the daisy chain, or aspirations-第150部分

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rightsa　skirmish；　knocking　Tom　nearly　into　the　ditch）。　　〃Fine
experience　of　the　stageall　came　from　Windsor　Fair。〃　　〃Ay；　Hector
might　talk；　but　didn't　he　pay　a　shilling　to　see　the　Irish　giant。　　He
wouldn't　confess；　but　it　was　a　famous　take　ingiant　had　potatoes　in
his　shoes。〃　　〃Not　he；　he　was　seven　feet　ten　high。〃　　〃Ay；　when　he
stood　upon　a　stoolHector　would　swallow　anythingeven　the　lady　of　a
million　postage　stamps　had　not　stuck　in　his　throathe　had　made
Margaret　collect　for　her。〃　　〃And；　had　not　Tom；　himself；　got　a　bottle
of　ointment　to　get　the　red　out　of　his　hair？〃（great　fury）。　　〃His
hair　wasn't　reddidn't　want　to　change　the　colournot　half　so　red　as
Hector's　own。〃　　〃What　was　it　then？　lively　auburn？〃　　But　for　fear　of
Norman's　losing　his　bearings；　Harry　would　fetch　a　carrot；　to　compare。
〃Better　colour　than　theirs　could　ever　be。〃　　〃Then　what　was　the
ointment　for？　to　produce　whiskers？　that　was　the　reason　Tom　oiled
himself　like　a　Loyalty　islanderhis　hair　was　so　shiny；　that　Harry
recommended　a　top…knot；　like　theirs；　etc。〃

Norman　was；　like　the　others；　in　such　towering　glee；　and　took　so　full
a　share　of　the　witticisms；　that　were　the　more　noisily　applauded；　the
worse　they　were；　that　Harry　suggested　that　〃old　June　had　lost　his
way；　and　found　his　spirits　in　Drydalehe　must　have　met　with　a
private　grog…shop　in　the　plantationswould　not　Tom　confess〃〃not
he；　it　was　all　in　private。　　He　thought　it　was　laughing…gas；　or　the
reaction　of　being　fried　all　the　morning；　holding　forth　in　that　Town
Hall。　　He　had　longed　to　make　a　speech　himselfno　end　of　the　good　it
would　have　done　the　old　stagers　to　come　out　with　something　to　the
purpose。　　What　would　old　Hoxton　have　thought　of　it？


They　shall　dive　for　alligators；　catch　the　wild　goats　by　the　beard；
Whistle　to　the　cockatoos；　and　mock　the　hairy…faced　baboon；
Worship　mighty　Mumbo　Jumbo　in　the　mountains　of　the　moon。
I　myself；　in　far　Timbuctoo；　leopard's　blood　shall　daily　quaff；
Ride　a　tiger　hunting；　mounted　on　a　thoroughbred　giraffe。


〃Not　you；　Tom！〃　cried　Hector。


You；　the　swell；　the　Eton　fellow！　　You；　to　seek　such　horrid　places。
You　to　haunt　with　squalid　negroes；　blubber　lips；　and　monkey　faces。
Fool；　again　the　dream；　the　fancy；　don't　I　know　the　words　are　mad；
For　you　count　the　gray　barbarian　lower　than　the　Brocas　cad！


〃Nay；　it　is　the　consequence　of　misanthropy　at　the　detection　of　the
frauds　of　unsophisticated　society；〃　said　Norman。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　edge　of　life　is　rusted；
　The　agate　studs　and　whisker　ointment　left　him　very　much　disgusted。


〃Perhaps　it　was　Miss　Rivers　forsaking　him。　　Was　not　that　rather
spider…hearted；　Tom？〃

〃Come；　Harry；　it　is　time　to　have　done。　　We　are　getting　into　civilised
societyhere's　Abbotstoke。〃

〃Poor　Norman；　he　is　very　far　gone！　　He　takes　that　scarecrow　for
civilised　society！〃

〃Much　better　clothed　than　the　society　you　have　been　accustomed　to；
July。〃　　〃What　a　prize　his　wardrobe　would　be　to　the　Black　Prince！〃
〃Don't　insult　your　betters！〃　　〃Which？　　The　scarecrow；　or　the　Black
Prince？〃

