the daisy chain, or aspirations-第94部分

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said　Ethel。

〃Just　so。　　We　must　circumvent　their　prejudices；　instead　of　trying　to
beat　them　down。〃

〃If　you　only　could　have　the　proper　catechising　restored！〃

〃Wait；　you　will　see。　　Let　me　feel　my　ground。〃

〃Or　if　we　could　only　abdicate　into　the　hands　of　the　rightful　power！〃

〃The　rightful　power　would　not　be　much　obliged　to　you。〃

〃That　is　the　worst　of　it；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃It　is　sad　to　hear　the　sick
people　say　that　Dr。　May　is　more　to　them　than　any　parson；　it　shows
that　they　have　so　entirely　lost　the　notion　of　what　their　clergyman
should　be。〃

〃Dr。　May　is　the　man　most　looked　up　to　in　this　town；〃　said　Flora；　〃and
that　gives　weight　to　us　in　the　committee；　but　it　is　all　in　the
using。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Ethel　hesitatingly。

〃You　see；　we　have　the　prestige　of　better　birth；　and　better　education；
as　well　as　of　having　the　chief　property　in　the　town；　and　of　being　the
largest　subscribers；　added　to　his　personal　character；〃　said　Flora；
〃so　that　everything　conspires　to　render　us　leaders；　and　our　age　alone
prevented　us　from　assuming　our　post　sooner。〃

They　were　at　home　by　this　time；　and　entering　the　hall；　perceived　that
the　whole　party　were　in　the　lawn。　　The　consolation　of　the　children
for　the　departure　of　Hector　and　Tom；　was　a　bowl　of　soap…suds　and　some
tobacco　pipes；　and　they　had　collected　the　house　to　admire　and　assist；
even　Margaret's　couch　being　drawn　close　to　the　window。

Bubbles　is　one　of　the　most　fascinating　of　sports。　　There　is　the　soft
foamy　mass；　like　driven　snow；　or　like　whipped　cream。　　Blanche　bends
down　to　blow　〃a　honeycomb；〃　holding　the　bowl　of　the　pipe　in　the
water；　at　her　gurgling　blasts　there　slowly　heaves　upwards　the　pile　of
larger；　clearer　bubbles；　each　reflecting　the　whole　scene；　and
sparkling　with　rainbow　tints；　until　Aubrey　ruthlessly　dashes　all　into
fragments　with　his　hand；　and　Mary　pronounces　it　stiff　enough；　and
presents　a　pipe　to　little　Daisy；　who；　drawing　the　liquid　into　her
mouth；　throws　it　away　with　a　grimace；　and　declares　that　she　does　not
like　bubbles！　　But　Aubrey　stands　with　swelled　cheeks；　gravely　puffing
at　the　sealing…waxed　extremity。　　Out　pours　a　confused　assemblage　of
froth；　but　the　glassy　globe　slowly　expands　the　little　branching
veins；　flowing　down　on　either　side；　bearing　an　enlarging　miniature　of
the　sky；　the　clouds；　the　tulip…tree。　　Aubrey　pauses　to　exclaim！　but
where　is　it？　　Try　again！　　A　proud　bubble；　as　Mary　calls　it；　a
peacock；　in　blended　pink　and　green；　is　this　transparent　sphere；
reflecting　and　embellishing　house；　wall；　and　shrubs！　　It　is　too
beautiful！　　It　is　gone！　　Mary　undertakes　to　give　a　lesson；　and　blows
deliberately　without　the　slightest　result。　　Again！　　She　waves　her
disengaged　hand　in　silent　exultation　as　the　airy　balls　detach
themselves；　and　float　off　on　the　summer　breeze；　with　a　tardy；
graceful；　uncertain　motion。　　Daisy　rushes　after　them；　catches　at
them；　and　looks　at　her　empty　fingers　with　a　puzzled　〃All　gone！〃　as
plainly　expressed　by　Toby；　who　snaps　at　them；　and　shakes　his　head
with　offended　dignity　at　the　shock　of　his　meeting　teeth；　while　the
kitten　frisks　after　them；　striking　at　them　with　her　paw；　amazed　at
meeting　vacancy。

Even　the　grave　Norman　is　drawn　in。　　He　agrees　with　Mary　that　bubbles
used　to　fly　over　the　wall；　and　that　one　once　went　into　Mrs。
Richardson's　garret　window；　when　her　housemaid　tried　to　catch　it　with
a　pair　of　tongs；　and　then　ran　downstairs　screaming　that　there　was　a
ghost　in　her　room；　but　that　was　in　Harry's　time；　the　heroic　age　of
the　May　nursery。

