the daisy chain, or aspirations-第115章

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There　was　not　an　entertaining　book　in　the　house；　he　declared；　and　the
captain　snubbed　him；　if　he　bought　anything　he　cared　to　read。　　The
captain　was　always　at　him　to　read　musty　old　improving　books；　and
talking　about　the　position　he　would　occupy。　　The　evenings　were
altogether　unbearable；　and　if　it　were　not　for　rabbit　shooting　now；
and　the　half…year　soon　beginning　again；　Hector　declared　he　should　be
ready　to　cut　and　run；　and　leave　Captain　Gordon　and　Maplewood　to　each
otherand　very　well　matched　too！　　He　was　nearly　in　a　state　of　mind
to　imitate　that　unprecedented　boy；　who　wrote　a　letter　to　'The　Times'；
complaining　of　extra　weeks。

As　to　Cocksmoor；　Ethel　must　not　think　it　forgotten；　he　had　spoken　to
the　captain　about　it；　and　the　old　wooden…head　had　gone　and　answered
that　it　was　not　incumbent　on　him；　that　Cocksmoor　had　no　claims　upon
him；　and　he　could　not　make　it　up　out　of　his　allowance；　for　the　old
fellow　would　not　give　him　a　farthing　more　than　he　had　before；　and　had
said　that　was　too　much。

There　was　a　great　blur　over　the　words　〃wooden…head；〃　as　if　Hector　had
known　that　Margaret　would　disapprove；　and　had　tried　to　scratch　it
out。　　She　wrote　all　the　consolation　in　her　power；　and　exhorted　him　to
patience；　apparently　without　much　effect。　　She　would　not　show　his
subsequent　letters；　and　the　reading　and　answering　them　fatigued　her
so　much；　that　Hector's　writing　was　an　unwelcome　sight　at
Stoneborough。　　Each　letter；　as　Ethel　said；　seemed　so　much　taken　out
of　her；　and　she　begged　her　not　to　think　about　them。

〃Nothing　can　do　me　much　good　or　harm　now；〃　said　Margaret；　and　seeing
Ethel's　anxious　looks；　〃Is　it　not　my　greatest　comfort　that　Hector　can
still　treat　me　as　his　sister；　or；　if　I　can　only　be　of　any　use　in
keeping　him　patient？　　Only　think　of　the　danger　of　a　boy；　in　his
situation；　being　left　without　sympathy！〃

There　was　nothing　more　to　be　said。　　They　all　felt　it　was　good　for
them　that　the　building　at　Cocksmoor　gave　full　occupation　to　thoughts
and　conversation；　indeed；　Tom　declared　they　never　walked　in　any　other
direction；　nor　talked　of　anything　else；　and　that　without　Hector；　or
George　Rivers；　he　had　nobody　to　speak　to。　　However；　he　was　a　good
deal　tranquillised　by　an　introduction　to　Dr。　Spencer's　laboratory；
where　he　compounded　mixtures　that　Dr。　Spencer　promised　should　do　no
more　harm　than　was　reasonable　to　himself；　or　any　one　else。　　Ethel
suspected　that；　if　Tom　had　chanced　to　singe　his　eyebrows；　his　friend
would　not　have　regretted　a　blight　to　his　nascent　coxcombry；　but　he
was　far　too　careful　of　his　own　beauty　to　do　any　such　thing。

Richard　was　set　at　liberty　just　before　Easter；　and　came　home　to　his
new　charge。　　He　was　aware　of　what　had　taken　place；　and　heartily
grateful　for　the　part　his　father　had　taken。　　To　work　at　Cocksmoor；
under　Mr。　Wilmot；　and　to　live　at　home；　was　felicity；　and　he　fitted　at
once　into　his　old　place；　and　resumed　all　the　little　home　services　for
which　he　had　been　always　famed。　　Ethel　was　certain　that　Margaret　was
content；　when　she　saw　her　brother　bending　over　her；　and　the　sense　of
reliance　and　security　that　the　presence　of　the　silent　Richard
imparted　to　the　whole　family　was　something　very　peculiar；　especially
as　they　were　so　much　more　active　and　demonstrative　than　he　was。

Mr。　Wilmot　put　him　at　once　in　charge　of　the　hamlet。　　The　inhabitants
were　still　a　hard；　rude；　unpromising　race；　and　there　were　many
flagrant　evils　amongst　them；　but　the　last　few　years　had　not　been
without　some　effectsome　were　less　obdurate；　a　few　really　touched；
and；　almost　all；　glad　of　instruction　for　their　children。　　If　Ethel's
perseverance　had　done　nothing　else；　it　had；　at　least；　been　a　witness；
and　her　immediate　scholars　showed　the　influence　of　her　lessons。




