the daisy chain, or aspirations-第79章

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school　were　built。

The　invasion　of　Cocksmoor　was　not　only　interference　with　her　own
field　of　action；　but　it　was　dangerous　to　the　improvement　of　her
scholars。　　Since　the　departure　of　Mr。　Wilmot；　matters　at　Stoneborough
National　School　had　not　improved；　though　the　Misses　Anderson　talked　a
great　deal　about　progress；　science；　and　lectures。

The　Ladies'　Committee　were　constantly　at　war　with　the　mistresses；　and
that　one　was　a　veteran　who　endured　them；　or　whom　they　could　endure
beyond　her　first　half…year。　　No　mistress　had　stayed　a　year　within　the
memory　of　any　girl　now　at　school。　　Perpetual　change　prevented　any
real　education；　and；　as　each　lady　held　different　opinions　and
proscribed　all　books　not　agreeing　thereto；　everything　〃dogmatical〃
was　excluded；　and；　as　Ethel　said；　the　children　learned　nothing　but
facts　about　lions　and　steam…engines；　while　their　doctrine　varied　with
that　of　the　visitor　for　the　week。　　If　the　ten　generals　could　only
have　given　up　to　Miltiades；　but；　alas！　there　was　no　Miltiades。　　Mr。
Ramsden's　health　was　failing；　and　his　neglect　told　upon　the　parish　in
the　dreadful　evils　reigning　unchecked；　and　engulfing　many　a　child
whom　more　influential　teaching　might　have　saved。　　Mental　arithmetic；
and　the　rivers　of　Africa；　had　little　power　to　strengthen　the　soul
against　temptation。

The　scanty　attendance　at　the　National　School　attested　the
indifference　with　which　it　was　regarded；　and　the　borderers
voluntarily　patronised　Cherry　Elwood；　and　thus　had；　perhaps；　first
aroused　the　emulation　that　led　Mrs。　Ledwich　on　a　visit　of　inspection；
to　what　she　chose　to　consider　as　an　offshoot　of　the　National　School。

The　next　day　she　called　upon　the　Misses　May。　　It　was　well　that　Ethel
was　not　at　home。　　Margaret　received　the　lady's　horrors　at　the　sight
of　the　mere　crowded　cottage　kitchen；　the　stupid　untrained　mistress；
without　an　idea　of　method；　and　that　impertinent　woman；　her　mother！
Miss　Flora　and　Miss　Ethel　must　have　had　a　great　deal　to　undergo；　and
she　would　lose　no　time　in　convening　the　Ladies'　Committee；　and
appointing　a　successor　to　〃that　Elwood；〃　as　soon　as　a　fit　room　could
be　erected　for　her　use。　　If　Margaret　had　not　known　that　Mrs。　Ledwich
sometimes　threatened　more　than　she　could　accomplish；　she　would　have
been　in　despair。　　She　tried　to　say　a　good　word　for　Cherry；　but　was
talked　down；　and　had　reason　to　believe　that　Mrs。　Elwood　had　mortally
offended　Mrs。　Ledwich。

The　sisters　had　heard　the　other　side　of　the　story　at　Cocksmoor。　　Mrs。
Elwood　would　not　let　them　enter　the　school　till　she　had　heard　how
that　there　Mrs。　Ledwich　had　come　in；　and　treated　them　all　as　if　it
was　her　own　placehow　she　had　found　fault　with　Cherry　before　all　the
children；　and　as　good　as　said　she　was　not　fit　to　keep　a　school。　　She
had　even　laid　hands　on　one　of　the　books；　and　said　that　she　should
take　it　home；　and　see　whether　it　were　a　fit　one　for　them　to　use；
whereupon　Mrs。　Elwood　had　burst　out　in　defenceit　was　Miss　Ethel
May's　book；　and　should　not　be　taken　awayit　was　Miss　Ethel　as　she
looked　to；　and　when　it　seemed　that　Mrs。　Ledwich　had　said　something
disparaging　of　Miss　Ethel；　either　as　to　youth；　judgment；　or　doctrine；
Mrs。　Elwood　had　fired　up　into　a　declaration　that　〃Miss　Ethel　was　a
real　ladythat　she　was！　and　that　no　real　lady　would　ever　come　prying
into　other　folk's　work　and　finding　fault　with　what　wasn't　no　business
of　theirs；〃　with　more　of　a　personal　nature；　which　Flora　could　not
help　enjoying；　even　while　she　regretted　it。

Cherry　was　only　too　meek；　as　her　mother　declared。　　She　had　said　not　a
word；　except　in　quiet　reply；　and　being　equally　terrified　by　the
attack　and　defence；　had　probably　seemed　more　dull　than　was　her　wont。
Her　real　feelings　did　not　appear　till　the　next　Sunday；　when；　in　her
peaceful　conference　with　Margaret；　far　from　the　sound　of　storms；　she
expressed　that　she　well　knew　that　she　was　a　poor　scholar；　and　that
she　hoped　the　young　ladies　would　not　let　her　stand　in　the　children's
light；　when　a　better　teacher　could　be　found　for　them。

