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第60章

the daisy chain, or aspirations-第60章

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Alan and I mean to run off to see it as soon as he can have any time
on shore。'〃

Ethel could not help looking at Margaret; but was ashamed of her
impertinence; and coloured violently; whereas her sister did not
colour at all; and Norman; looking down; wondered whether Alan would
make the voyage。

〃Oh; of course he will; he must!〃 said Harry。  〃He would never give
up now。〃

Norman further wondered whether Hector would remain on the
Stoneborough foundation; and Mary hoped they should not lose him; but
there was no great readiness to talk over the event; and there soon
was a silence broken by Flora saying; 〃He is no such nobody; as
Louisa Anderson said; when we〃

Another shout; which caused Flora to take refuge in playing waltzes
for the rest of the evening。  Moreover; to the extreme satisfaction
of Mary; she left her crochet…needle on the floor at night。  While a
tumultuous party were pursuing her with it to claim the penny; and
Richard was conveying Margaret upstairs; Ethel found an opportunity
of asking her father if he were not very glad of Mr。 Ernescliffe's
good fortune。

〃Yes; very。  He is a good fellow; and will make a good use of it。〃

〃And now; papa; does it not makeYou won't say now you are sorry he
came here。〃

She had no answer but a sigh; and a look that made her blush for
having ventured so far。  She was so much persuaded that great events
must ensue; that; all the next day; she listened to every ring of the
bell; and when one at last was followed by a light; though; to her
ears; manly sounding tread; she looked up flushing with expectation。

Behold; she was disappointed。  〃Miss Walkingham〃 was announced; and
she rose surprised; for the lady in question had only come to
Stoneborough for a couple of days with an infirm mother; who; having
known Dr。 May in old times; had made it her especial request that he
would let her see his daughters。  She was to proceed on her journey
to…day; and the return of the visit had been by no means expected。

Flora went forward to receive her; wondering to see her so young
looking; and so unformed。  She held out her hand; with a red wrist;
and; as far as could be seen under her veil; coloured when presented
to the recumbent Margaret。  How she got into her chair; they hardly
knew; for Flora was at that moment extremely annoyed by hearing an
ill…bred peal of Mary's laughter in the garden; close to the window;
but she thought it best to appear unconscious; since she had no power
to stop it。

Margaret thought the stranger embarrassed; and kindly inquired for
Lady Walkingham。

〃Much the same; thank you;〃 mumbled a voice down in the throat。

A silence; until Margaret tried another question; equally briefly
answered; and; after a short interval; the young lady contrived to
make her exit; with the same amount of gaucherie as had marked her
entrance。

Expressions of surprise at once began; and were so loud; that when
Harry entered the room; his inquiry was; 〃What's the row?〃

〃Miss Walkingham;〃 said Ethel; 〃but you won't understand。  She seemed
half wild!  Worse than me!〃

〃How did you like the pretty improving manners?〃 asked Harry。

〃Manners! she had none;〃 said Flora。  〃She; highly connected! used to
the best society!〃

〃How do you know what the best society do?〃 asked Harry。

〃The poor thing seemed very shy;〃 said Margaret。

〃I don't know about shyness;〃 said Flora。

〃She was stifling a laugh all the time; like a rude schoolboy。  And I
thought papa said she was pretty!〃

〃Ay?  Did you think her so? 〃 asked Harry。

〃A great broad red faceand so awkward!〃 cried Flora indignantly。

〃If one could have seen her face; I think she might have been nice…
looking;〃 said Margaret。  〃She had pretty golden curls; and merry
blue eyes; rather like Harry's。〃

〃Umph! said Flora; 〃beauty and manners seemed to me much on a par。
This is one of papa's swans; indeed!〃

〃I can't believe it was Miss Walkingham at all;〃 said Ethel。  〃It
must have been some boy in disguise。〃

〃Dear me!〃 cried Margaret; starting with the painful timidity of
helplessness。

〃Do look whether anything is gone。  Where's the silver inkstand?〃

〃You don't think she could put that into her pocket;〃 said Ethel;
laughing as she held it up。

〃I don't know。  Do; Harry; see if the umbrellas are safe in the hall。
I wish you would; for now I come to remember; the Walkinghams went at
nine this morning。  Miss Winter said that she saw the old lady helped
into the carriage; as she passed。〃  Margaret's eyes looked quite
large and terrified。  〃She must have been a spythe whole gang will
come at night。  I wish Richard was here。  Harry; it really is no
laughing matter。  You had better give notice to the police。〃

The more Margaret was alarmed; the more Harry laughed。  〃Never mind;
Margaret; I'll take care of you!  Here's my dirk。  I'll stick all the
robbers。〃

〃Harry! Harry!  Oh; don't!〃 cried Margaret; raising herself up in an
agony of nervous terror。  〃Oh; where is papa?  Will nobody ring the
bell; and send George for the police?〃

〃Police; police!  Thieves!  Murder!  Robbers!  Fire!  All hands
ahoy!〃 shouted Harry; his hands making a trumpet over his mouth。

〃Harry; how can you?〃 said Ethel; hastily; 〃don't you see that
Margaret is terribly frightened。  Can't you say at once that it was
you?〃

〃You!〃 and Margaret sank back; as there was a general outcry of
laughter and wonder。

〃Did you know it; Ethel?〃 asked Flora severely。

〃I only guessed at this moment;〃 said Ethel。  〃How well you did it;
Harry!〃

〃Well!〃 said Flora; 〃I did think her dress very like Margaret's shot
silk。  I hope you did not do that any harm。〃

