The
Daisy
Chain
;
or
,
Aspirations
.
A
Family
Chronicle
.
By
the
author
of
The
Heir
of
Redclyffe
,
etc.
'
To
the
highest
room
,
Earth
's
lowliest
flowers
our
Lord
receives
:
Close
to
His
heart
a
place
He
gives
,
Where
they
shall
ever
bloom
.
'
In
two
volumes
.
NEW
YORK
:
D.APPLETON
AND
COMPANY
,
549
+
551
BROADWAY
.
1871
PREFACE
.
No
one
can
be
more
sensible
than
is
the
Author
that
the
present
is
an
overgrown
book
of
a
nondescript
class
,
neither
the
"
tale
"
for
the
young
,
nor
the
novel
for
their
elders
,
but
a
mixture
of
both
.
Begun
as
a
series
of
conversational
sketches
,
the
story
outran
both
the
original
intention
and
the
limits
of
the
periodical
in
which
it
was
commenced
;
and
,
such
as
it
has
become
,
it
is
here
presented
to
those
who
have
already
made
acquaintance
with
the
May
family
,
and
may
be
willing
to
see
more
of
them
.
It
would
beg
to
be
considered
merely
as
what
it
calls
itself
,
a
Family
Chronicle
—
a
domestic
record
of
home
events
,
large
and
small
,
during
those
years
of
early
life
when
the
character
is
chiefly
formed
,
and
as
an
endeavour
to
trace
the
effects
of
those
aspirations
which
are
a
part
of
every
youthful
nature
.
That
the
young
should
take
one
hint
,
to
think
whether
their
hopes
and
upward-breathings
are
truly
upwards
,
and
founded
in
lowliness
,
may
be
called
the
moral
of
the
tale
.
For
those
who
may
deem
the
story
too
long
,
and
the
characters
too
numerous
,
the
Author
can
only
beg
their
pardon
for
any
tedium
that
they
may
have
undergone
before
giving
it
up
.
Feb.
22ND
,
1856.
PART
I
.
CHAPTER
I
.
'
Si
douce
est
la
Marguerite
'
—
Chaucer
.
'
Miss
Winter
,
are
you
busy
?
Do
you
want
this
afternoon
?
Can
you
take
a
good
long
walk
?
'
'
Ethel
,
my
dear
,
how
often
have
I
told
you
of
your
impetuosity
—
you
have
forgotten
.
'
'
Very
well
'
—
with
an
impatient
twist
—
'
I
beg
your
pardon
.
Good
morning
,
Miss
Winter
,
'
said
a
thin
,
lank
,
angular
,
sallow
girl
,
just
fifteen
,
trembling
from
head
to
foot
with
restrained
eagerness
,
as
she
tried
to
curb
her
tone
into
the
requisite
civility
.
'
Good
morning
,
Ethel
,
good
morning
,
Flora
,
'
said
the
prim
,
middle-aged
,
daily
governess
,
taking
off
her
bonnet
,
and
arranging
the
stiff
little
rolls
of
curl
at
the
long
,
narrow
looking-glass
,
the
border
of
which
distorted
the
countenance
.
'
Good
morning
,
'
properly
responded
Flora
,
a
pretty
,
fair
girl
,
nearly
two
years
older
than
her
sister
.
'
Will
you
—
'
began
to
burst
from
Etheldred
's
lips
again
,
but
was
stifled
by
Miss
Winter
's
inquiry
,
'
Is
your
mamma
pretty
well
to-day
?
'
'
Oh
!
very
well
,
'
said
both
at
once
;
'
she
is
coming
to
the
reading
.
'
And
Flora
added
,
'
Papa
is
going
to
drive
her
out
to-day
.
'
'
I
am
very
glad
.
And
the
baby
?
'
'
I
do
believe
she
does
it
on
purpose
!