Norman　tried　to　call　his　companions　to　order；　for　they　were　close
upon　the　village；　and　he　began　to　tax　himself　with　unbecoming　levity；
the　effect　of　spirits　pitched　rather　low；　which　did　not　easily　find
their　balance；　under　unwonted　exhilaration；　but　Harry's　antics　were
less　easily　repressed　than　excited；　and　if　Tom　had　not　heard　the
Grange　clock　strike　half…past　six；　and　had　not　been　afraid　of　not
having　time　to　array　himself；　and　watch　over　Harry's　neckcloth；　they
would　hardly　have　arrived　in　reasonable　time。　　Dr。　May　had　gone　home；
and　there　was　no　one　in　the　drawing…room；　but；　as　Norman　was
following　the　boys　upstairs；　Flora　opened　her　sitting…room　door；　and
attracted　his　attention　by　silently　putting　her　cold　fingers　into　his
hand；　and　drawing　him　into　the　room。

〃Dear　Norman；　this　is　pleasant；〃　she　said　affectionately；　but　in　a
voice　so　sunken；　that　all　gladness　seemed　to　be　dead　within；　and　the
effect　was　far　more　mournful　than　if　she　had　not　attempted　to　smile
congratulation。

〃I　will　give　you　till　Dr。　Spencer　comes；〃　she　said。　　〃Then　Norman　can
dress；　and　you　must　be　a　good　child；　and　come　down　to　me。〃

The　playfulness　ill　suited　the　wan；　worn　face　that　seemed　to　have
caught　a　gray　tint　from　her　rich　poplin；　her　full　toilet　making　the
contrast　almost　more　painful；　and；　as　she　closed　the　door；　her
brother　could　only　exclaim；　〃Poor　Flora！〃

〃She　is　so　kind；〃　said　the　voice　of　the　white　figure　that　moved
towards　him。　　〃Oh；　if　we　could　comfort　her！〃

〃I　trust　to　her　own　kindness　working　comfort　to　her；　at　last；〃　said
Norman。　　〃But　is　she　often　thus？〃

〃Whenever　she　is　not　bearing　up　for　George's　sake；〃　said　Meta。　　〃She
never　says　anything　when　she　is　alone　with　me；　only　she　does　not
struggle　with　her　looks。〃

〃It　must　be　very　trying　for　you。〃

〃Nay；　I　feel　grateful　to　her　for　even　so　far　relaxing　the　restraint。
If　I　could　but　do　her　any　good。〃

〃You　cannot　help　doing　her　good；〃　said　Norman。

Meta　sighed；　and　shook　her　head　slightly；　as　she　said；　〃She　is　so
gentle　and　considerate。　　I　think　this　has　been　no　fresh　pain　to　her
to…day；　but　I　cannot　tell。　　The　whole　day　has　been　a　strange
intermixture。〃

〃The　two　strands　of　joy　and　grief　have　been　very　closely　twisted；〃
said　Norman。　　〃That　rose　is　shedding　its　fragrant　leaves　in　its
glory；　and　there　is　much　that　should　have　chastened　the　overflowing
gladness　of　to…day。〃

〃As　I　was　thinking；〃　whispered　Meta；　venturing　nearer　to　him；　and
looking　into　his　face　with　the　sweet　reliance　of　union　in　thought。
She　meant　him　to　proceed；　but　he　paused；　saying；　〃You　were　thinking…〃

〃I　had　rather　hear　it　from　you。〃

〃Was　it　not　that　we　were　taught　to…day　what　is　enduring；　and　gives
true　permanence　and　blessedness　to　suchto　what　there　was　between
Ernescliffe　and　Margaret？〃

Her　dewy　eyes；　and　face　of　deep　emotion；　owned　that　he　had
interpreted　her　thought。

〃Theirs　would；　indeed；　be　a　disheartening　example；〃　he　said；　〃if　it
did　not　show　the　strength　and　peace　that　distance；　sickness；　death；
cannot　destroy。〃

〃Yes。　　To　see　that　church　making　Margaret　happy　as　she　lies　smiling
on　her　couch；　is　a　lesson　of　lessons。〃

〃That　what　is　hallowed　must　be　blest；〃　said　Norman；　〃whatever　the
sundry　and　manifold　changes。〃

Each　was　far　too　humble　to　deny　aloud　any　inequality　with　the
goodness　of　Alan　and　Margaret；　knowing　that　it　would　be　at　once
disputed；　trusting　to　time　to　prevent　the　over…estimate；　and　each
believing　the　other　was　the　one　to　bring　the　blessing。

〃But；　Meta；〃　said　Norman；　〃have　you　heard　nothing　ofof　the　elders？〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Meta；　smiling；　〃have　not　you？〃

〃I　have　seen　no　one。〃

〃I　have！〃　said　Meta　merrily。　　〃Uncle　Cosham　is　delighted。　　That
speech　of　yours　has　captivated　him。　　He　calls　me　a　wise　little　woman
to　have　found　out　your　first…rate　abilities。　　There's　for　you；　sir。〃

