the daisy chain, or aspirations-第110章

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Flora　was　silent　for　a　minute；　then　said；　〃Mr。　Esdaile　should　have
put　off　his　resignation　to　suit　me。　　It　is　an　unfortunate　time　for
the　election。〃

〃And　you　can't　let　the　election　alone？〃

She　shook　her　head；　and　smiled　a　negative；　as　if　she　would；　but　that
she　was　under　a　necessity。

〃My　dear；　if　the　election　cannot　go　on　without　you；　it　had　better　not
go　on　at　all。〃

She　looked　very　much　hurt；　and　turned　away　her　head。

Her　father　was　grieved。　　〃My　dear；〃　he　added；　〃I　know　you　desire　to
be　of　use；　especially　to　George；　but　do　you　not　believe　that　he　would
rather　fail；　than　that　you；　or　his　child；　should　suffer？〃

No　answer。

〃Does　he　stand　by　his　own　wish；　or　yours；　Flora？〃

〃He　wishes　it。　　It　is　his　duty；〃　said　Flora；　collecting　her　dignity。

〃I　can　say　no　more；　except　to　beg　him　not　to　let　you　exert　yourself。〃

Accordingly；　when　George　came　home；　the　doctor　read　him　a　lecture　on
his　wife's　over…busy　brain；　and　was　listened　to；　as　usual；　with
gratitude　and　deference。　　He　professed　that　he　only　wished　to　do　what
was　best　for　her；　but　she　never　would　spare　herself；　and；　going　to
her　side；　with　his　heavy；　fond　solicitude；　he　made　her　promise　not　to
hurt　herself；　and　she　laughed　and　consented。

The　promise　was　easily　given；　for　she　did　not　believe　she　was　hurting
herself；　and；　as　to　giving　up　the　election；　or　ceasing　secretly　to
prompt　George；　that　was　absolutely　out　of　the　question。　　What　could
be　a　greater　duty　than　to　incite　her　husband　to　usefulness？〃

Moreover　it　was　but　proper　to　invite　Meta's　aunt　and　cousin　to　see
her；　and　to　project　a　few　select　dinners　for　their　amusement　and　the
gratification　of　her　neighbours。　　It　was　only　grateful　and　cousinly
likewise；　to　ask　the　〃Master　of　Glenbracken〃；　and　as　she　saw　the
thrill　of　colour　on　Ethel's　cheeks；　at　the　sight　of　the　address　to
the　Honourable　Norman　Ogilvie；　she　thought　herself　the　best　of
sisters。　　She　even　talked　of　Ogilvie　as　a　second　Christian　name；　but
Meta　observed　that　old　Aunt　Dorothy　would　call　it　Leonorar　Rogilvie
Rivers；　and　thus　averted　it；　somewhat　to　Ethel's　satisfaction。

Ethel　scolded　herself　many　times　for　wondering　whether　Mr。　Ogilvie
would　come。　　What　was　it　to　her？　　Suppose　he　should；　suppose　the
rest。　　What　a　predicament！　　How　unreasonable　and　conceited；　even　to
think　of　such　a　thing；　when　her　mind　was　made　up。　　What　could　result；
save　tossings　to　and　fro；　a　passing　gratification　set　against
infinite　pain；　and　strife　with　her　own　heart　and　with　her　father's
unselfishness！　　Had　he　but　come　before　Flora's　marriage！　　No；　Ethel
hated　herself　for　the　wish　that　arose　for　the　moment。　　Far　better　he
should　keep　away；　if；　perhaps；　without　the　slightest　inclination
towards　her；　his　mere　name　could　stir　up　such　a　tumultall；　it　might
be；　founded　in　vanity。　　Rebellious　feelings　and　sense　of　tedium　had
once　been　subduedwhy　should　they　be　roused　again？

The　answer　came。　　Norman　Ogilvie　was　setting　off　for　Italy；　and
regretted　that　he　could　not　take　Abbotstoke　on　his　way。　　He　desired
his　kind　remembrances　and　warm　Christmas　wishes　to　all　his　cousins。

If　Ethel　breathed　more　freely；　there　was　a　sense　that　tranquillity　is
uninteresting。　　It　was；　it　must　be　confessed；　a　flat　end　to　a
romance；　that　all　the　permanent　present　effect　was　a　certain
softening；　and　a　degree　more　attention　to　her　appearance；　and　after
all；　this　might；　as　Flora　averred；　be　ascribed　to　the　Paris　outfit
having　taught　her　to　wear　clothes；　as　well　as　to　that　which　had
awakened　the　feminine　element；　and　removed　that　sense　of　not　being
like　other　women；　which　sometimes　hangs　painfully　about　girls　who
have　learned　to　think　themselves　plain　or　awkward。