〃I　am　sure！〃　cried　Ethel；　as　she　heard　of　this；　〃it　would　be　hard　to
find　such　a　teacher　in　humility！　　Cherry　bears　it　so　much　better　than
I；　that　it　is　a　continual　reproof！〃

As　to　the　dullness；　against　which　Ethel　used　to　rail；　the　attacks
upon　it　had　made　her　erect　it　into　a　positive　merit；　she　was　always
comparing　the　truth；　honesty；　and　respectful　demeanour　of　Cherry's
scholars　with　the　notorious　faults　of　the　National　School　girls；　as
if　these　defects　had　been　implanted　either　by　Mrs。　Ledwich；　or　by
geography。　　It　must　be　confessed　that　the　violence　of　partisanship
did　not　make　her　a　pleasant　companion。

However；　the　interest　of　the　bazaar　began　somewhat　to　divert　the
current　of　the　ladies'　thoughts；　and　Ethel　found　herself　walking　day
after　day　to　Cocksmoor；　unmolested　by　further　reports　of　Mrs。
Ledwich's　proceedings。　　Richard　was　absent；　preparing　for　ordination；
but　Norman　had　just　returned　home　for　the　Long　Vacation；　and；　rather
than　lose　the　chance　of　a　conversation　with　her；　had　joined　her　and
Mary　in　a　walk　to　Cocksmoor。

His　talk　was　chiefly　of　Settlesham；　old　Mr。　Wilmot's　parish；　where　he
had　been　making　a　visit　to　his　former　tutor；　and　talking　over　the
removal　to　Eton　of　Tom；　who　had　well　responded　to　the　care　taken　of
him；　and　with　his　good　principles　confirmed；　and　his　character
strengthened；　might　be；　with　less　danger；　exposed　to　trial。

It　had　been　a　visit　such　as　to　leave　a　deep　impression　on　Norman's
mind。　　Sixty　years　ago；　old　Mr。　Wilmot　had　been　what　he　now　was
himselfan　enthusiastic　and　distinguished　Balliol　man；　and　he　had
kept　up　a　warm；　clear…sighted　interest　in　Oxford　throughout　his　long
life。　　His　anecdotes；　his　recollections；　and　comments　on　present
opinions　had　been　listened　to　with　great　eagerness；　and　Norman　had
felt　it　an　infinite　honour　to　give　the　venerable　old　man　his　arm；　as
to　be　shown　by　him　his　curious　collection　of　books。　　His　parish；
carefully　watched　for　so　many　years；　had　been　a　study　not　lost　upon
Norman；　who　detailed　particulars　of　the　doings　there；　which　made
Ethel　sigh　to　think　of　the　contrast　with　Stoneborough。　　In　such
conversation　they　came　to　the　entrance　of　the　hamlet；　and　Mary；　with
a　scream　of　joy；　declared　that　she　really　believed　that　he　was　going
to　help　them！　　He　did　not　turn　away。

〃Thank　you！〃　said　Ethel；　in　a　low　voice；　from　the　bottom　of　her
heart。

She　used　him　mercifully；　and　made　the　lessons　shorter　than　usual；　but
when　they　reached　the　open　air　again；　he　drew　a　long　breath；　and　when
Mary　eagerly　tried　for　a　compliment　to　their　scholars；　asked　if　they
could　not　be　taught　the　use　of　eyelids。

〃Did　they　stare？〃　said　Ethel。　　〃That's　one　advantage　of　being　blind。
No　one　can　stare　me　out　of　countenance。〃

〃Why　were　you　answering　all　your　questions　yourself？〃　asked　Mary。

〃Because　no　one　else　would；〃　said　Norman。

〃You　used　such　hard　words；〃　replied　Ethel。

〃Indeed！　I　thought　I　was　very　simple。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Mary；　〃there　were　derive；　and　instruction；　and　implicate；
andoh；　so　many。〃

〃Never　mind；〃　said　Ethel；　seeing　him　disconcerted。　　〃It　is　better　for
them　to　be　drawn　up；　and　you　will　soon　learn　their　language。　　If　we
only　had　Una　M'Carthy　here！〃

〃Then　you　don't　like　it？〃　said　Mary；　disappointed。

〃It　is　time　to　learn　not　to　be　fastidious；〃　he　answered。　　〃So；　if　you
will　help　me〃