'
whispered
Ethel
to
herself
,
wriggling
fearfully
on
the
wide
window-seat
on
which
she
had
precipitated
herself
,
and
kicking
at
the
bar
of
the
table
,
by
which
manifestation
she
of
course
succeeded
in
deferring
her
hopes
,
by
a
reproof
which
caused
her
to
draw
herself
into
a
rigid
,
melancholy
attitude
,
a
sort
of
penance
of
decorum
,
but
a
rapid
motion
of
the
eyelids
,
a
tendency
to
crack
the
joints
of
the
fingers
,
and
an
unquietness
at
the
ends
of
her
shoes
,
betraying
the
restlessness
of
the
digits
therein
contained
.
It
was
such
a
room
as
is
often
to
be
found
in
old
country
town
houses
,
the
two
large
windows
looking
out
on
a
broad
old-fashioned
street
,
through
heavy
framework
,
and
panes
of
glass
scratched
with
various
names
and
initials
.
The
walls
were
painted
blue
,
the
skirting
almost
a
third
of
the
height
,
and
so
wide
at
the
top
as
to
form
a
narrow
shelf
.
The
fire-place
,
constructed
in
the
days
when
fires
were
made
to
give
as
little
heat
as
possible
,
was
ornamented
with
blue
and
white
Dutch
tiles
bearing
marvellous
representations
of
Scripture
history
,
and
was
protected
by
a
very
tall
green
guard
;
the
chairs
were
much
of
the
same
date
,
solid
and
heavy
,
the
seats
in
faded
carpet-work
,
but
there
was
a
sprinkling
of
lesser
ones
and
of
stools
;
a
piano
;
a
globe
;
a
large
table
in
the
middle
of
the
room
,
with
three
desks
on
it
;
a
small
one
,
and
a
light
cane
chair
by
each
window
;
and
loaded
book-cases
.
Flora
began
,
'
If
you
do
n't
want
this
afternoon
to
yourself
—
'
Ethel
was
on
her
feet
,
and
open-mouthed
.
'
O
,
Miss
Winter
!
if
you
would
be
so
kind
as
to
walk
to
Cocksmoor
with
us
.
'
'
To
Cocksmoor
,
my
dear
!
'
exclaimed
the
governess
in
dismay
.
'
Yes
,
yes
,
but
hear
,
'
cried
Ethel
.
'
It
is
not
for
nothing
.
Yesterday
—
'
'
No
,
the
day
before
,
'
interposed
Flora
.
'
There
was
a
poor
man
brought
into
the
hospital
.
He
had
been
terribly
hurt
in
the
quarry
,
and
papa
says
he
'll
die
.
He
was
in
great
distress
,
for
his
wife
has
just
got
twins
,
and
there
were
lots
of
children
before
.
They
want
everything
—
food
and
clothes
—
and
we
want
to
walk
and
take
it
.
'
'
We
had
a
collection
of
clothes
ready
,
luckily
,
'
said
Flora
;
'
and
we
have
a
blanket
,
and
some
tea
and
some
arrowroot
,
and
a
bit
of
bacon
,
and
mamma
says
she
does
not
think
it
too
far
for
us
to
walk
,
if
you
will
be
so
kind
as
to
go
with
us
.
'
Miss
Winter
looked
perplexed
.
'
How
could
you
carry
the
blanket
,
my
dear
?
'
'
O
,
we
have
settled
that
,
'
said
Ethel
,
'
we
mean
to
make
the
donkey
a
sumpter-mule
,
so
,
if
you
are
tired
,
you
may
ride
home
on
her
.
'
'
But
,
my
dear
,
has
your
mamma
considered
?
They
are
such
a
set
of
wild
people
at
Cocksmoor
;
I
do
n't
think
we
could
walk
there
alone
.
'
'
It
is
Saturday
,
'
said
Ethel
,
'
we
can
get
the
boys
.
'
'
If
you
would
reflect
a
little
!
They
would
be
no
protection
.
Harry
would
be
getting
into
scrapes
,
and
you
and
Mary
running
wild
.
'
'
I
wish
Richard
was
at
home
!
'
said
Flora
.
'
I
know
!
'
cried
Ethel
.
'
Mr
.
Ernescliffe
will
come
.
