the daisy chain, or aspirations-第6部分

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I　should　like　to　see　old　Hoxton's　face；　if　you　were　to　show　him　up
some　of　these　verses。〃

〃I'll　tell　you　what；　Norman；　if　I　was　you；　I　would　not　make　Decius
flatter　himself　with　the　fame　he　was　to　getit　is　too　like　the　stuff
every　one　talks　in　stupid　books。　　I　want　him　to　sayRomemy
countrythe　eaglesmust　win；　if　they　donever　mind　what　becomes　of
me。〃

〃But　why　should　he　not　like　to　get　the　credit　of　it；　as　he　did？　　Fame
and　glorythey　are　the　spirit　of　life；　the　reward　of　such　a　death。〃

〃Oh；　no；　no；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Fame　is　coarse　and　vulgarblinder　than
ever　they　draw　Love　or　Fortuneshe　is　only　a　personified　newspaper；
trumpeting　out　all　that　is　extraordinary；　without　minding　whether　it
is　good　or　bad。　　She　misses　the　delicate　and　lovelyI　wished　they
would　give　us　a　theme　to　write　about　her。　　I　should　like　to　abuse　her
well。〃

〃It　would　make　a　very　good　theme；　in　a　new　line；〃　said　Norman；　〃but
I　don't　give　into　it；　altogether。　　It　is　the　hope　and　the　thought　of
fame；　that　has　made　men　great；　from　first　to　last。　　It　is　in　every
one　that　is　not　good　for　nothing；　and　always　will　be！　　The　moving
spirit　of　man's　greatness！〃

〃I'm　not　sure；〃　said　Ethel；　〃I　think　looking　for　fame　is　like　wanting
a　reward　at　once。　　I　had　rather　people　forgot　themselves。　　Do　you
think　Arnold　von　Winkelried　thought　about　fame　when　he　threw　himself
on　the　spears？〃

〃He　got　it；〃　said　Norman。

〃Yes；　he　got　it　for　the　good　of　other　people；　not　to　please　himself。
Fame　does　those　that　admire　it　good；　not　those　that　win　it。〃

〃But！〃　said　Norman；　and　both　were　silent　for　some　short　interval；　as
they　left　the　last　buildings　of　the　town；　and　began　to　mount　a　steep
hill。　　Presently　Norman　slackened　his　pace；　and　driving　his　stick
vehemently　against　a　stone；　exclaimed；　〃It　is　no　use　talking；　Ethel；
it　is　all　a　fight　and　a　race。　　One　is　always　to　try　to　be　foremost。
That's　the　spirit　of　the　thingthat's　what　the　great；　from　first　to
last；　have　struggled；　and　fought；　and　lived；　and　died　for。〃

〃I　know　it　is　a　battle；　I　know　it　is　a　race。　　The　Bible　says　so；〃
replied　Ethel；　〃but　is　not　there　the　difference；　that　here　all　may
winnot　only　one？　　One　may　do　one's　best；　not　care　whether　one　is
first　or　last。　　That's　what　our　reading　to…day　said。〃

〃That　was　against　trumpery　vanityfalse　elevationnot　what　one　has
earned　for　oneself；　but　getting　into　other　people's　places　that　one
never　deserved。　　That　every　one　despises！〃

〃Of　course！　　That　they　do。　　I　say；　Norman；　didn't　you　mean　Harvey
Anderson？〃

Instead　of　answering；　Norman　exclaimed；　〃It　is　pretension　that　is
hatefultrue　excelling　is　what　one's　life　is　for。　　No；　no；　I'll
never　be　beat；　EthelI　never　have　been　beat　by　any　one；　except　by
you；　when　you　take　pains；〃　he　added；　looking　exultingly　at　his
sister；　〃and　I　never　will　be。〃

〃Oh；　Norman！〃

〃I　mean；　of　course；　while　I　have　senses。　　I　would　not　be　like　Richard
for　all　the　world。〃

〃Oh；　no；　no；　poor　Richard！〃

〃He　is　an　excellent　fellow　in　everything　else；〃　said　Norman；　〃I　could
sometimes　wish　I　was　more　like　himbut　how　he　can　be　so　amazingly
slow；　I　can't　imagine。　　That　examination　paper　he　broke　down　inI
could　have　done　it　as　easily　as　possible。〃

〃I　did　it　all　but　one　question；〃　said　Ethel；　〃but　so　did　he；　you
know；　and　we　can't　tell　whether　we　should　have　it　done　well　enough。〃

