the daisy chain, or aspirations-第51部分

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their　good；　but　that　he　carried　it　too　far；　for　wealthy　people
assuredly　had　it　in　their　power　to　do　great　things；　and　might　work　as
hard　themselves；　besides；　it　was　finer　in　them；　there　was　so　much
eclat　in　their　stooping　to　charity。　　But　her　knowledge　of　his
character　would　not　allow　her　to　think　for　a　moment　that　he　could　say
aught　but　from　the　bottom　of　his　heartno；　it　was　one　of　his　one…
sided　views　that　led　him　into　paradox。　　〃It　was　just　like　papa；〃　and
so　there　was　no　need　to　attend　to　it。　　It　was　one　of　his　enthusiasms；
he　was　so　very　fond　of　Ethel；　probably　because　of　her　likeness　to
himself。　　Flora　thought　Ethel　put　almost　too　forwardthey　all　helped
at　Cocksmoor；　and　Ethel　was　very　queer　and　unformed；　and　could　do
nothing　by　herself。　　The　only　thing　Flora　did　keep　in　her　mind　was；
that　her　papa　had　spoken　to　her；　as　if　she　were　a　woman　compared　with
Ethel。

Little　Blanche　made　her　report　of　the　conversation　to　Mary；　〃that　it
was　so　nice；　and　now　she　did　not　care　about　Miss　Rivers's　fine
presents　at　all；　for　papa　said　what　one　made　oneself　was　better　to
give　than　what　one　bought。　　And　papa　said；　too；　that　it　was　a　good
thing　not　to　be　rich；　for　then　one　never　felt　the　miss　of　what　one
gave　away。〃

Margaret；　who　overheard　the　exposition；　thought　it　so　much　to
Blanche's　credit；　that　she　could　not　help　repeating　it　in　the
evening；　after　the　little　girl　was　gone　to　bed；　when　Mr。　Wilmot　had
come　in　to　arrange　the　programme　for　Cocksmoor。　　So　the　little　fit　of
discontent　and　its　occasion；　the　meeting　with　Meta　Rivers；　were
discussed。

〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Wilmot；　〃those　Riverses　are　open…handed。　　They　really
seem　to　have　so　much　money；　that　they　don't　know　what　to　do　with　it。
My　brother　is　ready　to　complain　that　they　spoil　his　parish。　　It　is
all　meant　so　well；　and　they　are　so　kind…hearted　and　excellent；　that
it　is　a　shame　to　find　fault；　and　I　tell　Charles　and　his　wife　that
their　grumbling　at　such　a　squire　proves　them　the　most　spoiled　of
all。〃

〃Indiscriminate　liberality？〃　asked　the　doctor。　　〃I　should　guess　the
old　gentleman　to　be　rather　soft！〃

〃That's　one　thing。　　The　parish　is　so　small；　and　there　are　so　few　to
shower　all　this　bounty　on；　and　they　are　so　utterly　unused　to　country
people。　　They　seem　to　think　by　laying　out　money　they　can　get　a　show
set　of　peasants　in　rustic　cottages；　just　as　they　have　their　fancy
cows　and　poultryall　that　offends　the　eye　out　of　the　way。〃

〃Making　it　a　matter　of　taste；〃　said　the　doctor。

〃I'm　sure　I　would；〃　said　Norman　aside　to　Ethel。　　〃What's　the　use　of
getting　oneself　disgusted？〃

〃One　must　not　begin　with　showing　dislike；〃　began　Ethel；　〃or〃

〃Ayyou　like　rags；　don't　you？　but　hush！〃

〃That　is　just　what　I　should　expect　of　Mr。　Rivers；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃he
has　cultivated　his　taste　till　it　is　getting　to　be　a　disease；　but　his
daughter　has　no　lack　of　wit。〃

〃Perhaps　not。　　Charles　and　Mary　are　very　fond　of　her；　but　she　is
entirely　inexperienced；　and　that　is　a　serious　thing　with　so　much
money　to　throw　about。　　She　pays　people　for　sending　their　children　to
school；　and　keeping　their　houses　tidy；　and　there　is　so　much　given
away；　that　it　is　enough　to　take　away　all　independence　and　motive　for
exertion。　　The　people　speculate　on　it；　and　take　it　as　a　right；　by…
and…by　there　will　be　a　reactionshe　will　find　out　she　is　imposed
upon；　take　offence；　and　for　the　rest　of　her　life　will　go　about　saying
how　ungrateful　the　poor　are！〃