There　were　other　causes　why　it　should　be　a　dreary　winter　to　Ethel；
under　the　anxiety　that　strengthened　by　duration；　and　the　strain　of
acting　cheerfulness　for　Margaret's　sake。　　Even　Mary　was　a　care。　　Her
round　rosy　childhood　had　worn　into　height　and　sallowness；　and　her
languor　and　indifference　fretted　Miss　Bracy；　and　was　hunted　down　by
Ethel；　till　Margaret　convinced　her　that　it　was　a　case　for　patience
and　tenderness；　which；　thenceforth；　she　heartily　gave；　even
encountering　a　scene　with　Miss　Bracy；　who　was　much　injured　by　the
suggestion　that　Mary　was　oppressed　by　perspective。　　Poor　Mary；　no　one
guessed　the　tears　nightly　shed　over　Harry's　photograph。

Nor　could　Ethel　quite　fathom　Norman。　　He　wore　the　dispirited；
burdened　expression　that　she　knew　too　well；　but　he　would　not；　as
formerly；　seek　relief　in　confidence　to　her；　shunning　the　being　alone
with　her；　and　far　too　much　occupied　to　offer　to　walk　to　Cocksmoor。
When　the　intelligence　came　that　good　old　Mr。　Wilmot　of　Settlesham　had
peacefully　gone　to　his　rest；　after　a　short　and　painless　illness；　Tom
was　a　good　deal　affected；　in　his　peculiar　silent　and　ungracious
fashion；　but　Norman　did　not　seek　to　talk　over　the　event；　and　the
feelings　he　had　entertained　two　years　agohe　avoided　the　subject；
and　threw　himself　into　the　election　matters　with　an　excitement
foreign　to　his　nature。

He　was　almost　always　at　Abbotstoke；　or　attending　George　Rivers　at　the
committee…room　at　the　Swan；　talking；　writing；　or　consulting；
concocting　squibs；　and　perpetrating　bons　mots；　that　were　the　delight
of　friends　and　the　confusion　of　foes。　　Flora　was　delighted；　George
adored　him；　Meta's　eyes　danced　whenever　he　came　near；　Dr。　Spencer
admired　him；　and　Dr。　Hoxton　prophesied　great　things　of　him；　but　Ethel
did　not　feel　as　if　he　were　the　veritable　Norman；　and　had　an　undefined
sensation　of　discomfort；　when　she　heard　his　brilliant　repartees；　and
the　laughter　with　which　he　accompanied　them；　so　unlike　his　natural
rare　and　noiseless　laugh。　　She　knew　it　was　false　excitement；　to　drive
away　the　suspense　that　none　dared　to　avow；　but　which　did　not　press　on
them　the　less　heavily　for　being　endured　in　silence。　　Indeed；　Dr。　May
could　not　help　now　and　then　giving　way　to　outbursts　of　despondency；
of　which　his　friend；　Dr。　Spencer；　who　made　it　his　special　charge　to
try　to　lighten　his　troubles；　was　usually　the　kind　recipient。

And　though　the　bustle　of　the　election　was　incongruous；　and　seemed　to
make　the　leaden　weight　the　more　heavy；　there　was　a　compensation　in
the　tone　of　feeling　that　it　elicited；　which　gave　real　and　heartfelt
pleasure。

Dr。　May　had　undergone　numerous　fluctuations　of　popularity。　　He　had
always　been　the　same　man；　excellent　in　intention；　though　hasty　in
action；　and　heeding　neither　praise　nor　censure；　and　while　the　main
tenor　of　his　course　never　varied；　making　many　deviations　by　flying　to
the　reverse　of　the　wrong；　most　immediately　before　him；　still　his
personal　character　gained　esteem　every　year；　and　though　sometimes　his
merits；　and　sometimes　his　failings；　gave　violent　umbrage；　he　had
steadily　risen　in　the　estimation　of　his　fellow…townsmen；　as　much　as
his　own　inconsistencies　and　theirs　would　allow；　and　every　now　and
then　was　the　favourite　with　all；　save　with　the　few　who　abused　him　for
tyranny；　because　he　prevented　them　from　tyrannising。

He　was　just　now　on　the　top　of　the　wave；　and　his　son…in…law　had
nothing　to　do　but　to　float　in　on　the　tide　of　his　favour。　　The
opposite　faction　attempted　a　contest；　but　only　rendered　the　triumph
more　complete；　and　gave　the　gentlemen　the　pleasure　of　canvassing；　and
hearing；　times　without　number；　that　the　constituents　only　wished　the
candidate　were　Dr。　May　himself。　　His　sons　and　daughters　were　full　of
exultationDr。　Spencer；　much　struck；　rallied　〃Dick〃　on　his
influenceand　Dr。　May；　the　drops　of　warm　emotion　trembling　on　his
eyelashes；　smiled；　and　bade　his　friend　see　him　making　a　church…rate。

