the daisy chain, or aspirations-第37章

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in　her　character。　　Nor　had　she　yet　detected　her　own　satisfaction　in
being　the　first　with　every　one　in　the　family。

Ethel　was　put　out；　as　Flora　had　discovered；　and　when　she　was
downstairs　she　found　it　out；　and　accused　herself　of　having　been　cross
to　Margaret；　and　unkind　to　Tomof　wishing　to　be　a　tell…tale。　　But
still；　though　displeased　with　herself；　she　was　dissatisfied　with
Margaret；　it　might　be　right；　but　it　did　not　agree　with　her　notions。
She　wanted　to　see　every　one　uncompromising；　as　girls　of　fifteen
generally　do；　she　had　an　intense　disgust　and　loathing　of　underhand
ways；　could　not　bear　to　think　of　Tom's　carrying　them　on；　and　going　to
a　place　of　temptation　with　them　uncorrected；　and　she　looked　up　to　her
father　with　the　reverence　and　enthusiasm　of　one　like　minded。

She　was　vexed　on　another　score。　　Norman　came　home　from　Abbotstoke
Grange　without　having　seen　Miss　Rivers；　but　with　a　fresh　basket　of
choice　flowers；　rapturous　descriptions　of　Mr。　Rivers's　prints；　and　a
present　of　an　engraving；　in　shading；　such　as　to　give　the　effect　of　a
cast；　of　a　very　fine　head　of　Alexander。　　Nothing　was　to　be　thought　of
but　a　frame　for　thisolive；　bay；　laurel；　everything　appropriate　to
the　conqueror。　　Margaret　and　Norman　were　engrossed　in　the　subject；
and；　to　Ethel；　who　had　no　toleration　for　fancy　work；　who　expected
everything　to　be　either　useful　and　intellectual；　this　seemed　very
frivolous。　　She　heard　her　father　say　how　glad　he　was　to　see　Norman
interested　and　occupied；　and　certainly；　though　it　was　only　in　leather
leaves；　it　was　better　than　drooping　and　attending　to　nothing。　　She
knew；　too；　that　Margaret　did　it　for　his　sake；　but；　said　Ethel　to
herself；　〃It　was　very　odd　that　people　should　find　amusement　in　such
things。　　Margaret　always　had　a　turn　for　them；　but　it　was　very　strange
in　Norman。〃

Then　came　the　pang　of　finding　out　that　this　was　aggravated　by　the
neglect　of　herself；　she　called　it　all　selfishness；　and　felt　that　she
had　had　an　uncomfortable；　unsatisfactory　day；　with　everything　going
wrong。




CHAPTER　XVII。



Gently　supported　by　the　ready　aid
　　Of　loving　hands；　whose　little　work　of　toil
Her　grateful　prodigality　repaid
　　With　all　the　benediction　of　her　smile；
　　　　She　turned　her　failing　feet
　　　　To　the　softly　cushioned　seat；
　　Dispensing　kindly　greetings　all　the　time。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　R。　M。　MILNES。


Three　great　events　signalised　the　month　of　January。　　The　first　was；
the　opening　of　the　school　at　Cocksmoor；　whither　a　cart　transported
half　a　dozen　forms；　various　books；　and　three　dozen　plum…buns；
Margaret's　contribution；　in　order　that　the　school　might　begin　with
eclat。　　There　walked　Mr。　Wilmot；　Richard；　and　Flora；　with　Mary；　in　a
jumping；　capering　state　of　delight；　and　Ethel；　not　knowing　whether
she　rejoiced。　　She　kept　apart　from　the　rest；　and　hardly　spoke；　for
this　long　probation　had　impressed　her　with　a　sense　of　responsibility；
and　she　knew　that　it　was　a　great　work　to　which　she　had　set　her　hand
a　work　in　which　she　must　persevere；　and　in　which　she　could　not
succeed　in　her　own　strength。

She　took　hold　of　Flora's　hand；　and　squeezed　it　hard；　in　a　fit　of
shyness；　when　they　came　upon　the　hamlet；　and　saw　the　children
watching　for　them；　and　when　they　reached　the　house；　she　would　fain
have　shrank　into　nothing；　there　was　a　swelling　of　heart　that　seemed
to　overwhelm　and　stifle　her；　and　the　effect　of　which　was　to　keep　her
standing　unhelpful；　when　the　others　were　busy　bringing　in　the　benches
and　settling　the　room。

It　was　a　tidy　room；　but　it　seemed　very　small　when　they　ranged　the
benches；　and　opened　the　door　to　the　seven…and…twenty　children；　and
the　four　or　five　women　who　stood　waiting。　　Ethel　felt　some　dismay
when　they　all　came　pushing　in；　without　order　or　civility；　and　would
have　been　utterly　at　a　loss　what　to　do　with　her　scholars　now　she　had
got　them；　if　Richard　and　Flora　had　not　marshalled　them　to　the
benches。