〃It　is　a　pity　good　people　won't　have　a　little　common…sense；〃　said　Dr。
May。　　〃But　there's　something　so　bewitching　in　that　little　girl；　that
I　can't　give　her　up。　　I　verily　believe　she　will　right　herself。〃

〃I　have　scarcely　seen　her；〃　said　Mr。　Wilmot。　　〃She　has　won　papa's
heart　by　her　kindness　to　me；〃　said　Margaret；　smiling。　　〃You　see　her
beautiful　flowers？　　She　seems　to　me　made　to　lavish　pleasures　on
others　wherever　she　goes。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　they　are　most　kind…hearted；〃　said　Mr。　Wilmot。　　〃It　is　only
the　excess　of　a　virtue　that　could　be　blamed　in　them；　and　they　are
most　valuable　to　the　place。　　She　will　learn　experience　in　timeI
only　hope　she　will　not　be　spoiled。〃

Flora　felt　as　if　her　father　must　be　thinking　his　morning's　argument
confirmed；　and　she　was　annoyed。　　But　she　thought　there　was　no　reason
why　wealth　should　not　be　used　sensibly；　and　if　she　were　at　the　head
of　such　an　establishment　as　the　Grange；　her　charity　should　be　so　well
regulated　as　to　be　the　subject　of　general　approbation。

She　wanted　to　find　some　one　else　on　her　side；　and；　as　they　went　to
bed；　she　said　to　Ethel；　〃Don't　you　wish　we　had　some　of　this
superfluity　of　the　Riverses　for　poor　Cocksmoor？〃

〃I　wish　we　had　anything　for　Cocksmoor！　　Here's　a　great　hole　in　my
boot；　and　nurse　says　I　must　get　a　new　pair；　that　is　seven…and…
sixpence　gone！　　I　shall　never　get　the　first　pound　made　up　towards
building！〃

〃And　pounds　seem　nothing　to　them；〃　said　Flora。

〃Yes；　but　if　they　don't　manage　right　with　them！　　I'll　tell　you；
Flora；　I　got　into　a　fit　of　wishing　the　other　day；　it　does　seem　such　a
grievous　pity　to　see　those　children　running　to　waste　for　want　of
daily　teaching；　and　Jenny　Hall　had　forgotten　everything。　　I　was
vexed；　and　thought　it　was　all　no　use　while　we　could　not　do　more；　but
just　then　I　began　to　look　out　the　texts　Ritchie　had　marked　for　me　to
print　for　them　to　learn；　and　the　first　was；　'Be　thou　faithful　over　a
few　things；　and　I　will　make　thee　ruler　over　many　things；'　and　then　I
thought　perhaps　we　were　learning　to　be　faithful　with　a　few　things。　　I
am　sure　what　they　said　to…night　showed　it　was　lucky　we　have　not　more
in　our　hands。　　I　should　do　wrong　for　ever　with　the　little　we　have　if
it　were　not　for　Ritchie　and　Margaret。　　By　the　time　we　have　really　got
the　money　together　for　the　school；　perhaps　I　shall　have　more　sense。〃

〃Got　the　money！　　As　if　we　ever　could！〃

〃Oh；　yes！　we　shall　and　will。　　It　need　not　be　more　than　？0；　Ritchie
says；　and　I　have　twelve　shillings　for　certain；　put　out　from　the　money
for　hire　of　the　room；　and　the　books　and　clothes；　and；　in　spite　of
these　horrid　boots；　I　shall　save　something　out　of　this　quarter；　half…
a…crown　at　least。　　And　I　have　another　plan　besides〃

But　Flora　had　to　go　down　to　Margaret's　room　to　bed。　　Flora　was　always
ready　to　throw　herself　into　the　present；　and　liked　to　be　the　most
useful　person　in　all　that　went　forward；　so　that　no　thoughts　of
greatness　interfered　with　her　enjoyment　at　Cocksmoor。

The　house　seemed　wild　that　Easter　Monday　morning。　　Ethel；　Mary；　and
Blanche；　flew　about　in　all　directions；　and　in　spite　of　much　undoing
of　their　own　arrangements；　finished　their　preparations　so　much　too
early；　that；　at　half…past　eleven；　Mary　complained　that　she　had
nothing　to　do；　and　that　dinner　would　never　come。