〃But how did you manage?〃 said Ethel。  〃Where did your bonnet come
from?〃

〃It was a new one of Adams's wife。  Mary got it for me。  Come in;
Polly; they have found it out。  Did you not hear her splitting with
laughing outside the window?  I would not let her come in for fear
she should spoil all。〃

〃And I was just going to give her such a scolding for giggling in the
garden;〃 said Flora; 〃and to say we had been as bad as Miss
Walkingham。  You should not have been so awkward; Harry; you nearly
betrayed yourself。〃

〃He had nobody to teach him but Mary;〃 said Ethel。

〃Ah! you should have seen me at my ease in Minster Street。
No one suspected me there。〃

〃In Minster Street。  Oh; Harry; you don't really mean it!〃

〃I do。  That was what I did it for。  I was resolved to know what the
nameless ones said of the Misses May。〃

Hasty and eager inquiries broke out from Flora and Ethel。

〃Oh; Dr。 May was very clever; certainly; very clever。  Had I seen the
daughters?  I said I was going to call there; and they said〃

〃What; oh; what; Harry?〃

〃They said Flora was thought pretty; butand as to Ethel; now; how
do you think you came off; Unready?〃

〃Tell me。  They could not say the same of me; at any rate。〃

〃Quite the reverse!  They called Ethel very odd; poor girl。〃

〃I don't mind;〃 said Ethel。  〃They may say what they please of me;
besides that; I believe it is all Harry's own invention。〃

〃Nay; that is a libel on my invention!〃 exclaimed Harry。  〃If I had
drawn on that; could I not have told you something much droller?〃

〃And was that really all?〃 said Flora。

〃They saidlet me seethat all our noses were too long; and; that
as to Flora's being a beauty! when their brothers called herso
droll of thembut Harvey called her a stuck…up duchess。  In fact; it
was the fashion to make a great deal of those Mays。〃

〃I hope they said something of the sailor brother;〃 said Ethel。

〃No; I found if I stayed to hear much more; I should be knocking Ned
down; so I thought it time to take leave before he suspected。〃

All this had passed very quickly; with much laughter; and numerous
interjections of amusement; and reprobation; or delight。  So excited
were the young people; that they did not perceive a step on the
gravel; till Dr。 May entered by the window; and stood among them。
His first exclamation was of consternation。  〃Margaret; my dear
child; what is the matter?〃

Only then did her brother and sisters perceive that Margaret was
lying back on her cushions; very pale; and panting for breath。  She
tried to smile and say; 〃it was nothing;〃 and 〃she was silly;〃 but
the words were faint; from the palpitation of her heart。

〃It was Harry's trick;〃 said Flora indignantly; as she flew for the
scent…bottle; while her father bent over Margaret。  〃Harry dressed
himself up; and she was frightened。〃

〃Oh; nonohe did not mean it;〃 gasped Margaret; 〃don't。〃

〃Harry; I did not think you could be so cowardly and unfeeling!〃 and
Dr。 May's look was even more reproachful than his words。

Harry was dismayed at his sister's condition; but the injustice of
the wholesale reproach chased away contrition。  〃I did nothing to
frighten any one;〃 he said moodily。

〃Now; Harry; you know how you kept on;〃 said Flora; 〃and when you saw
she was frightened〃

〃I can have no more of this;〃 said Dr。 May; seeing that the
discussion was injuring Margaret more and more。  〃Go away to my
study; sir; and wait till I come to you。  All of you out of the room。
Flora; fetch the sal volatile。〃

〃Let me tell you;〃 whispered Margaret。  〃Don't be angry with Harry。
It was〃

〃Not now; not now; my dear。  Lie quite still。〃  She obeyed; took the
sal volatile; and shut her eyes; while he sat leaning anxiously over;
watching her。  Presently she opened them; and; looking up; said
rather faintly; and trying to smile; 〃I don't think I can be better
till you have heard the rights of it。  He did not mean it。〃

〃Boys never do mean it;〃 was the doctor's answer。  〃I hoped better
things of Harry。〃

〃He had no intention〃 began Margaret; but she still was unfit to
talk; and her father silenced her; by promising to go and hear the
boy's own account。

In the hall; he was instantly beset by Ethel and Mary; the former
exclaiming; 〃Papa; you are quite mistaken!  It was very foolish of
Margaret to be so frightened。  He did nothing at all to frighten any
one。〃

Ethel's mode of pleading was unfortunate; the 〃very foolish of
Margaret〃 were the very words to displease。

〃Do not interfere!〃 said her father sternly。  〃You only encourage him
in his wanton mischief; and no one takes any heed how he torments my
poor Margaret。〃

〃Papa;〃 cried Harry; passionately bursting open the study door;
〃tormenting Margaret was the last thing I would do!〃

〃That is not the way to speak; Harry。  What have you been doing?〃

With rapid agitated utterance; Harry made his confession。  At another
time the doctor would have treated the matter as a joke carried too
far; but which; while it called for censure; was very amusing; but
now the explanation that the disguise had been assumed to impose on
the Andersons; only added to his displeasure。

〃You seem to think you have a licence to play off any impertinent
freaks you please; without consideration for any one;〃 he said; 〃but
I tell you it is not so。  As long as you are under my roof; you shall
feel my authority; and you shall spend the rest of the day in your
room。  I hope quietness there will bring you to a better mind; but I
am disappointed in you。  A boy who can choose such a 

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