interrogation；　and　answered；　〃I　know　what　he
comes　here　forit　is　only　as　a　refuge　from　his　mother's　friend；　old
Lady　Drummond；　who　would　give　the　world　to　catch　him　for　her
daughtersthat's　all。　　Put　my　nonsense　out　of　your　head；　and　be
yourself；　my　sweet　one。〃

Flora　had　never　gone　so　near　an　untruth；　as　when　she　led　Meta　to
believe　this　was　the　sole　reason。　　But；　after　all；　what　did　Flora
herself　know　to　the　contrary？

Meta　recovered　her　ease；　and　Flora　marked；　as　weeks　passed　on；　that
she　grew　more　accustomed　to　Sir　Henry's　attentions。　　A　little　while；
and　she　would　find　herself　so　far　bound　by　the　encouragement　she　had
given；　that　she　could　not　reject　him。

〃My　dear；〃　said　George；　〃when　do　you　think　of　going　down　to　take　the
baby　to　the　Grange？　　She　looks　dull；　I　think。〃

〃Really；　I　think　it　is　hardly　worth　while　to　go　down　en　masse；〃　said
Flora。　　〃These　last　debates　may　be　important；　and　it　is　a　bad　time　to
quit　one's　post。　　Don't　you　think　so？〃

〃As　you　pleasethe　train　is　a　great　bore。〃

〃And　we　will　send　the　baby　down　the　last　day　before　we　go　to　Ryde；
with　Preston　and　Butts　to　take　care　of　her。　　We　can't　spare　him　to
take　them　down；　till　we　shut　up　the　house。　　It　is　so　much　easier　for
us　to　go　to　Portsmouth　from　hence。〃

The　lurking　conviction　was　that　one　confidential　talk　with　Ethel
would　cause　the　humming…bird　to　break　the　toils　that　were　being　wound
invisibly　round　her。　　Ethel　and　her　father　knew　nothing　of　the　world；
and　were　so　unreasonable　in　their　requirements！　　Meta　would　consult
them　all；　and　all　her　scruples　would　awaken；　and　perhaps　Dr。　Spencer
might　be　interrogated　on　Sir　Henry's　life　abroad；　where　Flora　had　a
suspicion　that　gossip　had　best　not　be　raked　up。

Not　that　she　concealed　anything　positively　known　to　her；　or　that　she
was　not　acting　just　as　she　would　have　done　by　her　own　child。　　She
found　herself　happily　married　to　one　whom　home　notions　would　have
rejected；　and　she　believed　Meta　would　be　perfectly　happy　with　a　man
of　decided　talent；　honour；　and　unstained　character；　even　though　he
should　not　come　up　to　her　father's　or　Ethel's　standard。

If　Meta　were　to　marry　as　they　would　approve；　she　would　have　far　to
seek　among　〃desirable　connections。〃　　Meantime；　was　not　Flora　acting
with　exemplary　judgment　and　self…denial？

So　she　wrote　that　she　could　not　come　home；　Margaret　was　much
disappointed；　and　so　was　Meta；　who　had　looked　to　Ethel　to　unravel　the
tangles　of　her　life。

〃No；　no；　little　miss；〃　said　Flora　to　herself；　〃you　don't　talk　to
Ethel　till　your　fate　is　irrevocable。　　Why；　if　I　had　listened　to　her；
I　should　be　thankful　to　be　singing　at　Mrs。　Hoxton's　parties　at　this
minute！　and；　as　for　herself；　look　at　Norman　Ogilvie！　　No；　no；　after
six　weeks'　yachtingmoonlight；　sea；　and　sympathyI　defy　her　to　rob
Sir　Henry　of　his　prize！　　And；　with　Meta　lady　of　Cocksmoor；　even　Ethel
herself　must　be　charmed！〃




