the daisy chain, or aspirations-第159部分

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Miss　Bracy　and　the　children　to　the　Grange　to　make　room。

Meantime；　Dr。　Spencer　had　come　to　the　sick…room；　but　he　could　only
suggest　remedies　that　were　already　in　course　of　application　to　the
insensible　sufferer。　　Mrs。　Arnott　and　Ethel　were　watching；　and　trying
everything　to　relieve　her；　but　with　little　effect；　and　Ethel
presently　stood　by　the　fire　with　her　father；　as　Dr。　Spencer　turned
towards　him；　and　he　said；　in　a　very　low；　but　calm　voice；　〃It　won't
doI　believe　it　is　the　death…stroke。〃

〃Not　immediate；〃　said　Dr。　Spencer。

〃No；〃　said　Dr。　May；　and　he　quietly　spoke　of　what　the　disease　had
effected；　and　what　yet　remained　for　it　to　do；　ere　the　silver　bowl
should　be　broken。

Dr。　Spencer　put　in　a　word　of　agreement。

〃Will　there　be　no　rally？〃　said　Ethel；　in　the　same　tone。

〃Probably　not；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃the　brain　is　generally　reached　at　this
stage。　　I　have　seen　it　coming　for　a　long　time。　　The　thing　was　done
seven　years　ago。　　There　was　a　rally　for　a　time　when　youth　was　strong；
but　suspense　and　sorrow　accelerated　what　began　from　the　injury　to　the
spine。〃

Dr。　Spencer　bowed　his　head；　and　looked　at　him　anxiously；　saying；　〃I
do　not　think　there　will　be　much　acute　suffering。〃

〃I　fear　it　may　be　as　trying；〃　said　Dr。　May；　sighing；　and　then　turning
to　Ethel；　and　throwing　his　arm　round　her；　〃May　God　make　it　easy　to
her；　and　grant　us　'patient　hearts。'　　We　will　not　grudge　her　to　all
that　she　loves　best；　my　Ethel。〃

Ethel　clung　to　him；　as　if　to　derive　strength　from　him。　　But　the
strength　that　was　in　them　then　did　not　come　from　earth。　　Dr。　Spencer
wrung　his　hand；　and　stepped　back　to　the　bed　to　try　another　resource。
Vain　again；　they　only　seemed　to　be　tormenting　her；　and　the　silent
helplessness　prevailed　again。　　Then　Dr。　May　went　down　to　Flora；　told
her　the　true　state　of　the　case；　and　urged　on　her　to　give　up　her　plan
of　remaining。　　George　joined　with　him；　and　she　yielded　submissively；
but　would　not　be　refused　going　up　once　again　and　kissing　her　sister；
standing　beside　her　gazing　at　her；　till　her　father　came　softly　and
drew　her　away。　　〃I　shall　be　here　to…morrow；〃　she　said　to　Ethel；　and
went。

The　morrow；　however；　brought　no　Flora。　　The　agitation　and　distress　of
that　day　had　broken　her　down　completely；　and　she　was　so　ill　as　to　be
unable　to　move。　　Her　aunt　went　at　once　to　see　her；　and　finding　that
her　presence　at　the　Grange　relieved　some　of　Dr。　May's　anxieties；
chiefly　devoted　herself　to　her。　　Flora　was　grateful　and　gentle；　but
as　silent　and　impenetrable　as　ever；　while　day　after　day　she　lay　on
her　couch；　uncomplaining　and　undemonstrative；　visited　by　her　father；
and　watched　over　by　her　aunt　and　sister…in…law；　who　began　to　know
each　other　much　better；　though　Flora　less　than　ever；　in　that　deep
fixed　grief。　　She　only　roused　herself　to　return　her　husband's
affection；　or　to　listen　to　the　daily　reports　of　Margaret。　　Poor
George；　he　was　very　forlorn；　though　Meta　did　her　best　to　wait　on　him；
and　he　rode　over　twice　a　day　to　inquire　at　Stoneborough。