〃I　know　I　must　do　something　respectable　when　first　I　go　to　Oxford；　if
I　don't　wish　to　be　known　as　the　man　whose　brother　was　plucked；〃　said
Norman。

〃Yes；〃　said　Ethel；　〃if　papa　will　but　let　you　try　for　the　Randall
scholarship　next　year；　but　he　says　it　is　not　good　to　go　to　Oxford　so
young。〃

〃And　I　believe　I　had　better　not　be　there　with　Richard；〃　added　Norman。
〃I　don't　like　coming　into　contrast　with　him；　and　I　don't　think　he　can
like　it；　poor　fellow；　and　it　isn't　his　fault。　　I　had　rather　stay
another　year　here；　get　one　of　the　open　scholarships；　and　leave　the
Stoneborough　ones　for　those　who　can　do　no　better。〃

In　justice　to　Norman；　we　must　observe　that　this　was　by　no　means　said
as　a　boast。　　He　would　scarcely　have　thus　spoken　to　any　one　but
Etheldred；　to　whom；　as　well　as　to　himself；　it　seemed　mere　matter…of…
fact。　　The　others　had　in　the　meantime　halted　at　the　top　of　the　hill；
and　were　looking　back　at　the　townthe　great　old　Minster；　raising　its
twin　towers　and　long　roof；　close　to　the　river；　where　rich　green
meadows　spread　over　the　valley；　and　the　town　rising　irregularly　on
the　slope　above；　plentifully　interspersed　with　trees　and　gardens；　and
one　green　space　on　the　banks　of　the　river；　speckled　over　with　a　flock
of　little　black　dots　in　rapid　motion。

〃Here　you　are！〃　exclaimed　Flora。　　〃I　told　them　it　was　of　no　use　to
wait　when　you　and　Norman　had　begun　a　dissertation。〃

〃Now；　Mr。　Ernescliffe；　I　should　like　you　to　say；〃　cried　Ethel；　〃which
do　you　think　is　the　best；　the　name　of　it；　or　the　thing？〃　　Her
eloquence　always　broke　down　with　any　auditor　but　her　brother；　or；
perhaps；　Margaret。

〃Ethel！〃　said　Norman；　〃how　is　any　one　to　understand　you？　　The
argument　is　this：　Ethel　wants　people　to　do　great　deeds；　and　be
utterly　careless　of　the　fame　of　them；　I　say；　that　love　of　glory　is　a
mighty　spring。〃

〃A　mighty　one！〃　said　Alan：　〃but　I　think；　as　far　as　I　understand　the
question；　that　Ethel　has　the　best　of　it。〃

〃I　don't　mean　that　people　should　not　serve　the　cause　first　of　all；〃
said　Norman；　〃but　let　them　have　their　right　place　and　due　honour。〃

〃They　had　better　make　up　their　minds　to　do　without　it；〃　said　Alan。
〃Remember


　　　　　　　〃The　world　knows　nothing　of　its　greatest　men。〃


〃Then　it　is　a　great　shame；〃　said　Norman。

〃But　do　you　think　it　right；〃　said　Ethel；　〃to　care　for　distinction？
It　is　a　great　thing　to　earn　it；　but　I　don't　think　one　should　care　for
the　outer　glory。〃

〃I　believe　it　is　a　great　temptation；〃　said　Alan。　　〃The　being　over…
elated　or　over…depressed　by　success　or　failure　in　the　eyes　of　the
world；　independently　of　the　exertion　we　have　used。〃

〃You　call　it　a　temptation？〃　said　Ethel。

〃Decidedly　so。〃

〃But　one　can't　live　or　get　on　without　it；〃　said　Norman。

There　they　were　cut　short。　　There　was　a　plantation　to　be　crossed；
with　a　gate　that　would　not　open；　and　that　seemed　an　effectual　barrier
against　both　Miss　Winter　and　the　donkey；　until　by　persuasive
eloquence　and　great　gallantry；　Mr。　Ernescliffe　performed　the
wonderful　feat　of　getting　the　former　over　the　tall　fence；　while
Norman　conducted　the　donkey　a　long　way　round；　undertaking　to　meet
them　at　the　other　side　of　the　plantation。