I
am
sure
he
can
walk
so
far
now
.
I
'll
ask
him
.
'
Ethel
had
clapped
after
her
the
heavy
door
with
its
shining
brass
lock
,
before
Miss
Winter
well
knew
what
she
was
about
,
and
the
governess
seemed
annoyed
.
'
Ethel
does
not
consider
,
'
said
she
.
'
I
do
n't
think
your
mamma
will
be
pleased
.
'
'
Why
not
?
'
said
Flora
.
'
My
dear
—
a
gentleman
walking
with
you
,
especially
if
Margaret
is
going
.
'
'
I
do
n't
think
he
is
strong
enough
,
'
said
Flora
;
but
I
ca
n't
think
why
there
should
be
any
harm
.
Papa
took
us
all
out
walking
with
him
yesterday
—
little
Aubrey
and
all
,
and
Mr.
Ernescliffe
went
.
'
'
But
,
my
dear
—
'
She
was
interrupted
by
the
entrance
of
a
fine
tall
blooming
girl
of
eighteen
,
holding
in
her
hand
a
pretty
little
maid
of
five
.
'
Good
morning
,
Miss
Winter
.
I
suppose
Flora
has
told
you
the
request
we
have
to
make
to
you
?
'
'
Yes
,
my
dear
Margaret
,
but
did
your
mamma
consider
what
a
lawless
place
Cocksmoor
is
?
'
'
That
was
the
doubt
,
'
said
Margaret
,
but
papa
said
he
would
answer
for
it
nothing
would
happen
to
us
,
and
mamma
said
if
you
would
be
so
kind
.
'
'
It
is
unlucky
,
'
began
the
governess
,
but
stopped
at
the
incursion
of
some
new
comers
,
nearly
tumbling
over
each
other
,
Ethel
at
the
head
of
them
.
'
Oh
!
Harry
!
'
as
the
gathers
of
her
frock
gave
way
in
the
rude
grasp
of
a
twelve-years-old
boy
.
'
Miss
Winter
,
'
tis
all
right
—
Mr.
Ernescliffe
says
he
is
quite
up
to
the
walk
,
and
will
like
it
very
much
,
and
he
will
undertake
to
defend
you
from
the
quarrymen
.
'
'
Is
Miss
Winter
afraid
of
the
quarrymen
?
'
hallooed
Harry
.
'
Shall
I
take
a
club
?
'
'
I
'll
take
my
gun
and
shoot
them
,
'
valiantly
exclaimed
.
Tom
;
and
while
threats
were
passing
among
the
boys
,
Margaret
asked
,
in
a
low
voice
,
'
Did
you
ask
him
to
come
with
us
?
'
'
Yes
,
he
said
he
should
like
it
of
all
things
.
Papa
was
there
,
and
said
it
was
not
too
far
for
him
—
besides
,
there
's
the
donkey
.
Papa
says
it
,
so
we
must
go
,
Miss
Winter
.
'
Miss
Winter
glanced
unutterable
things
at
Margaret
,
and
Ethel
began
to
perceive
she
had
done
something
wrong
.
Flora
was
going
to
speak
,
when
Margaret
,
trying
to
appear
unconscious
of
a
certain
deepening
colour
in
her
own
cheeks
,
pressed
a
hand
on
her
shoulder
,
and
whispering
,
'
I
'll
see
about
it
.
Do
n't
say
any
more
,
please
,
'
glided
out
of
the
room
.
'
What
's
in
the
wind
?
'
said
Harry
.
'
Are
many
of
your
reefs
out
there
,
Ethel
?
'
'
Harry
can
talk
nothing
but
sailors
'
language
,
'
said
Flora
,
'
and
I
am
sure
he
did
not
learn
that
of
Mr.
Ernescliffe
.
You
never
hear
slang
from
him
.
'
'
But
are
n't
we
going
to
Cocksmoor
?
'
asked
Mary
,
a
blunt
downright
right
girl
of
ten
.
'
We
shall
know
soon
,
'
said
Ethel
.