Rough　heads；　torn　garments；　staring　vacant　eyes；　and　mouths　gaping　in
shy　rudenessit　was　a　sight　to　disenchant　her　of　visions　of　pleasure
in　the　work　she　had　set　herself。　　It　was　well　that　she　had　not　to
take　the　initiative。

Mr。　Wilmot　said　a　few　simple　words　to　the　mothers　about　the　wish　to
teach　their　children　what　was　right；　and　to　do　the　best　at　present
practicable；　and　then　told　the　children　that　he　hoped　they　would　take
pains　to　be　good；　and　mind　what　they　were　taught。　　Then　he　desired
all　to　kneel　down；　he　said　the　Collect；　〃Prevent　us；　0　Lord；　in　all
our　doings；〃　and　then　the　Lord's　Prayer。

Ethel　felt　as　if　she　could　bear　it　better；　and　was　more　up　to　the
work　after　this。　　Next；　the　children　were　desired　to　stand　round　the
room；　and　Mr。　Wilmot　tried　who　could　say　the　Catechismthe　two
biggest；　a　boy　and　a　girl；　had　not　an　idea　of　it；　and　the　boy　looked
foolish；　and　grinned　at　being　asked　what　was　his　name。　　One　child　was
tolerably　perfect；　and　about　half　a　dozen　had　some　dim　notions。
Three　were　entirely　ignorant　of　the　Lord's　Prayer；　and　many　of　the
others　did　not　by　any　means　pronounce　the　words　of　it。　　Jane　and
Fanny　Taylor；　Rebekah　Watts；　and　Mrs。　Green's　little　boy；　were　the
only　ones　who；　by　their　own　account；　used　morning　and　evening
prayers；　though；　on　further　examination；　it　appeared　that　Polly　and
Jenny　Hall；　and　some　others；　were　accustomed　to　repeat　the　old　rhyme
about　〃　Matthew；　Mark；　Luke；　and　John；〃　and　Una　M'Carthy　and　her
little　brother　Fergus　said　something　that　nobody　could　make　out；　but
which　Mr。　Wilmot　thought　had　once　been　an　〃Ave　Maria。〃

Some　few　of　the　children　could　read；　and　several　more　knew　their
letters。　　The　least　ignorant　were　selected　to　form　a　first　class；　and
Mr。　Wilmot　promised　a　Prayer…book　to　the　first　who　should　be　able　to
repeat　the　Catechism　without　a　mistake；　and　a　Bible　to　the　first　who
could　read　a　chapter　in　it。

Then　followed　a　setting　of　tasks；　varying　from　a　verse　of　a　Psalm；　or
the　first　answer　in　the　Catechism；　down　to　the　distinction　between　A；
B；　and　C；　all　to　be　ready　by　next　Tuesday；　when；　weather　permitting；
a　second　lesson　was　to　be　given。　　Afterwards；　a　piece　of　advice　of
Margaret's　was　followed；　and　Flora　read　aloud　to　the　assembly　the
story　of　〃Margaret　Fletcher。〃　　To　some　this　seemed　to　give　great
satisfaction；　especially　to　Una；　but　Ethel　was　surprised　to　see　that
many；　and　those　not　only　little　ones；　talked　and　yawned。　　They　had　no
power　of　attention　even　to　a　story；　and　the　stillness　was　irksome　to
such　wild　colts。　　It　was　plain　that　it　was　time　to　leave　off；　and
there　was　no　capacity　there　which　did　not　find　the　conclusion
agreeable；　when　the　basket　was　opened；　and　Ethel　and　Mary　distributed
the　buns；　with　instructions　to　say；　〃thank　you。〃

The　next　Tuesday；　some　of　the　lessons　were　learned；　Una's　perfectly；
the　big　ignorant　boy　came　no　more；　and　some　of　the　children　had
learned　to　behave　better；　while　others　behaved　worse；　Ethel　began　to
know　what　she　was　about；　Richard's　gentleness　was　eminently
successful　with　the　little　girls；　impressing　good　manners　on　them　in
a　marvellous　way；　and　Mary's　importance　and　happiness　with　alphabet
scholars；　some　bigger　than　herself；　were　edifying。　　Cocksmoor　was
fairly　launched。

The　next　memorable　day　was　that　of　Margaret's　being　first　carried
downstairs。　　She　had　been　willing　to　put　it　off　as　long　as　she　could；
dreading　to　witness　the　change　below…stairs；　and　feeling；　too；　that
in　entering　on　the　family　room；　without　power　of　leaving　it；　she　was
losing　all　quiet　and　solitude；　as　well　as　giving　up　that　monopoly　of
her　father　in　his　evenings；　which　had　been　her　great　privilege。

