the daisy chain, or aspirations-第52章

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I　did　think　Hoxton　would　have　trusted　me！〃

〃And　did　not　he？〃　exclaimed　Dr。　May。

〃He　did　not　in　so　many　words　accuse　me　ofofbut　he　told　me　he　had
serious　charges　brought　against　meMr。　Harrison　had　seen　me　at
Ballhatchet's；　setting　an　example　of　disregard　to　rulesand；　again；
Mr。　Harrison　saw　me　coming　in　at　a　late　hour　last　night。　　'I　know　he
did；'　I　said；　and　I　explained　where　I　had　been；　and　they　asked　for
proofs！　　I　could　hardly　answer；　from　surprise；　at　their　not　seeming
to　believe　me；　but　I　said　you　could　answer　for　my　having　come　in　with
the　flowers　for　my　sister。〃

〃To　be　sure　I　willI'll　go　this　instant〃　he　was　turning。

〃It　is　of　no　use；　papa；　to…night；　Dr。　Hoxton　has　a　dinner…party。〃

〃He　is　always　having　parties。　　I　wish　he　would　mind　them　less；　and
his　business　more。　　You　disbelieved！　but　I'll　see　justice　done　you；
Norman；　the　first　thing　to…morrow。　　Well〃

〃Well　then；　I　said；　old　Ballhatchet　could　tell　that　I　crossed　the
bridge　at　the　very　time　they　were　doing　this　pretty　piece　of　work；
for　he　was　sitting　smoking　in　his　porch　when　I　went　home；　and；　would
you　believe　it？　the　old　rascal　would　not　remember　who　passed　that
evening！　　It　is　all　his　malice　and　revengenothing　else！〃

〃Whywhat　have　you　been　doing　to　him？〃

Norman　shortly　explained　the　ginger…beer　story；　and　adding；　〃Cheviot
told　me　I　should　get　nothing　but　ill…will；　and　so　I　haveall　those
town　fellows　turn　against　me　now；　and　though　they　know　as　well　as
possible　how　it　was；　they　won't　say　a　word　to　right　me；　just　out　of
spite；　because　I　have　stopped　them　from　all　the　mischief　I　could！〃

〃Well；　then〃

〃They　asked　me　whethersince　I　allowed　that　I　had　been　there　at
lastI　had　dispersed　the　boys。　　I　said　no；　I　had　no　time。　　Then　they
desired　to　know　who　was　there；　and　that　I　had　not　seen；　it　was　all
dark；　and　there　had　not　been　a　moment；　and　if　I　guessed；　it　was　no
affair　of　mine　to　say。　　So　they　ordered　me　down；　and　had　up　Ned
Anderson；　and　one　or　two　more　who　were　known　to　have　been　in　the
riot；　and　then　they　consulted　a　good　while；　and　sent　for　me；　Mr。
Wilmot　was　for　me；　I　am　sure；　but　Harrison　was　against　me。　　Dr。
Hoxton　sat　there；　and　made　me　one　of　his　addresses。　　He　said　he　would
not　enter　on　the　question　whether　I　had　been　present　at　the
repetition　of　the　outrage；　as　he　called　it；　but　what　was　quite
certain　was；　that　I　had　abused　my　authority　and　influence　in　the
school；　I　had　been　setting　a　bad　example；　and　breaking　the　rules
about　Ballhatchet；　and　so　far　from　repressing　mischief；　I　had　been
the　foremost　in　it；　making　inflammatory　harangues；　leading　them　to
commit　violence　the　first　time；　and　the　next；　if　not　actually　taking
part　in　it　personally；　at　any　rate　not　preventing　it。　　In　short；　he
said　it　was　clear　I　had　not　weight　enough　for　my　postit　was　some
excuse　I　had　been　raised　to　it　so　youngbut　it　was　necessary　to　show
that　proficiency　in　studies　did　not　compensate　for　disregard　of
discipline；　and　so　he　turned　me　down　below　the　first　six！　　So　there's
another　May　in　disgrace！〃

〃It　shall　not　lastit　shall　not　last；　my　boy；〃　said　Dr。　May；
pressing　Norman's　arm；　〃I'll　see　you　righted。　　Dr。　Hoxton　shall　hear
the　whole　story。　　I　am　not　for　fathers　interfering　in　general；　but　if
ever　there　was　a　case；　this　is！　　Why；　it　is　almost　actionable
injuring　your　whole　prospects　in　life；　and　all　because　he　will　not
take　the　trouble　to　make　an　investigation！　　It　is　a　crying　shame。〃

〃Every　fellow　in　the　school　knows　how　it　was；〃　said　Norman；　〃and
plenty　of　them　would　be　glad　to　tell；　if　they　had　only　the
opportunity；　but　he　asked　no　one　but　those　two　or　three　worst　fellows
that　were　at　the　fire；　and　they　would　not　tell；　n　purpose。　　The
school　will　go　to　destruction　nowthey'll　get　their　way；　and　all　I
have　been　striving　for　is　utterly　undone。〃

