the daisy chain, or aspirations-第114章

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perhaps　I　might　have　let　them　offer　it　to　Richard。　　I　almost　wish　I
had。　　With　help；　and　Ethel〃

〃No；　no；　papa；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃You　are　making　me　angry　with　myself
for　my　folly。　　It　is　much　better　for　Richard　himself；　and　for　us　all；
as　well　as　the　town。　　Think　how　long　we　have　wished　for　Mr。　Wilmot！〃

〃He　will　be　in　time　for　the　opening　of　Cocksmoor　school！〃　cried
Ethel。　　〃How　did　you　manage　it？〃

〃I　did　not　manage　at　all；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃I　told　them　exactly　my
mind；　that　Richard　was　not　old　enough　for　such　arduous　work；　and
though　no　words　could　tell　how　obliged　I　was；　if　they　asked　me　who
was　the　best　man　for　it　I　knew；　I　should　say　Edward　Wilmot；　and　I
thought　he　deserved　something　from　us；　for　the　work　he　did　gratis；
when　he　was　second　master。　　Tomkins　growled　a　little；　but；
fortunately；　no　one　was　prepared　with　another　proposal；　so　they　all
came　round；　and　the　mayor　is　to　write　by　this　evening's　post；　and　so
shall　I。　　If　we　could　only　have　given　Richard　a　dozen　more　years！〃

Margaret　was　somewhat　comforted　to　find　that　the　sacrifice　had　cost
her　father　a　good　deal；　she　was　always　slightly　jealous　for　Richard；
and　now　that　Alan　was　gone；　she　clung　to　him　more　than　ever。　　His
soft　calm　manner　supported　her　more　than　any　other　human　comforter；
and　she　always　yearned　after　him　when　absent；　more　than　for　all　the
other　brothers；　but　her　father's　decision　had　been　too　high…minded
for　her　to　dare　to　wish　it　recalled；　and　she　could　not　but　own　that
Richard　would　have　had　to　undergo　more　toil　and　annoyance　than
perhaps　his　health　would　have　endured。

Flora　had　discontinued　comments　to　her　sisters　on　her　father's
proceedings；　finding　that　observations　mortified　Margaret；　and　did
not　tend　to　peace　with　Ethel；　but　she　told　her　husband　that　she　did
not　regret　it　much；　for　Richard　would　have　exhausted　his　own　income；
and　his　father's　likewise；　in　paying　curates；　and　raising　funds　for
charities。　　She　scarcely　expected　Mr。　Edward　Wilmot　to　accept　the
offer；　aware　as　he　was；　of　the　many　disadvantages　he　should　have　to
contend　with；　and　unsuccessful　as　he　had　been　in　dealing　with　the
Ladies'　Committee。

However；　Mr。　Wilmot　signified　his　thankful　acceptance；　and；　in　due
time；　his　familiar　tap　was　heard　at　the　drawing…room　door；　at　tea…
time；　as　if　he　had　just　returned　after　the　holidays。　　He　was　most
gladly　welcomed；　and　soon　was　installed　in　his　own　place；　with　his
goddaughter；　Mary；　blushing　with　pleasure　at　pouring　out　his　coffee。

〃Well；　Ethel；　how　is　Cocksmoor？　　How　like　old　times！〃

〃Oh；〃　cried　Ethel；　〃we　are　so　glad　you　will　see　the　beginning　of　the
school！〃

〃I　hear　you　are　finishing　Cherry　Elwood；　too。〃

〃Much　against　Ethel's　will；〃　said　Margaret；　〃but　we　thought　Cherry
not　easily　spoiled。　　And　Whitford　school　seems　to　be　in　very　good
order。　　Dr。　Spencer　went　and　had　an　inspection　of　it；　and　conferred
with　all　the　authorities。〃

〃Ah！　we　have　a　jewel　of　a　parishioner　for　you；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃I
have　some　hopes　of　Stoneborough　now。〃

Mr。　Wilmot　did　not　look　too　hopeful；　but　he　smiled；　and　asked　after
Granny　Hall；　and　the　children。

〃Polly　grew　up　quite　civilised；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃She　lives　at　Whitford；
with　some　very　respectable　people；　and　sends　granny　presents；　which
make　her　merrier　than　ever。　　Last　time　it　was　a　bonnet；　and　Jenny
persuaded　her　to　go　to　church　in　it；　though；　she　said；　what　she
called　the　moon　of　it　was　too　small。〃

〃How　do　the　people　go　on？〃

〃I　cannot　say　much　for　them。　　It　is　disheartening。　　We　really　have
done　nothing。　　So　very　few　go　to　church　regularly。〃

〃None　at　all　went　in　my　time；〃　said　Mr。　Wilmot。

〃Elwood　always　goes；〃　said　Mary；　〃and　Taylor；　yes；　and　Sam　Hall；　very
often；　and　many　of　the　women；　in　the　evening；　because　they　like　to
walk　home　with　the　children。〃