'
I
suppose
I
had
better
wait
till
after
the
reading
to
mend
that
horrid
frock
?
'
'
I
think
so
,
since
we
are
so
nearly
collected
,
'
said
Miss
Winter
;
and
Ethel
,
seating
herself
on
the
corner
of
the
window-seat
,
with
one
leg
doubled
under
her
,
took
up
a
Shakespeare
,
holding
it
close
to
her
eyes
,
and
her
brother
Norman
,
who
,
in
age
,
came
between
her
and
Flora
,
kneeling
on
one
knee
on
the
window-seat
,
and
supporting
himself
with
one
arm
against
the
shutter
,
leant
over
her
,
reading
it
too
,
disregarding
a
tumultuous
skirmish
going
on
in
that
division
of
the
family
collectively
termed
'
the
boys
,
'
namely
,
Harry
,
Mary
,
and
Tom
,
until
Tom
was
suddenly
pushed
down
,
and
tumbled
over
into
Ethel
's
lap
,
thereby
upsetting
her
and
Norman
together
,
and
there
was
a
general
downfall
,
and
a
loud
scream
,
'
The
sphynx
!
'
'
You
've
crushed
it
,
'
cried
Harry
,
dealing
out
thumps
indiscriminately
.
'
No
,
here
'
tis
,
'
said
Mary
,
rushing
among
them
,
and
bringing
out
a
green
sphynx
caterpillar
,
on
her
finger
—
'
tis
not
hurt
.
'
'
Pax
!
Pax
!
'
cried
Norman
,
over
all
,
with
the
voice
of
an
authority
,
as
he
leapt
up
lightly
and
set
Tom
on
his
legs
again
.
'
Harry
!
you
had
better
do
that
again
,
'
he
added
,
warningly
.
'
Be
off
,
out
of
this
window
,
and
let
Ethel
and
me
read
in
peace
.
'
'
Here
's
the
place
,
'
said
Ethel
—
'
Crispin
,
Crispian
's
day
.
How
I
do
like
Henry
V
.
'
'
It
is
no
use
to
try
to
keep
those
boys
in
order
!
'
sighed
Miss
Winter
.
'
Saturnalia
,
as
papa
calls
Saturday
,
'
replied
Flora
.
'
Is
not
your
eldest
brother
coming
home
to-day
?
'
said
Miss
Winter
,
in
a
low
voice
to
Flora
,
who
shook
her
head
,
and
said
,
confidentially
,
'
He
is
not
coming
till
he
has
passed
that
examination
.
He
thinks
it
better
not
.
'
Here
entered
,
with
a
baby
in
her
arms
,
a
lady
with
a
beautiful
countenance
of
calm
sweetness
,
looking
almost
too
young
to
be
the
mother
of
the
tall
Margaret
,
who
followed
her
.
There
was
a
general
hush
as
she
greeted
Miss
Winter
,
the
girls
crowding
round
to
look
at
their
little
sister
,
not
quite
six
weeks
old
.
'
Now
,
Margaret
,
will
you
take
her
up
to
the
nursery
?
'
said
the
mother
,
while
the
impatient
speech
was
repeated
,
'
Mamma
,
can
we
go
to
Cocksmoor
?
'
'
You
do
n't
think
it
will
be
too
far
for
you
?
'
said
the
mother
to
Miss
Winter
,
as
Margaret
departed
.
'
O
no
,
not
at
all
,
thank
you
,
that
was
not
—
But
Margaret
has
explained
.
'
'
Yes
,
poor
Margaret
,
'
said
Mrs.
May
,
smiling
.
'
She
has
settled
it
by
choosing
to
stay
at
home
with
me
.
It
is
no
matter
for
the
others
,
and
he
is
going
on
Monday
,
so
that
it
will
not
happen
again
.
'
'
Margaret
has
behaved
very
well
,
'
said
Miss
Winter
.
'
She
has
indeed
,
'
said
her
mother
,
smiling
.
'
Well
,
Harry
,
how
is
the
caterpillar
?
