the daisy chain, or aspirations-第56章

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notice　for　a　Confirmation　in　August；　and　that　Mr。　Wilmot　was　already
beginning　to　prepare　his　candidates；　whilst　Mr。　Ramsden；　always
tardy；　never　gave　notice　till　the　last　moment　possible。　　The　hope　was
expressed　that　Harry　might　be　able　to　profit　by　this　opportunity；　and
Harry's　prospects　were　explained　to　Meta；　then　the　doctor；
recollecting　something　that　he　wished　to　say　to　Mr。　Rivers；　began　to
ask　about　the　chance　of　his　coming　before　the　time　of　an　engagement
of　his　own。

〃He　said　he　should　be　here　at　about　half…past　four；〃　said　Meta。　　〃He
is　gone　to　the　station　to　inquire　about　the　trains。　　Do　you　know　what
time　the　last　comes　in？〃

〃At　nine　forty…five；〃　said　the　doctor。

〃That　is　what　we　were　afraid　of。　It　is　for　Bellairs；　my　maid。　　Her
mother　is　very　ill；　and　she　is　afraid　she　is　not　properly　nursed。　　It
is　about　five　miles　from　the　Milbury　Station；　and　we　thought　of
letting　her　go　with　a　day…ticket　to　see　about　her。　　She　could　go　in
the　morning；　after　I　am　up；　but　I　don't　know　what　is　to　be　done；　for
she　could　not　get　back　before　I　dress　for　dinner。〃

Margaret　felt　perfectly　aghast　at　the　cool　tone；　especially　after
what　had　passed。

〃It　would　be　quite　impossible；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃Even　going　by　the
eight　o'clock　train；　and　returning　by　the　last；　she　would　only　have
two　hours　to　spareshort　enough　measure　for　a　sick　mother。〃

〃Papa　means　to　give　her　whatever　she　wants　for　any　nurse　she　may
get。〃

〃Is　there　no　one　with　her　mother　now？〃

〃A　son's　wife；　who；　they　think；　is　not　kind。　　Poor　Bellairs　was　so
grateful　for　being　allowed　to　go　home。　　I　wonder　if　I　could　dress　for
once　without　her？〃

〃Do　you　know　old　Crabbe？〃　said　the　doctor。

〃The　dear　old　man　at　Abbotstoke？　　Oh；　yes；　of　course。〃

〃There　was　a　very　sad　case　in　his　family。　　The　mother　was　dying　of　a
lingering　illness；　when　the　son　met　with　a　bad　accident。　　The　only
daughter　was　a　lady's…maid；　and　could　not　be　spared；　though　the
brother　was　half　crazy　to　see　her；　and　there　was　no　one　to　tend　them
but　a　wretch　of　a　woman；　paid　by　the　parish。　　The　poor　fellow　kept
calling　for　his　sister　in　his　delirium；　and；　at　last；　I　could　not
help　writing　to　the　mistress。〃

〃Did　she　let　her　come？〃　said　Meta；　her　cheek　glowing。

〃As　a　great　favour；　she　let　her　set　out　by　the　mail　train；　after
dressing　her　for　a　ball；　with　orders　to　return　in　time　for　her
toilette　for　an　evening　party　the　next　day。〃

〃Oh；　I　remember；〃　said　Margaret；　〃her　coming　here　at　five　in　the
morning；　and　your　taking　her　home。〃

〃And　when　we　got　to　Abbotstoke　the　brother　was　dead。　　That　parish
nurse　had　not　attended　to　my　directions；　and；　I　do　believe；　was　the
cause　of　it。　　The　mother　had　had　a　seizure；　and　was　in　the　most
precarious　state。〃

〃Surely　she　stayed！〃

〃It　was　as　much　as　her　place　was　worth；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃and　her
wages　were　the　chief　maintenance　of　the　family。　　So　she　had　to　go
back　to　dress　her　mistress；　while　the　old　woman　lay　there；　wailing
after　Betsy。　　She　did　give　warning　then；　but；　before　the　month　was
out；　the　mother　was　dead。〃

Meta　did　not　speak；　and　Dr。　May　presently　rose；　saying　he　should　try
to　meet　Mr。　Rivers　in　the　town；　and　went　out。　　Meta　sat　thoughtful；
and　at　last；　sighing；　said；　〃I　wonder　whether　Bellairs's　mother　is　so
very　ill？　　I　have　a　great　mind　to　let　Susan　try　to　do　my　hair；　and
let　Bellairs　stay　a　little　longer。　　I　never　thought　of　that。〃

