the daisy chain, or aspirations-第75章

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〃I　see；　I　see！〃　said　Norman；　carried　along　by　the　indignation　and
tenderness　that　agitated　his　father's　voice　in　his　vehemence〃it　is
the　only　thing　to　be　done。〃

〃It　would　be　sharing　the　guilt　to　hide　it；〃　said　Dr。　May。

〃Very　well；〃　said　Norman；　still　reluctantly。　　〃What　do　you　wish　me　to
do？　　You　see；　as　dux；　I　know　nothing　about　it。　　It　happened　while　I
was　away。〃

〃True；　true；〃　said　his　father。　　〃You　have　learned　it　as　brother；　not
as　senior　boy。　　Yes；　we　had　better　have　you　out　of　the　matter。　　It　is
I　who　complain　of　their　usage　of　my　son。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Norman；　with　gratitude。

〃You　have　not　told　me　the　names　of　these　fellows！　　No；　I　had　best　not
know　them。〃

〃I　think　it　might　make　a　difference；〃　hesitated　Norman。

〃No；　no；　I　will　not　hear　them。　　It　ought　to　make　none。　　The　fact　is
the　same；　be　they　who　they　may。〃

The　doctor　let　himself　out　at　the　garden　gate；　and　strode　off　at　a
rapid　pace；　conscious　perhaps；　in　secret；　that　if　he　did　not　at　once
yield　to　the　impulse　of　resentment；　good　nature　would　overpower　the
sense　of　justice。　　His　son　returned　to　the　house　with　a　heavy　sigh；
yet　honouring　the　generosity　that　had　respected　his　scruples；　when
merely　his　own　worldly　loss　was　involved；　but　set　them　aside　when　the
good　of　others　was　concerned。　　By…and…by　Dr。　May　reappeared。　　The
head…master　had　been　thoroughly　roused　to　anger；　and　had　begged　at
once　to　examine　May　junior；　for　whom　his　father　was　now　come。

Tom　was　quite　unprepared　for　such　formidable　consequences　of　his
confession；　and　began　by　piteous　tears　and　sobs；　and　when　these　had；
with　some　difficulty；　been　pacified；　he　proved　to　be　really　so　unwell
and　exhausted；　that　his　father　could　not　take　him　to　Minster　Street；
and　was　obliged　to　leave　him　to　his　brother's　keeping；　while　he
returned　to　the　school。

Upon　this；　Dr。　Hoxton　came　himself；　and　the　sisters　were　extremely
excited　and　alarmed　by　the　intelligence　that　he　was　in　the　study　with
papa　and　Tom。

Then　away　went　the　gentlemen；　and　Mary　was　again　called　to　comfort
Tom；　who；　broken　down　into　the　mere　longing　for　sympathy；　sobbed　out
all　his　troubles　to　her；　while　her　eyes　expanded　more　and　more　in
horror；　and　her　soft　heart　giving　way；　she　cried　quite　as　pitifully；
and　a　great　deal　more　loudly；　and　so　the　other　sisters　learned　the
whole；　and　Margaret　was　ready　for　her　father　when　he　came　in；　in　the
evening；　harassed　and　sorrowful。　　His　anger　was　all　gone　now；　and　he
was　excessively　grieved　at　finding　that　the　ringleaders；　Samuel
Axworthy　and　Edward　Anderson；　could；　in　Dr。　Hoxton's　opinion；　receive
no　sentence　but　expulsion；　which　was　to　be　pronounced　on　them　on
Monday。

Sam　Axworthy　was　the　son　of　a　low；　uneducated　man；　and　his　best
chance　had　been　the　going　to　this　school；　but　he　was　of　a　surly；
obstinate　temper；　and　showed　so　little　compunction；　that　even　such
superabundant　kindness　as　Dr。　May's　could　not　find　compassion　for
him；　especially　since　it　had　appeared　that　Tom　had　been　by　no　means
the　only　victim；　and　that　he　had　often　been　the　promoter　of　the　like
malpractices；　which　many　boys　were　relieved　to　be　forced　to　expose。

For　Edward　Anderson；　however；　or　rather　for　his　mother；　Dr。　May　was
very　sorry；　and　had　even　interceded　for　his　pardon；　but　Dr。　Hoxton；
though　slow　to　be　roused；　was　far　less　placable　than　the　other
doctor；　and　would　not　hear　of　anything　but　the　most　rigorous　justice。

〃Poor　Mrs。　Anderson；　with　her　pride　in　her　children！〃　Flora　spoke　it
with　a　shade　of　contemptuous　pity；　but　it　made　her　father　groan。

〃I　shall　never　be　able　to　look　in　her　face　again！　　I　shall　never　see
that　boy　without　feeling　that　I　have　ruined　him！〃