He　accepts　a　pipe；　and　his　greater　height　raises　it　into　a　favourable
current　of　airthe　glistening　balloon　sails　off。　　It　flies；　it
soars；　no；　it　is　coming　down！　　The　children　shout　at　it；　as　if　to
drive　it　up；　but　it　wilfully　descendsthey　rush　beneath；　they　try　to
waft　it　on　high　with　their　breaththere　is　a　collision　between　Mary
and　BlancheAubrey　perceives　a　taste　of　soapy　waterthe　bubble　is
no　moreit　is　vanished　in　his　open　mouth！

Papa　himself　has　taken　a　pipe；　and　the　little　ones　are　mounted　on
chairs；　to　be　on　a　level　with　their　tall　elders。　　A　painted　globe　is
swimming　along；　hesitating　at　first；　but　the　dancing　motion　is
tending　upwards；　the　rainbow　tints　glisten　in　the　sunlightall　rush
to　assist　it；　if　breath　of　the　lips　can　uphold　it；　it　should　rise；
indeed！　　Up！　above　the　wall！　over　Mrs。　Richardson's　elm；　over　the
topmost　branchhurrah！　out　of　sight！　　Margaret　adds　her　voice　to　the
acclamations。　　Beat　that　if　you　can；　Mary！　　That　doubtful　wind　keeps
yours　suspended　in　a　graceful　minuet；　its　pace　is　acceleratedbut
earthwards！　it　has　committed　self…destruction　by　running　foul　of　a
rose…bush。　　A　general　blank！

〃You　here；　Ethel？〃　said　Norman；　as　the　elders　laughed　at　each　other's
baffled　faces。

〃I　am　more　surprised　to　find　you　here；〃　she　answered。

〃Excitement！〃　said　Norman；　smiling；　〃one　cause　is　as　good　as　another
for　it。〃

〃Very　pretty　sport；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃You　should　write　a　poem　on　it；
Norman。〃

〃It　is　an　exhausted　subject；〃　said　Norman；　〃bubble　and　trouble　are
too　obvious　a　rhyme。〃

〃Ha！　there　it　goes！　　It　will　be　over　the　house！　　That's　right！〃
Every　one　joined　in　the　outcry。

〃Whose　is　it？〃

〃Blanche's〃

〃Hurrah　for　Blanche！　　Well　done；　white　Mayflower；　there！〃　said　the
doctor；　〃that　is　what　I　meant。　　See　the　applause　gained　by　a　proud
bubble　that　flies！　　Don't　we　all　bow　down　to　it；　and　waft　it　up　with
the　whole　force　of　our　lungs；　air　as　it　is；　and　when　it　fairly　goes
out　of　sight；　is　there　any　exhilaration　or　applause　that　surpasses
ours？〃

〃The　whole　world　being　bent　on　making　painted　bubbles　fly　over　the
house；〃　said　Norman；　far　more　thoughtfully　than　his　father。　　〃It　is　a
fair　pattern　of　life　and　fame。〃

〃I　was　thinking；〃　continued　Dr。　May；　〃what　was　the　most　unalloyed
exultation　I　remember。〃

〃Harry's；　when　you　were　made　dux；〃　whispered　Ethel　to　her　brother。

〃Not　mine；〃　said　Norman　briefly。

〃I　believe；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃I　never　knew　such　glorification　as　when
Aubrey　Spencer　climbed　the　poor　old　market…cross。　　We　all　felt
ourselves　made　illustrious　for　ever　in　his　person。〃

〃Nay；　papa；　when　you　got　that　gold　medal　must　have　been　the　grandest
time？〃　said　Blanche；　who　had　been　listening。

Dr。　May　laughed；　and　patted　her。　〃I；　Blanche？　　Why；　I　was
excessively　amazed；　that　is　all；　not　in　Norman's　way；　but　I　had　been
doing　next　to　nothing　to　the　very　last；　then　fell　into　an　agony；　and
worked　like　a　horse；　thinking　myself　sure　of　failure；　and　that　my
mother　and　my　uncle　would　break　their　hearts。〃

〃But　when　you　heard　that　you　had　it？〃　persisted　Blanche。

〃Why；　then　I　found　I　must　be　a　much　cleverer　fellow　than　I　thought
for！〃　said　he；　laughing；　〃but　I　was　ashamed　of　myself；　and　of　the
authorities；　for　choosing　such　an　idle　dog；　and　vexed　that　other
plodding　lads　missed　it；　who　deserved　it　more　than　I。〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Norman；　in　a　low　voice；　〃that　is　what　one　always
feels。　　I　had　rather　blow　soap…bubbles！〃