〃Norman；　I　am　so　glad！〃　said　Ethel。

〃Yes；〃　said　Norman；　〃I　see　now　that　these　things　that　puff　us　up；　and
seem　the　whole　world　to　us　now；　all　end　in　nothing　but　such　as　this！
Think　of　old　Mr。　Wilmot；　once　carrying　all　before　him；　but　deeming
all　his　powers　well　bestowed　in　fifty　years'　teaching　of　clowns！〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Ethel；　very　low。　〃One　soul　is　worth〃　and　she　paused
from　the　fullness　of　thought。

〃And　these　things；　about　which　we　are　so　elated；　do　not　render　us　so
fit　to　teachas　you；　Mary；　or　as　Richard。〃

〃They　do；〃　said　Ethel。　　The　ten　talents　were　doubled。　　Strength　tells
in　power。　　The　more　learning；　the　fitter　to　teach　the　simplest
thing。〃

〃You　remind　me　of　old　Mr。　Wilmot　saying　that　the　first　thing　he
learned　at　his　parish　was；　how　little　his　people　knew；　the　second；
how　little　he　himself　knew。〃

So　Norman　persevered　in　the　homely　discipline　that　he　had　chosen　for
himself；　which　brought　out　his　deficiency　in　practical　work　in　a
manner　which　lowered　him　in　his　own　eyes；　to　a　degree　almost
satisfactory　to　himself。　　He　was　not；　indeed；　without　humility；　but
his　nature　was　self…contemplative　and　self…conscious　enough　to
perceive　his　superiority　of　talent；　and　it　had　been　the　struggle　of
his　life　to　abase　this　perception；　so　that　it　was　actually　a　relief
not　to　be　obliged　to　fight　with　his　own　complacency　in　his　powers。
He　had　learned　not　to　think　too　highly　of　himselfhe　had　yet　to
learn　to　〃think　soberly。〃　　His　aid　was　Ethel's　chief　pleasure　through
this　somewhat　trying　summer；　it　might　be　her　last　peaceful　one　at
Cocksmoor。

That　bazaar！　　How　wild　it　had　driven　the　whole　town；　and　even　her　own
home！

Margaret　herself；　between　good　nature　and　feminine　love　of　pretty
things；　had　become　ardent　in　the　cause。　　In　her　unvaried　life；　it　was
a　great　amusement　to　have　so　many　bright　elegant　things　exhibited　to
her；　and　Ethel　was　often　mortified　to　find　her　excited　about　some　new
device；　or　drawn　off　from　〃rational　employments；〃　to　complete　some
trifle。

Mary　and　Blanche　were　far　worse。　　From　the　time　that　consent　had　been
given　to　the　fancy…work　being　carried　on　in　the　schoolroom；　all
interest　in　study　was　over。　　Thenceforth；　lessons　were　a　necessary
form；　gone　through　without　heart　or　diligence。　　These　were　reserved
for　paste…board　boxes；　beplastered　with　rice　and　sealing…wax；　for
alum　baskets；　dressed　dolls；　and　every　conceivable　trumpery；　and　the
governess　was　as　eager　as　the　scholars。

If　Ethel　remonstrated；　she　hurt　Miss　Bracy's　feelings；　and　this　was　a
very　serious　matter　to　both　parties。

The　governess　was　one　of　those　morbidly　sensitive　people；　who　cannot
be　stopped　when　once　they　have　begun　arguing　that　they　are　injured。
Two　women　together；　each　with　the　last…word　instinct；　have　no　power
to　cease；　and；　when　the　words　are　spent　in　explainingnot　in
scoldingconscience　is　not　called　in　to　silence　them；　and　nothing
but　dinner　or　a　thunder…storm　can　check　them。　　All　Ethel's　good　sense
was　of　no　avail；　she　could　not　stop　Miss　Bracy；　and；　though　she　might
resolve　within　herself　that　real　kindness　would　be　to　make　one
reasonable　reply；　and　then　quit　the　subject；　yet；　on　each　individual
occasion；　such　a　measure　would　have　seemed　mere　impatience　and
cruelty。　　She　found　that　if　Miss　Winter　had　been　too　dry；　Miss　Bracy
went　to　the　other　extreme；　and　demanded　a　manifestation　of　sympathy；
and　return　to　her　passionate　attachment　that　perplexed　Ethel's
undemonstrative　nature。　　Poor　good　Miss　Bracy；　she　little　imagined
how　often　she　added　to　the　worries　of　her　dear　Miss　Ethel；　all　for
want　of　self…command。

Finally；　as　the　lessons　were　less　and　less　attended　to；　and　the　needs
of　the　stall　became　more　urgent；　Dr。　May　and　Margaret　concurred　in　a
decision；　that　it　was　better　to　yield　to　the　mania；　and　give　up　the
studies　till　they　could　be　pursued　with　a　willing　mind。

Ethel　submitted；　and　only　lau