〃You　setting　a　bad　example！　　Dr。　Hoxton　little　knows　what　you　have
been　doing。　　It　is　a　mockery；　as　I　have　always　said；　to　see　that　old
fellow　sit　wrapped　up　in　his　pomposity；　eating　his　good　dinners；　and
knowing　no　more　what　goes　on　among　his　boys　than　this　umbrella！　　But
he　will　listen　to　meand　we'll　make　those　boys　confess　the　whole
ay；　and　have　up　Ballhatchet　himself；　to　say　what　your　traffic　with
him　was；　and　we　will　see　what　old　Hoxton　says　to　you　then；　Norman。〃

Dr。　May　and　his　son　felt　keenly　and　spoke　strongly。　There　was　so　much
of　sympathy　and　fellow…feeling　between　them；　that　there　was　no
backwardness　on　Norman's　part　in　telling　his　whole　trouble；　with　more
confidence　than　schoolboys　often　show　towards　their　fathers；　and　Dr。
May　entered　into　the　mortification　as　if　he　were　still　at　school。
They　did　not　go　into　the　house；　but　walked　long　up　and　down　the
garden；　working　themselves　up　into；　if　possible；　stronger
indignation；　and　concerting　the　explanation　for　to…morrow；　when　Dr。
May　meant　to　go　at　once　to　the　head…master；　and　make　him　attend　to
the　true　version　of　the　story；　appealing　to　Harvey　Anderson　himself；
Larkins；　and　many　others；　for　witnesses。　　There　could　be　hardly　a
doubt　that　Norman　would　be　thus　exculpated；　but；　if　Dr。　Hoxton　would
not　see　things　in　their　true　light；　Dr。　May　was　ready　to　take　him
away　at　once；　rather　than　see　him　suffer　injustice。

Still；　though　comforted　by　his　father's　entire　reliance；　Norman　was
suffering　severely　under　the　sense　of　indignity；　and　grieved　that　Dr。
Hoxton　and　the　other　masters　should　have　believed　him　guiltythat
name　of　May　could　never　again　boast　of　being　without　reproach。　　To　be
in　disgrace　stung　him　to　the　quick；　even　though　undeservedly；　and　he
could　not　bear　to　go　in；　meet　his　sisters；　and　be　pitied。　　〃There's
no　need　they　should　know　of　it；〃　said　he；　when　the　Minster　clock
pealing　ten　obliged　them　to　go　indoors；　and　his　father　agreed。　　They
bade　each　other　good…night；　with　the　renewal　of　the　promise　that　Dr。
Hoxton　should　be　forced　to　hear　Norman's　vindication　the　first　thing
to…morrow；　Harvey　Anderson　be　disappointed　of　what　he　meanly
triumphed　in；　and　Norman　be　again　in　his　post　at　the　head　of　the
school；　in　more　honour　and　confidence　than　ever；　putting　down　evil；
and　making　Stoneborough　what　it　ought　to　be。

As　Dr。　May　lay　awake　in　the　summer's　morning；　meditating　on　his
address　to　Dr。　Hoxton；　he　heard　the　unwelcome　sound　of　a　ring　at　the
bell；　and；　in　a　few　minutes；　a　note　was　brought　to　him。

〃Tell　Adams　to　get　the　gig　readyI'll　let　him　know　whether　he　is　to
go　with　me。〃

And；　in　a　few　minutes；　the　doctor　opened　Norman's　door；　and　found　him
dressed；　and　standing　by　the　window；　reading。　〃What；　up　already；
Norman？　　I　came　to　tell　you　that　our　affairs　must　wait　till　the
afternoon。　　It　is　very　provoking；　for　Hoxton　may　be　gone　out；　but　Mr。
Lake's　son；　at　Groveswood；　has　an　attack　on　the　head；　and　I　must　go
at　once。　　It　is　a　couple　of　dozen　miles　off　or　more。　　I　have　hardly
ever　been　there；　and　it　may　keep　me　all　day。〃

〃Shall　you　go　in　the　gig？　　Shall　I　drive　you？〃　said　Norman；　looking
rather　blank。

〃That's　what　I　thought　of；　if　you　like　it。　　I　thought　you　would
sooner　be　out　of　the　way。〃

〃Thank　youyes；　papa。　　Shall　I　come　and　help　you　to　finish
dressing？〃

〃Yes；　do；　thank　you；　it　will　hasten　matters。　　Only；　first　order　in
some　breakfast。　　What　makes　you　up　so　early？　　Have　not　you　slept？〃

〃Not　muchit　has　been　such　a　hot　night。〃

〃And　you　have　a　headache。　　Well；　we　will　find　a　cure　for　that　before
the　day　is　over。　　I　have　settled　what　to　say　to　old　Hoxton。〃