However；　she　tried　to　talk　herself　into　liking　it；　and　was　rewarded
by　the　happy　commotion　it　caused；　though　Dr。　May　was　in　a　state　of
excitement　and　nervousness　at　the　prospect　of　seeing　her　on　the
stairs；　and　his　attempts　to　conceal　it　only　made　it　worse；　till
Margaret　knew　she　should　be　nervous　herself；　and　wished　him　out　of
sight　and　out　of　the　house　till　it　was　over；　for　without　him　she　had
full　confidence　in　the　coolness　and　steadiness　of　Richard；　and　by　him
it　was　safely　and　quietly　accomplished。　　She　was　landed　on　the　sofa；
Richard　and　Flora　settling　her；　and　the　others　crowding　round　and
exclaiming；　while　the　newness　of　the　scene　and　the　change　gave　her　a
sense　of　confusion；　and　she　shut　her　eyes　to　recover　her　thoughts；
but　opened　them　the　next　instant　at　her　father's　exclamation　that　she
was　overcome；　smiled　to　reassure　him；　and　declared　herself　not　tired；
and　to　be　very　glad　to　be　among　them　again。　　But　the　bustle　was
oppressive；　and　her　cheerful　manner　was　an　effort；　she　longed　to　see
them　all　gone；　and　Flora　found　it　out；　sent　the　children　for　their
walk；　and　carried　off　Ethel　and　the　brothers。

Dr。　May　was　called　out　of　the　room　at　the　same　time；　and　she　was　left
alone。　　She　gazed　round　her；　at　the　room　where；　four　months　before；
she　had　seen　her　mother　with　the　babe　in　her　arms；　the　children
clustered　round　her；　her　father　exulting　in　his　hen…and…chicken
daisies；　herself　full　of　bright　undefined　hope；　radiant　with　health
and　activity；　and　her　one　trouble　such　that　she　now　knew　the　force　of
her　mother's　words；　that　it　only　proved　her　happiness。　　It　was　not
till　that　moment　that　Margaret　realised　the　change；　found　her　eyes
filling　with　tears；　as　she　looked　round；　and　saw　the　familiar
furniture　and　ornaments。

They　were　instantly　checked　as　she　heard　her　father　returning；　but
not　so　that　he　did　not　perceive　them；　and　exclaim　that　it　had　been
too　much　for　her。　　〃Oh；　noit　was　only　the　first　time；〃　said
Margaret；　losing　the　sense　of　the　painful　vacancy　in　her　absorbing
desire　not　to　distress　her　father；　and　thinking　only　of　him　as　she
watched　him　standing　for　some　minutes　leaning　on　the　mantel…shelf
with　his　hand　shading　his　forehead。

She　began　to　speak　as　soon　as　she　thought　he　was　ready　to　have　his
mind　turned　away：　〃How　nicely　Ritchie　managed！　　He　carried　me　so
comfortably　and　easily。　　It　is　enough　to　spoil　me　to　be　so　deftly
waited　on。〃

〃I'm　glad　of　it；〃　said　Dr。　May；　〃I　am　sure　the　change　is　better　for
you；〃　but　he　came　and　looked　at　her　still　with　great　solicitude。

〃Ritchie　can　take　excellent　care　of　me；〃　she　continued；　most　anxious
to　divert　his　thoughts。　　〃You　see　it　will　do　very　well　indeed　for　you
to　take　Harry　to　school。〃

〃I　should　like　to　do　so。　　I　should　like　to　see　his　master；　and　to
take　Norman　with　me；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃It　would　be　just　the　thing
for　him　nowwe　would　show　him　the　dockyard；　and　all　those　matters；
and　such　a　thorough　holiday　would　set　him　up　again。〃

〃He　is　very　much　better。〃

〃Much　betterhe　is　recovering　spirits　and　tone　very　fast。　　That
leaf…work　of　yours　came　at　a　lucky　time。　　I　like　to　see　him　looking
out　for　a　curious　fern　in　the　hedgerowsthe　pursuit　has　quite
brightened　him　up。〃

〃And　he　does　it　so　thoroughly；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃Ethel　fancies　it　is
rather　frivolous　of　him；　I　believe；　but　it　amuses　me　to　see　how　men
give　dignity　to　what　women　make　trifling。　　He　will　know　everything
about　the　leaves；　hunts　up　my　botany　books；　and　has　taught　me　a
hundred　times　more　of　the　construction　and　wonders　of　them　than　I
ever　learned。〃

〃Ay；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃he　has　been　talking　a　good　deal　to　me　about
vegetable