〃I　do　not　think　you　will　be　sorry；〃　said　Margaret。

〃Yes；　I　shall；　for　if　my　hair　does　not　look　nice；　papa　will　not　be
pleased；　and　there　is　Aunt　Leonora　coming。　　How　odd　it　will　be　to　be
without　Bellairs！　　I　will　ask　Mrs。　Larpent。〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃　said　Margaret。　　〃You　must　not　think　we　meant　to　advise；
but　papa　has　seen　so　many　instances　of　distress；　from　servants　not
spared　to　their　friends　in　illness；　that　he　feels　strongly　on　the
subject。〃

〃And　I　really　might　have　been　as　cruel　as　that　woman！〃　said　Meta。
〃Well；　I　hope　Mrs。　Bellairs　may　be　better；　and　able　to　spare　her
daughter。　　I　don't　know　what　will　become　of　me　without　her。〃

〃I　think　it　will　have　been　a　satisfaction　in　one　way；〃　said
Margaret。〃

〃In　what　way？〃

〃Don't　you　remember　what　you　began　by　complaining　of；　that　you　could
not　be　of　use？　　Now；　I　fancy　this　would　give　you　the　pleasure　of
undergoing　a　little　personal　inconvenience　for　the　good　of　another。〃

Meta　looked　half　puzzled；　half　thoughtful；　and　Margaret；　who　was　a
little　uneasy　at　the　style　of　counsel　she　found　herself　giving；
changed　the　conversation。

It　was　a　memorable　one　to　little　Miss　Rivers；　opening　out　to　her；　as
did　almost　all　her　meetings　with　that　family；　a　new　scope　for　thought
and　for　duty。　　The　code　to　which　she　had　been　brought　up　taught　that
servants　were　the　machines　of　their　employer's　convenience。　　Good…
nature　occasioned　much　kindliness　of　manner　and　intercourse；　and
every　luxury　and　indulgence　was　afforded　freely；　but　where　there　was
any　want　of　accordance　between　the　convenience　of　the　two　parties；
there　was　no　question。　　The　master　must　be　the　first　object；　the
servants'　remedy　was　in　their　own　hands。

Amiable　as　was　Mr。　Rivers；　this；　merely　from　indulgence　and　want　of
reflection；　was　his　principle；　and　his　daughter　had　only　been　acting
on　it；　though　she　did　not　know　it；　till　the　feelings　that　she　had
never　thought　of　were　thus　displayed　before　her。　　These　were　her
first　practical　lessons　that　life　was　not　meant　to　be　passed　in
pleasing　ourselves；　and　being　good…natured　at　small　cost。

It　was　an　effort。　　Meta　was　very　dependent；　never　having　been
encouraged　to　be　otherwise；　and　Bellairs　was　like　a　necessary　of　life
in　her　estimation；　but　strength　of　principle　came　to　aid　her
naturally　kind…hearted　feeling；　and　she　was　pleased　by　the　idea　of
voluntarily　undergoing　a　privation　so　as　to　test　her　sincerity。

So　when　her　father　told　her　of　the　inconvenient　times　of　the　trains；
and　declared　that　Bellairs　must　give　it　up；　she　answered　by　proposing
to　let　her　sleep　a　night　or　two　there；　gaily　promised　to　manage　very
well；　and　satisfied　him。

Her　maid's　grateful　looks　and　thanks　recompensed　her　when　she　made
the　offer　to　her；　and　inspirited　her　to　an　energetic　coaxing　of　Mrs。
Larpent；　who；　being　more　fully　aware　than　her　father　of　the
needfulness　of　the　lady's…maid；　and　also　very　anxious　that　her
darling　should　appear　to　the　best　advantage　before　the　expected　aunt；
Lady　Leonora　Langdale；　was　unwilling　to　grant　more　than　one　night　at
the　utmost。

Meta　carried　the　day；　and　her　last　assurance　to　Bellairs　was　that　she
might　stay　as　long　as　seemed　necessary　to　make　her　mother
comfortable。

Thereupon　Meta　found　herself　more　helpful　in　some　matters　than　she
had　expected；　but　at　a　loss　in　others。　　Susan；　with　all　Mrs。
Larpent's　supervision；　could　not　quite　bring　her　dress　to　the　air
that　was　so　peculiarly　graceful　and　becoming；　and　she　often　caught
her　papa's　eye　looking　at　her　as　if　he　saw　something　amiss；　and　could
not　discover　what　it　was。　　Then　came　Aunt　Leonora；　always　very　kind
to　Meta；　but　the　dread　of　the　rest　of　the　household；　whom　she　was
wont　to　lecture　on　the　proper　care　of　her　niece。　　Miss　Rivers　was
likely　to　have　a　considerable　fortune；　and　Lady　Leonora　intended　her
to　be　a　very　fashionable　and　much　admired　young　lady；　under　her　own
immediate　protection。

The　two　cousins；　Leonora　and　Agatha；　talked　to　her；　the　one　of　her
balls；　the　other　of　her　musicpatronised　her；　and　called　her　their
good　little　cousinwhile　they　criticised　the　stiff　set　of　those
unfortunate　plaits　made　by　Susan；　and　laughed；　as　if　it　was　an
unheard…of　concession；　at　Bellairs's　holiday。