〃He　needed　nobody　to　do　that　for　him；〃　said　Flora。

〃With　every　disadvantage！〃　continued　Dr。　May；　〃unable　even　to
remember　his　father！　　Why　could　I　not　be　more　patient　and
forbearing？〃

〃Oh；　papa！〃　was　the　general　cryNorman's　voice　giving　decision　to
the　sisters'　exclamation。

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Margaret；　〃the　shock　may　be　the　best　thing　for　him。〃

〃Right；　Margaret；〃　said　her　father。　　〃Sometimes　such　a　thing　is　the
first　that　shows　what　a　course　of　evil　really　is。〃

〃They　are　an　affectionate　family　too；〃　said　Margaret；　〃and　his
mother's　grief　may　have　an　effect　on　him。〃

〃If　she　does　not　treat　him　as　an　injured　hero；〃　said　Flora；　besides；
I　see　no　reason　for　regret。　　These　are　but　two；　and　the　school　is　not
to　be　sacrificed　to　them。〃

〃Yes；　〃said　Norman；　〃I　believe　that　Ashe　will　be　able　to　keep　much
better　order　without　Axworthy。　　It　is　much　better　as　it　is；　but　Harry
will　be　very　sorry　to　hear　it；　and　I　wish　this　half　was　over。〃

Poor　Mrs。　Anderson！　her　shower　of　notes　rent　the　heart　of　the　one
doctor；　but　were　tossed　carelessly　aside　by　the　other。　　On　that
Sunday；　Norman　held　various　conversations　with　his　probable
successor；　Ashe；　a　gentle；　well…disposed　boy；　hitherto　in　much　dread
of　the　post　of　authority；　but　owning　that；　in　Axworthy's　absence；　the
task　would　be　comparatively　easy；　and　that　Anderson　would　probably
originate　far　less　mischief。

Edward　Anderson　himself　fell　in　Norman's　way　in　the　street；　and　was
shrinking　aside；　when　a　word；　of　not　unfriendly　greeting；　caused　him
to　quicken　his　steps；　and　say；　hesitatingly；　〃I　say；　how　is　August？〃

〃Better；　thank　you；　he　will　be　all　right　in　a　day　or　two。〃

〃I　say；　we　would　not　have　bullied　him　so；　if　he　had　not　been　in　such
a　fright　at　nothing。〃

〃I　dare　say　not。〃

〃I　did　not　mean　it　all；　but　that　sort　of　thing　makes　a　fellow　go　on；〃
continued　Edward；　hanging　down　his　head；　very　sorrowful　and　downcast。

〃If　it　had　only　been　fair　bullying；　but　to　take　him　to　that　placeto
teach　him　falsehood〃said　Norman。

Edward's　eyes　were　full　of　tears；　he　almost　owned　the　whole。　　He　had
not　thought　of　such　things；　and　then　Axworthy　It　was　more　evident
from　manner　than　words　that　the　boy　did　repent　and　was　greatly
overcome；　both　by　his　own　disgrace　and　his　mother's　distress；　wishing
earnestly　to　redeem　his　character；　and　declaring；　from　the　bottom　of
his　heart；　that　he　would　avoid　his　former　offences。　　He　was
emboldened　at　last　to　say；　with　hesitation；　〃Could　not　you　speak　to
Dr。　Hoxton　for　me？〃

〃My　father　has　said　all　he　could　in　your　behalf。〃

Edward's　eye　glanced　towards　Norman　in　wonder；　as　he　recollected　that
the　Mays　must　know　that　a　word　from　him　would　have　saved　Norman　from
unjust　punishment　and　the　loss　of　the　scholarship；　and　he　said；
〃Good…night；〃　and　turned　aside　to　his　own　home；　with　a　heavy　sigh。

Norman　took　another　turn；　looked　up　at　the　sky；　twisted　his　hands
together　in　perplexity；　mumbled　something　about　hating　to　do　a　thing
when　it　was　all　for　no　use；　and　then　marched　off　towards　Minster
Street；　with　a　pace　like　his　father's　the　day　before。

When　he　came　forth　again　from　Dr。　Hoxton's　study；　he　did　not　believe
that　his　intercession　had　produced　the　least　effect；　and　there　was　a
sense　of　vexation　at　the　position　which　he　had　assumed。　　He　went
home；　and　said　nothing　on　the　subject；　but　when；　on　Monday；　the
school　was　assembled；　and　the　judgment　announced；　it　was　Axworthy
alone　whose　friends　had　been　advised　to　remove　him。