Many　were　the　lamentations　at　leaving　Margaret　behind；　but　she
answered　them　by　talking　of　the　treat　of　having　papa　all　to　herself；
for　he　had　lent　them　the　gig；　and　promised　to　stay　at　home　all　the
afternoon　with　her。

The　first　division　started　on　foot　directly　after　dinner；　the　real
Council　of　education；　as　Norman　called　them；　namely；　Mr。　Wilmot；
Richard；　Ethel；　and　Mary；　Flora；　the　other　member；　waited　to　take
care　of　Blanche　and　Aubrey；　who　were　to　come　in　the　gig；　with　the
cakes；　tea…kettles；　and　prizes；　driven　by　Norman。　　Tom　and　Hector
Ernescliffe　were　invited　to　join　the　party；　and　many　times　did　Mary
wish　for　Harry。

Supremely　happy　were　the　young　people　as　they　reached　the　common；　and
heard　the　shout　of　tumultuous　joy；　raised　by　their　pupils；　who　were
on　the　watch　for　them。　　All　was　now　activity。　　Everybody　tripped　into
Mrs。　Green's　house；　while　Richard　and　Ethel　ran　different　ways　to
secure　that　the　fires　were　burning；　which　they　had　hired；　to　boil
their　kettles；　with　the　tea　in　them。

Then　when　the　kitchen　was　so　full　that　it　seemed　as　if　it　could　hold
no　more；　some　kind　of　order　was　produced；　the　children　were　seated　on
their　benches；　and；　while　the　mothers　stood　behind　to　listen；　Mr。
Wilmot　began　to　examine；　as　well　as　he　could　in　so　crowded　an
audience。

There　was　progress。　　Yes；　there　was。　　Only　three　were　as　utterly　rude
and　idealess　as　they　used　to　be　at　Christmas。　　Glimmerings　had　dawned
on　most；　and　oneUna　M'Carthywas　fit　to　come　forward　to　claim　Mr。
Wilmot's　promise　of　a　Prayer…book。　　She　could　really　read　and　say　the
Catechismher　Irish　wit　and　love　of　learning　had　outstripped　all　the
restand　she　was　the　pride　of　Ethel's　heart；　fit；　now；　to　present
herself　on　equal　terms　with　the　Stoneborough　set；　as　far　as　her　sense
was　concernedthough；　alas！　neither　present　nor　exhortation　had
succeeded　in　making　her　anything；　in　looks；　but　a　picturesque
tatterdemalion；　her　sandy　elf　locks　streaming　over　a　pair　of　eyes；　so
dancing　and　gracieuses；　that　it　was　impossible　to　scold　her。

With　beating　heart；　as　if　her　own　success　in　life　depended　for　ever
on　the　way　her　flock　acquitted　themselves；　Ethel　stood　by　Mr。　Wilmot；
trying　to　read　answers　coming　out　of　the　dull　mouths　of　her　children；
and　looking　exultingly　at　Richard　whenever　some　good　reply　was　made；
especially　when　Una　answered　an　unexpected　question。　　It　was　too
delightful　to　hear　how　well　she　remembered　all　the　history　up　to　the
flood；　and　how　prettily　it　came　out　in　her　Irish　accent！　　That　made
up　for　all　the　atrocious　stupidity　of　others；　who；　after　being　told
every　time　since　they　had　begun　who　gave　their　names；　now　chose　to
forget。

In　the　midst；　while　the　assembly　were　listening　with　admiration　to
the　reading　of　the　scholar　next　in　proficiency　to　Una；　a　boy　who
could　read　words　of　five　letters　without　spelling；　there　was　a　fresh
squeezing　at　the　door；　and；　the　crowd　opening　as　well　as　it　could；　in
came　Flora　and　Blanche；　while　Norman's　head　was　seen　for　a　moment　in
the　doorway。

Flora's　whisper　to　Ethel　was　her　first　discovery　that　the　closeness
and　the　heat　of　the　room　was　nearly　overpowering。　　Her　excitement　had
made　all　be　forgotten。　　〃Could　not　a　window　be　opened？〃

Mrs。　Green　interferedit　had　been　nailed　up　because　her　husband　had
the　rheumatiz！

〃Where's　Aubrey？〃　asked　Mary。

〃With　Norman。　　Norman　said　he　would　not　let　him　go　into　the　black…
hole；　so　he　has　got　him　out　of　doors。　　Ethel；　we　must　come　out！　　You
don't　know　what　an　atmosphere　it　is！　　Blanche；