〃Where　was　Dr。　Spencer？〃　asked　Ethel。

〃Not　competing。　　He　had　been　ready　a　year　before；　and　had　gained　it；
or　I　should　have　had　no　chance。　　Poor　Spencer！　what　would　I　not　give
to　see　him；　or　hear　of　him？〃

〃The　last　washow　long　ago？〃　said　Ethel。

〃Six　years；　when　he　was　setting　off；　to　return　from　Poonshedagore；〃
said　Dr。　May；　sighing。　　〃I　gave　him　up；　his　health　was　broken；　and
there　was　no　one　to　look　after　him。　　He　was　the　sort　of　man　to　have　a
nameless　grave；　and　a　name　too　blessed　for　fame。〃

Ethel　would　have　asked　further　of　her　father's　dear　old　friend；　but
there　were　sounds；　denoting　an　arrival；　and　Margaret　beckoned　to　them
as　Miss　Rivers　and　her　brother　were　ushered　into　the　drawing…room；
and　Blanche　instantly　fled　away；　with　her　basin；　to　hide　herself　in
the　schoolroom。

Meta　skipped　out；　and　soon　was　established　on　the　grass；　an
attraction　to　all　the　live　creatures；　as　it　seemed；　for　the　kitten
came；　and　was　caressed　till　her　own　graceful　Nipen　was　ready　to　fight
with　the　uncouth　Toby　for　the　possession　of　a　resting…place　on　the
skirt　of　her　habit；　while　Daisy　nestled　up　to　her；　as　claiming　a
privilege；　and　Aubrey　kept　guard　over　the　dogs。

Meta　inquired　after　a　huge　dollDr。　Hoxton's　gift　to　Daisy；　at　the
bazaar。

〃She　is　in　Margaret's　wardrobe；〃　was　the　answer；　〃because　Aubrey　tied
her　hands　behind　her；　and　was　going　to　offer　her　up　on　the　nursery
grate。〃

〃Oh；　Aubrey；　that　was　too　cruel！〃

〃No；〃　returned　Aubrey；　〃she　was　Iphigenia；　going　to　be　sacrificed。〃

〃Mary　unconsciously　acted　Diana；〃　said　Ethel；　〃and　bore　the　victim
away。〃

〃Pray；　was　Daisy　a　willing　Clytemnestra？〃　asked　Meta。

〃Oh；　yes；　she　liked　it；〃　said　Aubrey；　while　Meta　looked　discomfited。

〃I　never　could　get　proper　respect　paid　to　dolls；〃　said　Margaret；　〃we
deal　too　much　in　their　natural　enemies。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Ethel；　〃my　only　doll　was　like　a　heraldic　lion；　couped　in
all　her　parts。〃

〃Harry　and　Tom　once　made　a　general　execution；〃　said　Flora；　〃there　was
a　doll　hanging　to　every　balusterthe　number　made　up　with　rag。〃

George　Rivers　burst　out　laughinghis　first　sign　of　life；　and　Meta
looked　as　if　she　had　heard　of　so　many　murders。

〃I　can't　help　feeling　for　a　doll！〃　she　said。　　〃They　used　to　be　like
sisters　to　me。　　I　feel　as　if　they　were　wasted　on　children；　that　see
no　character　in　them；　and　only　call　them　Dolly。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃If　there　had　been　no　live　dolls；
Richard　and　I　should　have　reared　our　doll　family　as　judiciously　as
tenderly。　　There　are　treasures　of　carpentry　still　extant；　that　he
made　for　them。〃

〃Oh；　I　am　so　glad！〃　cried　Meta；　as　if　she　had　found　another　point　of
union。　　〃If　I　were　to　confessthere　is　a　dear　old　Rose　in　the　secret
recesses　of　my　wardrobe。　　I　could　as　soon　throw　away　my　sister〃

〃Ha！〃　cried　her　brother；　laying　hold　of　the　child；　〃here；　little
Daisy；　will　you　give　your　doll　to　Meta？〃

〃My　name　is　Gertrude　Margaret　May；〃　said　the　little　round　mouth。　　The
fat　arm　was　drawn　back；　with　all　a　baby's　dignity；　and　the　rosy　face
was　hidden　in　Dr。　May's　breast；　at　the　sound　of　George　Rivers's　broad
laugh　and　〃Well　done；　little　one！〃

Dr。　May　put　his　arm　round　her；　turned　aside　from　him；　and　began
talking　to　Meta　about　Mr。　Rivers。

Flora　and　Norman　made　conversation　for　the　brot