The　talk　became　desultory；　as　they　proceeded　for　at　least　a　mile
along　a　cart…track　through　soft…tufted　grass　and　heath　and　young　fir…
trees。　　It　ended　in　a　broad　open　moor；　stony；　and　full　of　damp　boggy
hollows；　forlorn　and　desolate　under　the　autumn　sky。　　Here　they　met
Norman　again；　and　walked　on　along　a　very　rough　and　dirty　road；　the
ground　growing　more　decidedly　into　hills　and　valleys　as　they
advanced；　till　they　found　themselves　before　a　small；　but　very　steep
hillock；　one　side　of　which　was　cut　away　into　a　slate　quarry。　　Round
this　stood　a　colony　of　roughly…built　huts；　of　mud；　turf；　or　large
blocks　of　the　slate。　　Many　workmen　were　engaged　in　splitting　up　the
slates；　or　loading　wagons　with　them；　rude　wild…looking　men；　at　the
sight　of　whom　the　ladies　shrank　up　to　their　protectors；　but　who
seemed　too　busy　even　to　spare　time　for　staring　at　them。

They　were　directed　to　John　Taylor's　house；　a　low　mud　cottage；　very
wretched　looking；　and　apparently　so　smoky　that　Mr。　Ernescliffe　and
Norman　were　glad　to　remain　outside　and　survey　the　quarry；　while　the
ladies　entered。

Inside　they　found　more　cleanliness　and　neatness　than　they　had
expected；　but　there　was　a　sad　appearance　of　poverty；　insufficient
furniture；　and　the　cups　and　broken　tea…pot　on　the　table；　holding
nothing　but　toast　and　water；　as　a　substitute　for　their　proper
contents。　　The　poor　woman　was　sitting　by　the　fire　with　one　twin　on
her　lap；　and　the　other　on　a　chair　by　her　side；　and　a　larger　child　was
in　the　corner　by　the　fire；　looking　heavy　and　ill；　while　others　of
different　ages　lounged　about　listlessly。　　She　was　not　untidy；　but
very　pale；　and　she　spoke　in　a　meek；　subdued　way；　as　if　the　ills　of
life　were　so　heavy　on　her　that　she　had　no　spirit　even　to　complain。
She　thanked　them　for　their　gifts　but　languidly；　and　did　not　visibly
brighten　when　told　that　her　husband　was　better。

Flora　asked　when　the　babes　would　be　christened。

〃I　can't　hardly　tell；　Miss'tis　so　far　to　go。〃

〃I　suppose　none　of　the　children　can　go　to　school？　　I　don't　know　their
faces　there；〃　said　Flora；　looking　at　a　nice　tall；　smooth…haired　girl
of　thirteen　or　fourteen。

〃No；　Miss'tis　so　far。　　I　am　sorry　they　should　not；　for　they　always
was　used　to　it　where　we　lived　before；　and　my　oldest　girl　she　can　work
very　nicely。　　I　wish　I　could　get　a　little　place　for　her。〃

〃You　would　hardly　know　what　to　do　without　her；〃　said　Miss　Winter。

〃No；　ma'am；　but　she　wants　better　food　than　I　can　give　her；　and　it　is
a　bad　wild　place　for　a　girl　to　grow　up。　　It　is　not　like　what　I　was
used　to；　ma'am；　I　was　always　used　to　keep　to　my　school　and　to　my
churchbut　it　is　a　bad　place　to　live　in　here。〃

No　one　could　deny　it；　and　the　party　left　the　cottage　gravely。　　Alan
and　Norman　joined　them；　having　heard　a　grievous　history　of　the
lawlessness　of　the　people　from　a　foreman　with　whom　they　had　met。
There　seemed　to　be　no　visible　means　of　improvement。　　The　parish
church　was　Stoneborough；　and　there　the　living　was　very　poor；　the
tithes　having　been　appropriated　to　the　old　Monastery；　and　since　its
dissolution　having　fallen　into　possession　of　a　Body　that　never　did
anything　for　the　town。　　The　incumbent；　Mr。　Ramsden；　had　small　means；
and　was　not　a　high　stamp　of　clergyman；　seldom　exerting　himself；　and
leaving　most　of　his　parish　work　to　the　two　under　masters　of　the
school；　Mr。　Wilmot　and　Mr。　Harrison；　who　did　all　they　had　time　and
strength　for；　and　more　too；　within　the　town　itself。　　There　was　no
hope　for　Cocksmoor！

〃There　would　be　a　worthy　ambition！〃　said　Etheldred；　as　they　turned
their　steps　homeward。　　〃Let　us　propose　that　aim　to　ourselves；　to
build　a　church　on　Cocksmoor！〃

〃How　many　years　do　you　give　us　to　do　it　in？〃　said　Norman。

〃Few　or　many；　I　don't　care。　　I'll　neve