〃The　children？　the　Sunday　scholars？〃

〃Oh；　every　one　that　is　big　enough　comes　to　school　now；　here；　on
Sunday。　　If　only　the　teaching　were　better〃

〃Have　you　sent　out　any　more　pupils　to　service？〃

〃Not　many。　　There　is　Willie　Brown；　trying　to　be　Dr。　Spencer's　little
groom；〃　said　Ethel。

〃But　I　am　afraid　it　will　take　a　great　deal　of　the　doctor's　patience
to　train　him；〃　added　Margaret。

〃It　is　hard；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃He　did　it　purely　to　oblige　Ethel；　and；
I　tell　her；　when　he　lames　the　pony；　I　shall　expect　her　to　buy　another
for　him；　out　of　the　Cocksmoor　funds。〃

Ethel　and　Mary　broke　out　in　a　chorus　of　defence　of　Willie　Brown。

〃There　was　Ben　Wheeler；〃　said　Mary；　〃who　went　to　work　in　the
quarries；　and　the　men　could　not　teach　him　to　say　bad　words；　because
the　young　ladies　told　him　not。〃

〃The　young　ladies　have　not　quite　done　nothing；〃　said　Dr。　May；
smiling。

〃These　are　only　little　stray　things；　and　Cherry　has　done　the　chief　of
them；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Oh；　it　is　grievously　bad　still；〃　she　added；
sighing。　　〃Such　want　of　truth；　such　ungoverned　tongues　and　tempers；
such　godlessness　altogether！　　It　is　only　surface…work；　taming　the
children　at　school；　while　they　have　such　homes；　and　their　parents；
even　if　they　do　come　where　they　might　learn　better；　are　always　liable
to　be　upset；　as　they　all　itturned　out　of　their　places　in　church；
and　they　will　not　run　the　chance。〃

〃The　church　must　come　to　them；〃　said　Mr。　Wilmot。　　〃Could　the　school
be　made　fit　to　be　licensed　for　service。〃

〃Ask　our　architect；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　〃There　can　be　little　doubt。〃

〃I　have　been　settling　that　I　must　have　a　curate　specially　for
Cocksmoor；〃　said　Mr。　Wilmot。　　〃Can　you　tell　me　of　one；　Ethelor
perhaps　Margaret　could？〃

Margaret　could　only　smile　faintly；　for　her　heart　was　beating。

〃Seriously；〃　said　Mr。　Wilmot；　turning　to　Dr。　May；　〃do　you　think
Richard　would　come　and　help　us　here？〃

〃This　seems　to　be　his　destiny；〃　said　the　doctor；　smiling；　〃only　it
would　not　be　fair　to　tell　you；　lest　you　should　be　jealousthat　the
Town　Council　had　a　great　mind　for　him。〃

The　matter　was　explained；　and　Mr。　Wilmot　was　a　great　deal　more　struck
by　Dr。　May's　conduct　than　the　good　doctor　thought　it　deserved。　　Every
one　was　only　too　glad　that　Richard　should　come　as　Cocksmoor　curate；
and；　though　the　stipend　was　very　smallsince　Mr。　Wilmot　meant　to
have　other　assistanceyet；　by　living　at　home；　it　might　be　feasible。

Margaret's　last　words　that　night　to　Ethel　were；　〃The　last　wish　I　had
dared　to　make　is　granted！〃

Mr。　Wilmot　wrote　to　Richard；　who　joyfully　accepted　his　proposal；　and
engaged　to　come　home　as　soon　as　his　present　rector　could　find　a
substitute。

Dr。　Spencer　was　delighted；　and；　it　appeared；　had　already　had　a　view
to　such　possibilities　in　designing　the　plan　of　the　school。

The　first　good　effect　of　Mr。　Wilmot's　coming　was；　that　Dr。　Spencer
was　cured　of　the　vagrant　habits　of　going　to　church　at　Abbotstoke　or
Fordholm；　that　had　greatly　concerned　his　friend。　　Dr。　May；　who　could
never　get　any　answer　from　him　except　that　he　was　not　a　Town
Councillor；　and；　as　to　example；　it　was　no　way　to　set　that　to　sleep
through　the　sermon。

To　say　that　Dr。　May　never　slept　under　the　new　dynasty　would　be　an
over…statement；　but　slumber　certainly　prevailed　in　the　minster　to　a
far　less　degree　than　formerly。　　One　cause　might　be　that　it　was　not
shut　up　unaired　from　one　Sunday　to　another；　but　that　the　chime　of　the
bells　was　no　longer　an　extraordinary　sound　on　a　week…day。　　It　was　at
first　pronounced　that　time　could　not　be　found　for　going　to　church　on
week…days　without　neglecting　other　things；　but　Mary；　who　had　lately
sat　very　loose　to　the　schoolroom；　began　gradually　to　slip　down　to
church　whenever　the　service　was　neither　too　early　nor　too　late；　and
Gertrude　was　often　found　trotting　by　her　sidegoing　to　mamma；　as　the
little　Daisy　called　it；　from　some　confusion　between　the　church　and
the　cloister；　which　Ethel　was　in　no　hurry　to　disturb。