Anderson　received　a　severe　punishment；　as　did　all　those　who　had
shared　in　the　revel　at　the　Green　Man。　　Even　Tom；　and　another　little
boy；　who　had　been　likewise　drawn　in；　were　obliged　to　stay　within
narrow　bounds；　and　to　learn　heavy　impositions；　and　a　stern　reprimand
and　exhortation　were　given　to　the　school　collectively。　　Anderson；　who
had　seen　from　the　window　that　turn　towards　Minster　Street；　drew　his
own　conclusions；　and　was　not　insensible　to　the　generosity　that　had
surpassed　his　hopes；　though　to　his　faltering　attempt　at　thanks；
Norman　replied　that　he　did　not　believe　it　was　owing　to　him；　and　never
exposed　himself　to　Flora's　wonder　by　declaring　at　home　what　he　had
done。

So　the　last　weeks　of　the　half…year　passed　away　with　the　boys　in　a
subdued；　but　hopeful　manner；　and　the　reformation；　under　Norman's
auspices；　progressed　so　well；　that　Ashe　might　fairly　expect　to　reap
the　benefit　of　the　discipline；　established　at　so　much　cost。

Mr。　Wilmot　had　looked　on；　and　given　his　help；　but　he　was　preparing　to
leave　Stoneborough；　and　there　was　great　concern　at　the　parting　with
such　a　friend。　　Ethel；　especially；　mourned　the　loss　to　Cocksmoor；
and；　for　though　hers　had　been　the　executive　part；　his　had　been　the
head；　and　he　was　almost　equally　grieved　to　go　from　the　newly…begun
work。

Margaret　lamented　the　loss　of　her　kind　counsellor；　and　the　ready
hearer　of　her　anxieties　for　the　children。　　Writing　could　ill　supply
the　place　of　their　conversations；　and　she　feared　likewise　that　her
father　would　feel　the　want　of　his　companionship。　　The　promise　of
visits；　and　the　intercourse　kept　up　by　Tom's　passing　to　and　fro；　was
the　best　consolation。

Poor　Margaret　had　begun　to　flag；　both　in　strength　and　spirits；　as
winter　approached；　but　there　came　a　revival　in　the　shape　of　〃Ship
Letters！〃　　Alan　wrote　cheerfully　and　graphically；　with　excellent
accounts　of　Harry；　who；　on　his　side；　sent　very　joyous　and
characteristic　despatches；　only　wishing　that　he　could　present　Mary
with　all　the　monkeys　and　parrots　he　had　seen　at　Rio；　as　well　as　the
little　ruby…crested　humming…birds；　that　always　reminded　him　of　Miss
Rivers。

With　the　Christmas　holidays；　Hector　Ernescliffe　came　from　Eton；　as　to
a　home；　and　was　received　by　Margaret　as　a　sort　of　especial　charge。
It　was　pretty　to　see　how　he　turned　to　her　as　something　peculiarly　his
own；　and　would　sit　on　a　footstool　by　her；　letting　himself　be　drawn
into　confidence；　and　dwelling　on　his　brother's　past　doings；　and　on
future　schemes　for　Maplewood。　　For　the　rest；　he　restored　to　the　house
the　atmosphere　of　boy；　which　had　somewhat　departed　with　Harry。　　Mary；
who　had　begun　to　be　tamed　down；　ran　more　wild　than　ever；　to　the　utter
despair　of　Miss　Winter；　and　Tom；　now　that　his　connection　with　the
Whichcote　foundation　was　over；　and　he　was　no　more　cowed　by　the　sight
of　his　tyrants；　came　out　in　a　new　light。　　He　put　on　his　boy…nature；
rioted　like　the　rest；　acquired　colour　in　his　cheeks；　divested　his
jacket　of　perpetual　dust；　had　his　hair　cut；　brushed　up　a　crest　on　his
head；　and　ran　about　no　longer　a　little　abject；　but　a　merry　lad。

Ethel　said　it　was　a　change　from　Horrid…locks　to　Harfagre；　Margaret
said　little；　but；　like　her　father；　she　blessed　Norman　in　her　heart
for　having　given　back　the　boy　to　his　father's　confidence；　and　saved
him　so　far　from　the　terrible　course　of　deceit　and　corruption。　　She
could　not　much　take　to　heart　the　mad　exploits　of　the　so…called　boys；
even　though　she　spent　three　hours　in　heart…beatings　on　Christmas　Eve；
when　Hector；　Mary；　Tom；　Blanche；　and　the　dog　Toby；　were　lost　the
whole　day。　　However；　they　did　come　back　at　six　o'clock；　having　been
deluded　by　an　old　myth　of　George　Larkins；　into　starting　for　a　common；
three　miles　beyond　Cocksmoor；　in　search　of　mistletoe；　with　scarlet
berries；　and　yellow　holly；　with　leaves　like　a　porcupine！　　Failing
these　wonders；　they　had　been　contenting　themselves　with　scarlet
holly；　in　the　Drydale　plantations；　when　a　rough　voice　exclaimed；　〃Who
gave　you　leave　to　take　that？〃　whereupon　Tom　had　plunged　into　a
thicket；　and　nearly　〃scratched　out　both　his　eyes〃；　but　Hector