Nevertheless；　when　〃Honoured　Miss〃　received　a　note；　begging　for　three
days'　longer　grace；　till　a　niece　should　come；　in　whom　Bellairs　could
place　full　confidence；　she　took　it　on　herself　to　return　free　consent。
Lady　Leonora　found　out　what　she　had　done；　and　reproved　her；　telling
her　it　was　only　the　way　to　make　〃those　people〃　presume；　and　Mrs。
Larpent　was　also　taken　to　task；　but；　decidedly；　Meta　did　not　regret
what　she　had　done；　though　she　felt　as　if　she　had　never　before　known
how　to　appreciate　comfort；　when　she　once　more　beheld　Bellairs
stationed　at　her　toilette　table。

Meta　was　asked　about　her　friends。　　She　could　not　mention　any　one　but
Mrs。　Charles　Wilmot　and　the　Misses　May。

〃Physician's　daughters；　oh！〃　said　Lady　Leonora。

And　she　proceeded　to　exhort　Mr。　Rivers　to　bring　his　daughter　to
London；　or　its　neighbourhood；　where　she　might　have　masters；　and　be　in
the　way　of　forming　intimacies　suited　to　her　connections。

Mr。　Rivers　dreaded　Londonnever　was　well　there；　and　did　not　like　the
trouble　of　movingwhile　Meta　was　so　attached　to　the　Grange；　that　she
entreated　him　not　to　think　of　leaving　it；　and　greatly　dreaded　her
aunt's　influence。　　Lady　Leonora　did；　indeed；　allow　that　the　Grange
was　a　very　pretty　place；　her　only　complaint　was　the　want　of　suitable
society　for　Meta；　she　could　not　bear　the　idea　of　her　growing
accustomedfor　want　of　something　betterto　the　vicar's　wife　and　the
pet　doctor's　daughters。

Flora　had　been　long　desirous　to　effect　a　regular　call　at　Abbotstoke；
and　it　was　just　now　that　she　succeeded。　　Mrs。　Charles　Wilmot's　little
girl　was　to　have　a　birthday　feast；　at　which　Mary；　Blanche；　and　Aubrey
were　to　appear。　　Flora　went　in　charge　of　them；　and　as　soon　as　she　had
safely　deposited　them；　and　appointed　Mary　to　keep　Aubrey　out　of
mischief；　she　walked　up　to　the　Grange；　not　a　whit　daunted　by　the
report　of　the　very　fine　ladies　who　were　astonishing　the　natives　of
Abbotstoke。

She　was　admitted；　and　found　herself　in　the　drawing…room；　with　a　quick
lively…looking　lady；　whom　she　perceived　to　be　Lady　Leonora；　and　who
instantly　began　talking　to　her　very　civilly。　　Flora　was　never　at　a
loss；　and　they　got　on　extremely　well；　her　ease　and　self…possession；
without　forwardness；　telling　much　to　her　advantage。　　Meta　came　in；
delighted　to　see　her；　but；　of　course；　the　visit　resulted　in　no　really
intimate　talk；　though　it　was　not　without　effect。　　Flora　declared　Lady
Leonora　Langdale　to　be　a　most　charming　person；　and　Lady　Leonora；　on
her　side；　asked　Meta　who　was　that　very　elegant　conversible　girl。
〃Flora　May；〃　was　the　delighted　answer；　now　that　the　aunt　had
committed　herself　by　commendation。　　And　she　did　not　retract　it；　she
pronounced　Flora　to　be　something　quite　out　of　the　common　way；　and
supposed　that　she　had　had　unusual　advantages。

Mr。　Rivers　took　care　to　introduce　to　his　sister…in…law　Dr。　May　（who
would　fain　have　avoided　it）；　but　ended　by　being　in　his　turn　pleased
and　entertained　by　her　brilliant　conversation；　which　she　put　forth
for　him；　as　her　instinct　showed　her　that　she　was　talking　to　a　man　of
high　ability。　　A　perfect　gentleman　she　saw　him　to　be；　and　making　out
some　mutual　connections　far　up　in　the　family　tree　of　the　Mackenzies；
she　decided　that　the　May　family　were　an　acquisition；　and　very　good
companions　for　her　niece　at　present；　while　not　yet　come　out。　　So
ended　the　visit；　with　this　great　triumph　for　Meta；　who　had　a　strong
belief　in　Aunt　Leonora's　power　and　infallibility；　and　yet　had　not
consulted　her　about　Bellairs；　nor　about　the　school　question。

She　had　missed　one　Sunday's　school　on　account　of　her　aunt's　visit；
but　the　resolution　made　beside　Margare