'
'
They
've
just
capsized
it
,
mamma
,
'
answered
Harry
,
'
and
Mary
is
making
all
taut
.
'
Mrs.
May
laughed
,
and
proceeded
to
advise
Ethel
and
Norman
to
put
away
Henry
V.
,
and
find
the
places
in
their
Bibles
,
'
or
you
will
have
the
things
mixed
together
in
your
heads
,
'
said
she
.
In
the
meantime
Margaret
,
with
the
little
babe
,
to-morrow
to
be
her
godchild
,
lying
gently
in
her
arms
,
came
out
into
the
matted
hall
,
and
began
to
mount
the
broad
shallow-stepped
stair-case
,
protected
by
low
stout
balusters
,
with
a
very
thick
flat
and
solid
mahogany
hand-rail
,
polished
by
the
boys
'
constant
riding
up
and
down
upon
it
.
She
was
only
on
the
first
step
,
when
the
dining-room
door
opened
,
and
there
came
out
a
young
man
,
slight
,
and
delicate-looking
,
with
bright
blue
eyes
,
and
thickly-curling
light
hair
.
'
Acting
nurse
?
'
he
said
,
smiling
.
'
What
an
odd
little
face
it
is
!
I
did
n't
think
little
white
babies
were
so
pretty
!
Well
,
I
shall
always
consider
myself
as
the
real
godfather
—
the
other
is
all
a
sham
.
'
I
think
so
,
'
said
Margaret
,
'
but
I
must
not
stand
with
her
in
a
draught
,
'
and
on
she
went
,
while
he
called
after
her
.
'
So
we
are
to
have
an
expedition
to-day
.
'
She
did
not
gainsay
it
,
but
there
was
a
little
sigh
of
disappointment
,
and
when
she
was
out
of
hearing
,
she
whispered
,
'
Oh
!
lucky
baby
,
to
have
so
many
years
to
come
before
you
are
plagued
with
troublesome
propriety
!
'
Then
depositing
her
little
charge
with
the
nurse
,
and
trying
to
cheer
up
a
solemn-looking
boy
of
three
,
who
evidently
considered
his
deposition
from
babyhood
as
a
great
injury
,
she
tripped
lightly
down
again
,
to
take
part
in
the
Saturday
's
reading
and
catechising
.
It
was
pleasant
to
see
that
large
family
in
the
hush
and
reverence
of
such
teaching
,
the
mother
's
gentle
power
preventing
the
outbreaks
of
restlessness
to
which
even
at
such
times
the
wild
young
spirits
were
liable
.
Margaret
and
Miss
Winter
especially
rejoiced
in
it
on
this
occasion
,
the
first
since
the
birth
of
the
baby
,
that
she
had
been
able
to
preside
.
Under
her
,
though
seemingly
without
her
taking
any
trouble
,
there
was
none
of
the
smothered
laughing
at
the
little
ones
'
mistakes
,
the
fidgetting
of
the
boys
,
or
Harry
's
audacious
impertinence
to
Miss
Winter
;
and
no
less
glad
was
Harry
to
have
his
mother
there
,
and
be
guarded
from
himself
.
The
Catechism
was
repeated
,
and
a
comment
on
the
Sunday
Services
read
aloud
.
The
Gospel
was
that
on
the
taking
the
lowest
place
,
and
when
they
had
finished
,
Ethel
said
,
'
I
like
the
verse
which
explains
that
:
"
They
who
now
sit
lowest
here
,
When
their
Master
shall
appear
,
He
shall
bid
them
higher
rise
,
And
be
highest
in
the
skies
.
"
'
I
did
not
think
of
that
being
the
meaning
of
"
when
He
that
bade
thee
cometh
,
"
'
said
Norman
,
thoughtfully
.
'
It
seemed
to
be
only
our
worldly
advantage
that
was
meant
before
,
'
said
Ethel
.
'
Well
,
it
means
that
too
,
'
said
Flora
.
'
I
suppose
it
does
,
'
said
Mrs.
May
;
'
but
the
higher
sense
is
the
one
chiefly
to
be
dwelt
on
.