The　doctors　were　right；　and　the　consecration　morning　was　her　last　of
full　consciousness。　　From　the　hour　when　she　had　heard　the　sound　of
Alan's　bells；　her　ears　were　closed　to　earthly　sounds。　　There　was　very
little　power　of　intercourse　with　her；　as　she　lingered　on　the　borders
of　the　land　very　far　away；　where　skill　and　tenderness　could　not
either　reach　body　or　spirit。　　Often　the　watchers　could　not　tell
whether　she　was　conscious；　or　only　incapacitated　from　expression；　by
the　fearful　weight　on　her　breath；　which　caused　a　restlessness　most
piteous　in　the　exhausted　helpless　frame；　wasted　till　the　softest
touch　was　anguish。　　Now　and　then　came　precious　gleams　when　a　familiar
voice；　or　some　momentary　alleviation　would　gain　a　smile；　or　thanks；
and　they　thought　her　less　restless　when　Richard　read　prayers　beside
her；　but　words　were　very　rare；　only　now　and　then　a　name；　and　when　in
most　distress；　〃it　will　be　soon　over；〃　〃it　will　soon　be　over；〃
occurred　so　often；　that　they　began　to　think　it　once　her　solace；　and
now　repeated　habitually　without　a　meaning。

They　could　not　follow　her　into　the　valley　of　the　shadow　of　death；　but
could　only　watch　the　frail　earthly　prison…house　being　broken　down；　as
if　the　doom　of　sin　must　be　borne；　though　faith　could　trust　that　it
was　but　her　full　share　in　the　Cross。　　Calmly　did　those　days　pass。
Ethel；　Richard；　and　Mary　divided　between　them　the　watching　and　the
household　cares；　and　their　father　bore　up　bravely　in　the　fullness　of
his　love　and　faith；　resigning　her　daughter　to　the　Hands　which　were
bearing　her　whither　her　joys　had　long　since　departed。

Hector　Ernescliffe　arrived　when　the　holidays　began；　and　his　agony　of
sorrow；　when　she　failed　to　recognise　him；　moved　Dr。　May　to　exert
himself　earnestly　for　his　consolation；　and；　at　the　same　time；　Tom；　in
a　gentle；　almost　humble　manner；　paid　a　sort　of　daughter…like
attention　to　the　smallest　services　for　his　father；　as　if　already
accepting　him　as　his　especial　charge。

It　was　midnight；　on　the　longest　night　of　the　year；　Ethel　was　lying　on
her　bed；　and　had　fallen　into　a　brief　slumber；　when　her　father's　low；
clear　voice　summoned　her：　〃Ethel；　she　is　going！〃

There　was　a　change　on　the　face；　and　the　breath　came　in　labouring
gasps。　　Richard　lifted　her　head；　and　her　eyes　once　more　opened；　she
smiled　once　more。

〃Papa！〃　she　said；　〃dear　papa！〃

He　threw　himself　on　his　knees　beside　her；　but　she　looked　beyond　him；
〃Mamma！　　Alan！　oh；　there　they　are！　　More！　more！〃　and；　as　though　the
unspeakable　dawned　on　her；　she　gasped　for　utterance；　then　looked；
with　a　consoling　smile；　on　her　father。　　〃Over　now！〃　she　saidand　the
last　struggle　was　ended。　　That　which　Richard　laid　down　was　no　longer
Margaret　May。

Over　now！　　The　twenty…five　years'　life；　the　seven　years'　captivity　on
her　couch；　the　anxious　headship　of　the　motherless　household；　the
hopeless　betrothal；　the　long　suspense；　the　efforts　for　resignation；
the　widowed　affections；　the　slow　decay；　the　tardy；　painful　death
agonyall　was　over；　nothing　left；　save　what　they　had　rendered　the
undying　spirit；　and　the　impress　her　example　had　left　on　those　around
her。

The　long　continuance　of　the　last　suffering　had　softened　the　actual
parting；　and　it　was　with　thankfulness　for　the　cessation　of　her　pain
that　they　turned　away；　and　bade　each　other　good…night。

Ethel　would　not　have　believed　that　her　first　wakening　to　the
knowledge　that　Margaret　was　gone　could　have　been　more　fraught　with
relief　than　with　misery。　　And；　for　her　father；　it　seemed　as　if　it
were　a　home…like；　comfortable　thought　to　him；　that　her　mother　had　one
of　her　children　with　her。　　He　called　her　the　first　link　of　his　Daisy
Chain　drawn　up　out　of　sight；　and；　during　the　quiet　days　that　ensued；
he　seemed　as　it　were　to　be　lifted　above　grief；　dwelling　upon　hope。
His　calmness　impressed　the　same　on　his　children；　as　they　moved　about
in　the　solemn　stillness　of　the　house；　and　when　Harry；　pale；　and
shocked　at　the　blow　to　him　so　sudden；　came　home；　the　grave　silence
soothed　his　violence　of　grief；　and　he　sat　beside　his；　father　or　Mary；
speaking　in　undertones　of　what　Margaret　had　loved　to　hear　from　him；
of　Alan　Ernescliffe's　last　moments。