The　addresses　and　letters　that　came　from　the　Grange　were　so
admirable；　that　Dr。　May　often　embraced　Norman's　steady　opinion　that
George　was　a　very　wise　man。　　If　Norman　was　unconscious　how　much　he
contributed　to　these　compositions；　he　knew　far　less　how　much　was
Flora's。　　In　his　ardour；　he　crammed　them　both；　and　conducted　George
when　Flora　could　not　be　at　his　side。　　George　himself　was　a　personable
man；　wrote　a　good　bold　hand；　would　do　as　he　was　desired；　and　was　not
easily　put　out　of　countenance；　he　seldom　committed　himself　by
talking；　and　when　a　speech　was　required；　was　brief；　and　to　the
purpose。　　He　made　a　very　good　figure；　and　in　the　glory　of　victory；
Ethel　herself　began　to　grow　proud　of　him；　and　the　children's　great
object　in　life　was　to　make　the　jackdaws　cry；　〃Rivers　for　ever！〃

Flora　had　always　declared　that　she　would　be　at　Stoneborough　for　the
nomination。　　No　one　believed　her；　until　three　days　before；　she
presented　herself　and　her　daughter　before　the　astonished　Margaret；
who　was　too　much　delighted　to　be　able　to　scold。　　She　had　come　away　on
her　own　responsibility；　and　was　full　of　triumph。　　To　come　home　in
this　manner；　after　having　read　〃Rivers　for　ever！〃　on　all　the　dead
walls；　might　be　called　that　for　which　she　had　lived。　　She　made　no
stayshe　had　only　come　to　show　her　child；　and　establish　a　precedent
for　driving　out；　and　Margaret　had　begun　to　believe　the　apparition　a
dream；　when　the　others　came　in；　some　from　Cocksmoor；　others　from　the
committee…room　at　the　Swan。

〃So　she　brought　the　baby；〃　exclaimed　Ethel。　　〃I　should　have　thought
she　would　not　have　taken　her　out　before　her　christening。〃

〃Ethel；〃　said　Dr。　Spencer；　〃permit　me　to　make　a　suggestion。　　When
relations　live　in　the　same　neighbourhood；　there　is　no　phrase　to　be
more　avoided　than　'I　should　have　thought'〃

The　nomination…day　brought　Flora；　Meta；　baby　and　all　to　be　very
quiet；　as　was　said；　but　how　could　that　be？　when　every　boy　in　the
house　was　frantic；　and　the　men　scarcely　less　so。　　Aubrey　and
Gertrude；　and　the　two　jackdaws；　each　had　a　huge　blue　and　orange
rosette；　and　the　two　former　went　about　roaring　〃Rivers　for　ever！〃
without　the　least　consideration　for　the　baby；　who　would　have　been
decked　in　the　same　manner；　if　Ethel　would　have　heard　of　it　without
indignation；　at　her　wearing　any　colour　before　her　christening　white；
as　to　Jack　and　Jill；　though　they　could　say　their　lesson；　they　were
too　much　distressed　by　their　ornaments　to　do　ought　but　lurk　in
corners；　and　strive　to　peck　them　off。

Flora　comported　herself　in　her　usual　quiet　way；　and　tried　to　talk　of
other　things；　though　a　carnation　spot　in　each　cheek　showed　her
anxiety　and　excitement。　　She　went　with　her　sisters　to　look　out　from
Dr。　Spencer's　windows　towards　the　Town　Hall。　　Her　husband　gave　her
his　arm　as　they　went　down　the　garden；　and　Ethel　saw　her　talking
earnestly　to　him；　and　pressing　his　arm　with　her　other　hand　to　enforce
her　words；　but　if　she　did　tutor　him；　it　was　hardly　visible；　and　he
was　very　glad　of　whatever　counsel　she　gave。

She　spoke　not　a　word　after　the　ladies　were　left　with　Aubrey；　who　was
in　despair　at　not　being　allowed　to　follow　Hector　and　Tom；　but　was
left；　as　his　prematurely　classical　mind　expressed　it；　like　the
Gaulish　women　with　the　impedimenta　in　the　marsheswhereas　Tom　had
added　insult　to　injury；　by　a　farewell　to　〃Jack　among　the　maidens。〃

Meta　tried　to　console　him；　by　persuading　him　that　he　was　their
protector；　and　he　began　to　think　there　was　need　of　a　guard；　when　a
mighty　cheer　caused　him　to　take　refuge　behind　Ethel。　　Even　when
assured　that　it　was　anything　but　terrific；　he　gravely　declared　that
he　thought　Margaret　would