CHAPTER　XX。



We　barter　life　for　pottage；　sell　true　bliss
For　wealth　or　power；　for　pleasure　or　renown；
Thus；　Esau…like；　our　Father's　blessing　miss；
Then　wash　with　fruitless　tears　our　faded　crown。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Christian　Year。


〃Papa；　here　is　a　message　from　Flora　for　you；〃　said　Margaret；　holding
up　a　letter；　〃she　wants　to　know　whom　to　consult　about　the　baby。〃

〃Ha！　what's　the　matter？〃

Margaret　read〃Will　you　ask　papa　whom　I　had　better　call　in　to　see
the　baby。　　There　does　not　seem　to　be　anything　positively　amiss；　but　I
am　not　happy　about　her。　　There　is　a　sleepiness　about　her　which　I　do
not　understand；　and；　when　roused；　she　is　fretful；　and　will　not　be
amused。　　There　is　a　look　in　her　eyes　which　I　do　not　like；　and　I
should　wish　to　have　some　advice　for　her。　　Lady　Leonora　recommends
Mr。；　but　I　always　distrust　people　who　are　very　much　the　rage；　and　I
shall　send　for　no　one　without　papa's　advice。〃

〃Let　me　see！〃　said　Dr。　May；　startled；　and　holding　out　his　hand　for
the　letter。　　〃A　look　about　the　eyes！　　I　shall　go　up　and　see　her
myself。　　Why　has　not　she　brought　her　home？〃

〃It　would　have　been　far　better；〃　said　Margaret。

〃Sleepy　and　dull！　　She　was　as　lively　a　child　when　they　took　her　away
as　I　ever　saw。　　What！　is　there　no　more　about　her？　　The　letter　is
crammed　with　somebody's　fetevote　of　want　of　confidencedebate　last
night。　　What　is　she　about？　　She　fancies　she　knows　everything；　and；
the　fact　is；　she　knows　no　more　about　infantsI　could　see　that；　when
the　poor　little　thing　was　a　day　old！〃

〃Do　you　think　there　is　cause　for　fear？〃　said　Margaret　anxiously。

〃I　can't　tell。　　With　a　first　child；　one　can't　guess　what　may　be
mamma's　fancy；　or　what　may　be　serious。　　But　Flora　is　not　too
fanciful；　and　I　must　see　her　for　my　own　satisfaction。　　Let　some　one
write；　and　say　I　will　come　up　to…morrow　by　the　twelve　o'clock　train
and　mind　she　opens　the　letter。〃

Dr。　May　kept　his　word；　and　the　letter　had　evidently　not　been
neglected；　for　George　was　watching　for　him　at　the　station；　and
thanked　him　so　eagerly　for　coming；　that　Dr。　May　feared　that　he　was
indeed　needed；　and　inquired　anxiously。

〃Flora　is　uneasy　about　hershe　seems　heavy；　and　cries　when　she　is
disturbed；〃　replied　George。　　〃Flora　has　not　left　her　to…day；　and
hardly　yesterday。〃

〃Have　you　had　no　advice　for　her？〃

〃Flora　preferred　waiting　till　you　should　come。〃

Dr。　May　made　an　impatient　movement；　and　thought　the　way　long；　till
they　were　set　down　in　Park　Lane。　　Meta　came　to　meet　them　on　the
stairs；　and　said　that　the　baby　was　just　the　same；　and　Flora　was　in
the　nursery；　and　thither　they　hastily　ascended。

〃Oh；　papa！　　I　am　so　glad　you　are　come！〃　said　Flora；　starting　up　from
her　low　seat；　beside　the　cradle。

Dr。　May　hardly　paused　to　embrace　his　daughter；　and　she　anxiously　led
him　to　the　cradle；　and　tried　to　read　his　expression；　as　his　eyes　fell
on　the　little　face；　somewhat　puffed；　but　of　a　waxy　whiteness；　and　the
breathing　seeming　to　come　from　the　lips。

〃How　long　has　she　been　so？〃　he　asked；　in　a　rapid；　professional
m