〃I　don't　understand　it！　　Surely　he　must　be　aware　of　my　intentions？〃

〃He　said　nothing　about　them；　but；　of　course；　Dr。　May　must　have
mentioned　them。〃

〃I　should　have　thought　so；　but　I　cannot　suppose〃

〃That　he　would　be　willing　to　let　me　go；〃　said　Meta。　　〃But　then　you
know　he　cannot　help　it；〃　added　she；　with　a　roguish　look；　at　finding
herself　making　one　of　her　saucy　independent　speeches。

〃I　believe　you　are　taking　a　would…be　missionary　instead　of　Norman
May！〃　he　answered；　with　a　sort　of　teasing　sweetness。

〃All　would…be　missionaries　did　not　make　dear　papa　so　fond　of　them；〃
said　Meta；　very　low；　〃and　you　would　not　be　Norman　May　without　such
purposes。〃

〃The　purpose　was　not　inspired　at　first　by　the　highest　motive；〃　said
Norman；　〃but　it　brought　me　peace；　and；　after　the　kind　of　dedication
that　I　inwardly　made　of　myself　in　my　time　of　trouble；　it　would　take
some　weighty　reason；　amounting　to　a　clear　duty；　or　physical
impossibility；　to　make　me　think　I　ought　to　turn　back。　　I　believe〃
the　tears　rose　to　his　eyes；　and　he　brought　out　the　words　with
difficulty〃that；　if　this　greatest　of　all　joys　were　likely　to　hinder
me　from　my　calling；　I　ought　to　seek　strength　to　regard　it　as　a
temptation；　and　to　forgo　it。〃

〃You　ought；　if　it　were　so；〃　said　Meta；　nevertheless　holding　him
tighter。　　〃I　could　not　bear　to　keep　back　a　soldier。　　If　this　were
last　year；　and　I　had　any　tie　or　duty　here；　it　would　be　very　hard。
But　no　one　needs　me；　and　if　the　health　I　have　always　had　be　continued
to　me；　I　don't　think　I　shall　be　much　in　the　way。　　There；〃drawing
back　a　little；　and　trying　to　laugh　off　her　feeling〃only　tell　me　at
once　if　you　think　me　still　too　much　of　a　fine　lady。〃

〃Iyoua　fine　lady！　　Did　anything　ever　give　you　the　impression　that
I　did？〃

〃I　shall　not　get　poor　Harry　into　a　scrape；　shall　I？　　He　told　me　that
you　said　so；　last　spring；　and　I　feared　you　judged　me　too　truly。〃

After　a　few　exclamations　of　utter　surprise；　it　flashed　on　Norman。　　〃I
know；　I　knowHarry　interpreted　my　words　in　his　own　blunt　fashion！〃

〃Then　you　did　say　something　like　it？〃

〃No；　butbut　In　short；　Meta；　these　sailors'　imaginations　go　to
great　lengths。　Harry　had　guessed　more　than　I　knew　myself；　before　he
had　sailed；　and　taxed　me　with　it。　　It　was　a　subject　I　could　not　bear
then；　and　I　answered　that　you　were　too　far　beyond　my　hopes。〃

〃Six　years　ago！〃　said　Meta　slowly；　blushing　deeper　and　deeper。　　〃Some
eyes　saw　it　all　that　time；　and　youand；〃　she　added；　laughing；　though
rather　tearfully；　〃I　should　never　have　known　it；　if　Tom　had　not　taken
me　through　the　plantations！〃

〃Not　if　I　had　not　discovered　that　your　preferences　did　not　lie〃

〃Among　boudoirs　and　balls？〃　said　Meta。　　〃Harry　was　right。　　You
thought　me　a　fine　lady　after　all。〃

The　gay　taunt　was　cut　short　by　a　tap　at　the　door；　and　Flora　looked
in。

〃Dr。　Spencer　has　brought　your　things；　Norman。　　I　am　sorry　to　disturb
youbut　come　down；　MetaI　ran　away　very　uncivilly　to　fetch　you。　　I
hope　it　is　not　too　cruel；〃　as　she　drew　Meta's　arm　into　her　own；　and
added；　〃I　have　not　been　able　speak　to　George。〃

Meta　suspected　that；　in　the　wish　to　spare　her；　Flora　had　abstained
from　seeking　him。

The　evening　went　off　like　any　other　eveningpeople　ate　and　talked；
thought　Mrs。　Rivers　looking　very　ill；　and　Miss　Rivers　very　pretty
Flora　forced　herself　into　being　very　friendly　to　Sir　Henry；
com