Lectures　in　Lent　filled　the　church　a　good　deal；　as　much　perhaps　from
the　novelty　as　from　better　motives；　and　altogether　there　was　a
renewal　of　energy　in　parish　work。　　The　poor　had　become　so　little
accustomed　to　pastoral　care；　that　the　doctors　and　the　district
visitors　were　obliged　to　report　cases　of　sickness　to　the　clergy；　and
vainly　tried　to　rouse　the　people　to　send　of　their　own　accord。
However；　the　better　leaven　began　to　work；　and；　of　course；　there　was　a
ferment；　though　less　violent　than　Ethel　had　expected。

Mr。　Wilmot　set　more　cautiously　to　work　than　he　had　done　in　his
younger　days；　and　did　not　attack　prejudices　so　openly；　and　he　had　an
admirable　assistant　in　Dr。　Spencer。　　Every　one　respected　the　opinion
of　the　travelled　doctor；　and　he　had　a　courteous　clever　process　of　the
reduction　to　the　absurd；　which　seldom　failed　to　tell；　while　it　never
gave　offence。　　As　to　the　Ladies'　Committee；　though　there　had　been
expressions　of　dismay；　when　the　tidings　of　the　appointment　first　went
abroad；　not　one　of　the　whole　〃Aonian　choir〃　liked　to　dissent　from　Dr。
Spencer；　and　he　talked　them　over；　individually；　into　a　most
conformable　state；　merely　by　taking　their　compliance　for　granted；　and
showing　that　he　deemed　it　only　the　natural　state　of　things；　that　the
vicar　should　reign　over　the　charities　of　the　place。

The　committee　was　not　dissolvedthat　would　have　been　an　act　of
violencebut　it　was　henceforth　subject　to　Mr。　Wilmot；　and　he　and　his
curates　undertook　the　religious　instruction　in　the　week；　and　chose
the　booksa　state　of　affairs　brought　about　with　so　much　quietness；
that　Ethel　knew　not　whether　Flora；　Dr。　Spencer；　or　Mr。　Wilmot　had
been　the　chief　mover。

Mrs。　Ledwich　was　made　treasurer　of　a　new　coal　club；　and　Miss　Rich
keeper　of　the　lending…library；　occupations　which　delighted　them
greatly；　and　Ethel　was　surprised　to　find　how　much　unity　of　action　was
springing　up；　now　that　the　period　was　over；　of　each　〃doing　right　in
her　own　eyes。〃

〃In　fact；〃　said　Dr。　Spencer；　〃when　women　have　enough　to　do；　they　are
perfectly　tractable。〃

The　Cocksmoor　accounts　were　Ethel's　chief　anxiety。　　It　seemed　as　if
now　there　might　be　a　school…house；　but　with　little　income　to　depend
upon；　since　poor　Alan　Ernescliffe's　annual　ten　pounds　was　at　an　end。
However；　Dr。　May　leaned　over　her　as　she　was　puzzling　over　her　pounds；
shillings；　and　pence；　and　laid　a　cheque　upon　her　desk。　　She　looked　up
in　his　face。　　〃We　must　make　Cocksmoor　Harry's　heir；〃　he　said。

By　and　by　it　appeared　that　Cocksmoor　was　not　out　of　Hector
Ernescliffe's　mind。　　The　boy's　letters　to　Margaret　had　been　brief；
matter…of…fact；　and　discouraging；　as　long　as　the　half…year　lasted；
and　there　was　not　much　to　be　gathered　about　him　from　Tom；　on　his
return　for　the　Easter　holidays；　but　soon　poor　Hector　wrote　a　long
dismal　letter　to　Margaret。

Captain　Gordon　had　taken　him　to　Maplewood；　where　the　recollection　of
his　brother；　and　the　happy　hopes　with　which　they　had　taken
possession；　came　thronging　upon　him。　　The　house　was　forlorn；　and　the
corner　that　had　been　unpacked　for　their　reception；　was　as　dreary　a
contrast　to　the　bright　home　at　Stoneborough；　as　was　the　dry；　stern
captain；　to　the　fatherly　warm…hearted　doctor。　　Poor　Hector　had　little
or　nothing　to　do；　and　the　pleasure　of　possession　had　not　come　yet；　he
had　no　companion　of　his　own　age；　and　bashfulness　made　him　shrink　with
dislike　from　introduction　to　his　tenants　and　neighbours。

There　was　not　an　entertaining　book　in　the　house；　he　declared；　and　the