Before　another　quarter　of　an　hour　had　passed；　they　were　driving
through　the　deep　lanes；　the　long　grass　thickly　laden　with　morning
dew；　which　beaded　the　webs　of　the　spiders　and　rose　in　clouds　of　mist
under　the　influence　of　the　sun's　rays。　　There　was　stillness　in　the
air　at　first；　then　the　morning　sounds；　the　labourer　going　forth；　the
world　wakening　to　life；　the　opening　houses；　the　children　coming　out
to　school。　　In　spite　of　the　tumult　of　feeling；　Norman　could　not　but
be　soothed　and　refreshed　by　the　new　and　fair　morning　scene；　and　both
minds　quitted　the　school　politics；　as　Dr。　May　talked　of　past
enjoyment　of　walks　or　drives　home　in　early　dawn；　the　more　delicious
after　a　sad　watch　in　a　sick…room；　and　told　of　the　fair　sights　he　had
seen　at　such　unwonted　hours。

They　had　far　to　go；　and　the　heat　of　the　day　had　come　on　before　they
entered　the　place　of　their　destination。　　It　was　a　woodland　village；
built　on　a　nook　in　the　side　of　the　hill；　sloping　greenly　to　the
river；　and　shut　in　by　a　white　gate；　which　seemed　to　gather　all　in　one
the　little　old…fashioned　church；　its　yard；　shaded　with　trees；　and
enclosed　by　long　white　rails；　the　parsonage；　covered　with　climbing
plants　and　in　the　midst　of　a　gay　garden；　and　one　or　two　cottages。
The　woods　cast　a　cool　shadow；　and；　in　the　meadows　by　the　river　rose
cocks　of　new…made　hay；　there　was　an　air　of　abiding　serenity　about　the
whole　place；　save　that　there　stood　an　old　man　by　the　gate；　evidently
watching　for　the　physician's　carriage；　and　where　the　sun　fell　on　that
parsonage…house　was　a　bedroom　window　wide　open；　with　the　curtains
drawn。

〃Thank　Heaven　you　are　come；　sir；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃he　is　fearfully
bad。〃

Norman　knew　young　Lake；　who　had　been　a　senior　boy　when　he　first　went
to　school；　was　a　Randall　scholar；　and　had　borne　an　excellent
character；　and　highly　distinguished　himself　at　the　university。　　And
now；　by　all　accounts；　he　seemed　to　be　dyingin　the　height　of　honour
and　general　esteem。　　Dr。　May　went　into　the　house；　the　old　man　took
the　horse；　and　Norman　lingered　under　the　trees　in　the　churchyard；
watching　the　white　curtains　now　and　then　puffed　by　the　fitful　summer
breeze；　as　he　lay　on　the　turf　in　the　shade；　under　the　influence　of
the　gentle　sadness　around；　resting；　mind　and　body；　from　the　tossing
tumultuous　passionate　sensations　that　had　kept　him　restless　and
miserable　through　the　hot　night。

He　waited　longone　hour；　two　hours　had　passed　away；　but　he　was　not
impatient；　and　hardly　knew　how　long　the　time　had　been　before　his
father　and　Mr。　Lake　came　out　of　the　house　together；　and；　after　they
parted；　Dr。　May　summoned　him。　　He　of　course　asked　first　for　the
patient。　　〃Not　quite　so　hopeless　as　at　first；〃　and　the　reasons　for
having　been　kept　so　long　were　detailed；　with　many　circumstances　of
the　youth's　illness；　and　the　parents'　resignation；　by　which　Dr。　May
was　still　too　deeply　touched　to　have　room　in　his　mind　for　anything
besides。

They　were　more　than　half…way　home；　and　a　silence　had　succeeded　the
conversation　about　the　Lake　family；　when　Norman　spoke：

〃Papa；　I　have　been　thinking　about　it；　and　I　believe　it　would　be
better　to　let　it　alone；　if　you　please。〃

〃Not　apply　to　Dr。　Hoxton！〃　exclaimed　his　father。

〃Well；　I　think　not。　　I　have　been　considering　it；　and　it　does　hardly
seem　to　me　the　right　thing。　　You　see；　if　I　had　not　you　close　at　hand；
this　could　never　be　explained；　and　it　seems　rather　hard　upon
Anderson；　who　has　no　father；　and　the　other　fellows；　who　have　theirs
farther　off〃

〃Right；　Norman；　that　is　what　my　father　before　me　always　said；　and　the
way　I　have　always　acted　myself；　much　better　let　a　few　trifles　go　on
not　just　as　one　would　wish；　than　be　for　ever　interfering。　　But　I
really　think　this　is　a　case　for　it；　and　I　don't　think　you　ought　to
let　yourself　be　influenced　by　the　fear　of　any　party…sp