CHAPTER　XVI。



Then　out　into　the　world；　my　course　I　did　determine；
Though；　to　be　rich　was　not　my　wish；　yet　to　be　great　was　charming。
My　talents　they　were　not　the　worst；　nor　yet　my　education；
Resolved　was　I；　at　least　to　try；　to　mend　my　situation。BURNS。


In　the　meantime；　the　session　of　Parliament　had　begun；　and　the　Rivers'
party　had；　since　February；　inhabited　Park　Lane。　　Meta　had　looked　pale
and　pensive；　as　she　bade　her　friends　at　Stoneborough　good…bye；　but
only　betrayed　that　she　had　rather　have　stayed　at　home；　by　promising
herself　great　enjoyment　in　meeting　them　again　at　Easter。

Flora　was；　on　the　other　hand；　in　the　state　of　calm　patronage　that
betokened　perfect　satisfaction。　　She　promised　wonders　for　Miss
Bracy's　sisterstalked　of　inviting　Mary　and　Blanche　to　see　sights
and　take　lessons；　and　undertook　to　send　all　the　apparatus　needed　by
Cocksmoor　school；　and　she　did；　accordingly；　send　down　so　many
wonderful　articles；　that　curate　and　schoolmistress　were　both
frightened；　Mrs。　Taylor　thought　the　easels　were　new…fashioned
instruments　of　torture；　and　Ethel　found　herself　in　a　condition　to　be
liberal　to　Stoneborough　National　School。

Flora　was　a　capital　correspondent；　and　made　it　her　business　to　keep
Margaret　amused；　so　that　the　home…party　were　well　informed　of　the
doings　of　each　of　her　daysand　very　clever　her　descriptions　were。
She　had　given　herself　a　dispensation　from　general　society　until　after
Easter；　but；　in　the　meantime；　both　she　and　Meta　seemed　to　find　great
enjoyment　in　country　rides　and　drives；　and　in　quiet　little　dinners　at
home；　to　George's　agreeable　political　friends。　　With　the　help　of　two
such　ladies　as　Mrs。　and　Miss　Rivers；　Ethel　could　imagine　George's
house　pleasant　enough　to　attract　clever　people；　but　she　was　surprised
to　find　how　full　her　sister's　letters　were　of　political　news。

It　was　a　period　when　great　interests　were　in　agitation；　and　the
details　of　London　talk　and　opinions　were　extremely　welcome。　　Dr。
Spencer　used　to　come　in　to　ask　after　〃Mrs。　Rivers's　Intelligencer〃；
and；　when　he　heard　the　lucid　statements；　would　say；　she　ought　to　have
been　a　〃special　correspondent。〃　　And　her　father　declared　that　her
news　made　him　twice　as　welcome　to　his　patients；　but　her　cleverest
sentences　always　were　prefaced　with　〃George　says；〃　or　〃George
thinks；〃　in　a　manner　that　made　her　appear　merely　the　dutiful　echo　of
his　sentiments。

In　an　early　letter；　Flora　mentioned　how　she　had　been　reminded　of　poor
Harry；　by　finding　Miss　Walkinghame's　card。　　That　lady　lived　with　her
mother　at　Richmond；　and；　on　returning　the　visit；　Flora　was　warmly
welcomed　by　the　kind　old　Lady　Walkinghame；　who　insisted　on　her
bringing　her　baby　and　spending　a　long　day。　　The　sisters…in…law　had
been　enchanted　with　Miss　Walkinghame；　whose　manners；　wrote　Flora；
certainly　merited　papa's　encomium。

On　the　promised　〃long　day；〃　they　found　an　unexpected　addition　to　the
party；　Sir　Henry　Walkinghame；　who　had　newly　returned　from　the
continent。　　〃A　fine…looking；　agreeable　man；　about　five…and…thirty；〃
Flora　described　him；　〃very　lively　and　entertaining。　　He　talked　a
great　deal　of　Dr。　Spencer；　and　of　the　life　in　the　caves　at　Thebes；
and　he　asked　me　whether　that　unfortunate　place；　Cocksmoor；　did　not
owe　a　great　deal　to　me；　or　to　one　of　my　sisters。　　I　left　Meta　to　tell
him　that　story；　and　they　became　very　sociable　over　it。〃

A　day　or　two　after〃Sir　Henry　Walkinghame　has　been　dining　with　us。
He　has　a　very　good　voice；　and　we　had　some　delightful　music　in　the
evening。〃

By　and　by　Sir　Henry　was　the　second　cavalier；　when　they　went　to　an
oratorio；　and　Meta's　letter　overflowed　with　the　descriptions　she　had
heard　from　him　of　Italian　church　music。　　He　always　went　to　Rome　for
Easter；　and　had　been　going　as　usual；　this　spring；　but　he　lingered；
and；　for　once；　remained　in　England；　where　he　had　only　intended　to
spend　a　few　days　on　necessary　business。