Mary　gave　way　to　a　burst　of　weeping　when　she　sought；　in　vain；　for
daisies　in　the　wintry　garden；　but　Hector　Ernescliffe　went　down　to　the
cloisters；　and　brought　back　the　lingering　blossoms　to　be　placed　on
Margaret's　bosom。

The　dog　Toby　had　followed　him；　unseen；　to　the　cloister；　and　he　was
entering　the　garden；　when　he　was　struck　by　seeing　the　animal
bounding；　in　irrepressible　ecstasy；　round　a　lad；　whose　tarpaulin　hat；
blue…bordered　collar；　and　dark　blue　dress；　showed　him　to　be　a　sailor；
as　well　as　the　broad…shouldered；　grizzled；　elderly　man；　who　stood
beside　him。

〃I　say；　sir；〃　said　the　latter；　as　Hector's　hand　was　on　the　door；　〃do
you　belong　to　Dr。　May？〃

Hector　unhesitatingly　answered　that　he　did。

〃Then；　maybe；　sir；　you　have　heard　of　one　Bill　Jennings。〃

Hector　was　all　in　one　flush；　almost　choking；　as　he　told　that　he　was
Mr。　Ernescliffe's　brother；　and　gave　his　hand　to　the　sailor。　　〃What
could　he　do　for　him？〃

Jennings　had　heard　from　one　of　the　crew　of　the　Bucephalus　that　Mr。
May　had　been　met；　on　his　return　to　Portsmouth；　by　the　news　of　his
sister's　death。　　The　Mays　had　helped　his　boy；　he　had　been　with　Mr。
May　in　the　island；　he　had　laid　Mr。　Ernescliffe　in　his　grave；　and　some
notion　had　crossed　the　sailor　that　he　must　be　at　Miss　Margaret's
funeralit　might　be　they　would　let　him　lend　a　handand；　in　this
expedition；　he　was　spending　his　time　on　shore。

How　he　was　welcomed　need　not　be　told；　nor　how　the　tears　came　forth
from　full　hearts；　as　Dr。　May　granted　his　wish；　and　thanked　him　for
doing　what　Margaret　herself　would　indeed　have　chosen；　and；　in　his
blue　sailor　garb；　was　Jennings　added　to　the　bearers；　their　own　men；
and　two　Cocksmoor　labourers；　who；　early　on　Christmas　Eve；　carried　her
to　the　minster。　　Last　time　she　had　been　there；　Alan　Ernescliffe　had
supported　her。　　Now；　what　was　mortal　of　him　lay　beneath　the　palm
tree；　beneath　the　glowing　summer　sky；　while　the　first　snow…flakes
hung　like　pearls　on　her　pall。　　But　as　they　laid　her　by　her　mother's
side；　who　could　doubt　that　they　were　together？




CHAPTER　XXVI。



At　length　I　got　unto　the　gladsome　hill；
　　　　　　　　Where　lay　my　hope；
　　Where　lay　my　heart；　and；　climbing　still；
　　When　I　had　gained　the　brow　and　top；
A　lake　of　brackish　waters　on　the　ground；
　　　　　　　　Was　all　I　found。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　GEORGE　HERBERT。


Late　in　the　evening　of　the　same　snowy　24th　of　December；　a　little
daughter　awoke　to　life　at　Abbotstoke　Grange；　and；　not　long　after；
Mrs。　Arnott　came　to　summon　Dr　May　from　the　anxious　vigil　in　the
sitting…room。　　〃Come　and　see　if　you　can　do　anything　to　soothe　her；〃
she　said；　with　much　alarm。　　〃The　first　sight　of　the　baby　has　put　her
into　such　a　state　of　agitation；　that　we　do　not　know　what　to　do　with
her。〃

It　was　so；　when　he　came　to　her　bedside；　that　fixed　stony　look　of
despair　was　gone；　the　source　of　tears；　so　long　dried　up；　had　opened
again；　and　there　she　lay；　weeping　quietly　indeed；　but　profusely；　and
with　deep　heaving　sobs。　　To　speak；　or　to　leave　her　alone；　seemed
equally　perilous；　but　he　chose　the　firsthe　kissed　and　blessed　her；
and