The　Easter　recess　was　not　spent　at　the　Grange；　but　at　Lady　Leonora's
pretty　house　in　Surrey。　　She　had　invited　the　party　in　so　pressing　a
manner　that　Flora　did　not　think　it　right　to　decline。　　Meta　expressed
some　disappointment　at　missing　Easter　among　her　school…children；　but
she　said　a　great　deal　about　the　primroses　and　the　green　corn…fields；
and　nightingalesall　which　Ethel　would　have　set　down　to　her　trick　of
universal　content；　if　it　had　not　appeared　that　Sir　Henry　was　there
too；　and　shared　in　all　the　delicious　rides。

〃What　would　Ethel　say；〃　wrote　Flora；　〃to　have　our　little　Meta　as　Lady
of　the　Manor　of　Cocksmoor？　　He　has　begun　to　talk　about　Drydale；　and
there　are　various　suspicious　circumstances　that　Lady　Leonora　marks
with　the　eyes　of　a　discreet　dowager。　　It　was　edifying　to　see　how；
from　smiles；　we　came　to　looks；　and　by　and　by　to　confidential　talks；
which　have　made　her　entirely　forgive　me　for　having　so　many　tall
brothers。　　Poor　dear　old　Mr。　Rivers！　　Lady　Leonora　owns　that　it　was
the　best　thing　possible　for　that　sweet　girl　that　he　did　not　live　any
longer　to　keep　her　in　seclusion；　it　is　so　delightful　to　see　her
appreciated　as　she　deserves；　and　with　her　beauty　and　fortune；　she
might　make　any　choice　she　pleases。　　In　fact；　I　believe　Lady　Leonora
would　like　to　look　still　higher　for　her；　but　this　would　be　mere
ambition；　and　we　should　be　far　better　satisfied　with　such　a
connection　as　this；　founded　on　mutual　and　increasing　esteem；　with　a
man　so　well　suited　to　her；　and　fixing　her　so　close　to　us。　　You　must
not；　however；　launch　out　into　an　ocean　of　possibilities；　for　the　good
aunt　has　only　infected　me　with　the　castle…building　propensities　of
chaperons；　and　Meta　is　perfectly　unconscious；　looking　on　him　as　too
hopelessly　middle…aged；　to　entertain　any　such　evil　designs；　avowing
freely　that　she　likes　him；　and　treating　him　very　nearly　as　she　does
papa。　　It　is　my　business　to　keep　'our　aunt；'　who；　between　ourselves；
has；　below　the　surface；　the　vulgarity　of　nature　that　high…breeding
cannot　eradicate；　from　startling　the　little　humming…bird；　before　the
net　has　been　properly　twined　round　her　bright　little　heart。　　As　far
as　I　can　see；　he　is　much　smitten；　but　very　cautious　in　his
approaches；　and　he　is　wise。〃

Margaret　did　not　know　what　dismay　she　conveyed；　as　she　handed　this
letter　to　her　sister。　　There　was　no　rest　for　Ethel　till　she　could　be
alone　with　her　father。　　〃Could　nothing　prevent　it？　　Could　not　Flora
be　told　of　Mr。　Rivers's　wishes？〃　she　asked。

〃His　wishes　would　have　lain　this　way。〃

〃I　do　not　know　that。〃

〃It　is　no　concern　of　ours。　　There　is　nothing　objectionable　here；　and
though　I　can't　say　it　is　not　a　disappointment；　it　ought　not　to　be。
The　long　and　short　of　it　is；　that　I　never　ought　to　have　told　you
anything　about　it。〃

〃Poor　Norman！〃

〃Absurd！　　The　lad　is　hardly　one…and…twenty。　　Very　few　marry　a　first
love。〃　　（Ah；　Ethel！）　　〃Poor　old　Rivers　only　mentioned　it　as　a　refuge
from　fortune…hunters；　and　it　stands　to　reason　that　he　would　have
preferred　this。　　Anyway；　it　is　awkward　for　a　man　with　empty　pockets
to　marry　an　heiress；　and　it　is　wholesomer　for　him　to　work　for　his
living。　　Better　that　it　should　be　out　of　his　head　at　once；　if　it　were
there　at　all。　　I　trust　it　was　all　our　fancy。　　I　would　not　have　him
grieved　now　for　worlds；　when　his　heart　is　sore。〃

〃Somehow；〃　said　Ethel；　〃though　he　is　depressed　and　silent；　I　like　it
better　than　I　did　last　Christmas。〃

〃Of　course；　when　we　were　laughing　out　of　the　bitterness　of　our
hearts；〃　said　Dr。　May；　sighing。　　〃It　is　a　luxury　to　let　oneself　alone
to　be　sorrowful。〃

Ethel　did　not　know　whether　she　desire