It
is
a
lesson
how
those
least
known
and
regarded
here
,
and
humblest
in
their
own
eyes
,
shall
be
the
highest
hereafter
.
'
And
Margaret
looked
earnestly
at
her
mother
,
but
did
not
speak
.
'
May
we
go
,
mamma
?
'
said
Mary
.
'
Yes
,
you
three
—
all
of
you
,
indeed
,
unless
you
wish
to
say
any
more
.
'
The
'
boys
'
availed
themselves
of
the
permission
.
Norman
tarried
to
put
his
books
into
a
neat
leather
case
,
and
Ethel
stood
thinking
.
'
It
means
altogether
—
it
is
a
lesson
against
ambition
,
'
said
she
.
'
True
,
'
said
her
mother
,
'
the
love
of
eminence
for
its
own
sake
.
'
'
And
in
so
many
different
ways
!
'
said
Margaret
.
'
Aye
,
worldly
greatness
,
riches
,
rank
,
beauty
,
'
said
Flora
.
'
All
sorts
of
false
flash
and
nonsense
,
and
liking
to
be
higher
than
one
ought
to
be
,
'
said
Norman
.
'
I
am
sure
there
is
nothing
lower
,
or
more
mean
and
shabby
,
than
getting
places
and
praise
a
fellow
does
not
deserve
.
'
'
Oh
!
yes
!
'
cried
Ethel
,
'
but
no
one
fit
to
speak
to
would
do
that
!
'
'
Plenty
of
people
do
,
I
can
tell
you
,
'
said
Norman
,
'
Then
I
hope
I
shall
never
know
who
they
are
!
'
exclaimed
Ethel
.
'
But
I
'll
tell
you
what
I
was
thinking
of
,
mamma
.
Caring
to
be
clever
,
and
get
on
,
only
for
the
sake
of
beating
people
.
'
'
I
think
that
might
be
better
expressed
.
'
'
I
know
,
'
said
Ethel
,
bending
her
brow
,
with
the
fulness
of
her
thought
—
'
I
mean
caring
to
do
a
thing
only
because
nobody
else
can
do
it
—
wanting
to
be
first
more
than
wanting
to
do
one
's
best
.
'
'
You
are
quite
right
,
my
dear
Ethel
,
'
said
her
mother
;
'
and
I
am
glad
you
have
found
in
the
Gospel
a
practical
lesson
,
that
should
be
useful
to
you
both
.
I
had
rather
you
did
so
than
that
you
read
it
in
Greek
,
though
that
is
very
nice
too
,
'
she
added
,
smiling
,
as
she
put
her
hand
on
a
little
Greek
Testament
,
in
which
Ethel
had
been
reading
it
,
within
her
English
Bible
.
'
Now
,
go
and
mend
that
deplorable
frock
,
and
if
you
do
n't
dream
over
it
,
you
wo
n't
waste
too
much
of
your
holiday
.
'
'
I
'll
get
it
done
in
no
time
!
'
cried
Ethel
,
rushing
head-long
upstairs
,
twice
tripping
in
it
,
before
she
reached
the
attic
,
where
she
slept
,
as
well
as
Flora
and
Mary
—
a
large
room
in
the
roof
,
the
windows
gay
with
bird-cages
and
flowers
,
a
canary
singing
loud
enough
to
deafen
any
one
but
girls
to
whom
headaches
were
unknown
,
plenty
of
books
and
treasures
,
and
a
very
fine
view
,
from
the
dormer-window
,
of
the
town
sloping
downwards
,
and
the
river
winding
away
,
with
some
heathy
hills
in
the
distance
.
Poking
and
peering
about
with
her
short-sighted
eyes
,
Ethel
lighted
on
a
work-basket
in
rare
disorder
,
pulled
off
her
frock
,
threw
on
a
shawl
,
and
sat
down
cross-legged
on
her
bed
,
stitching
vigorously
,
while
meantime
she
spouted
with
great
emphasis
an
ode
of
Horace
,
which
Norman
having
learnt
,
by
heart
,
she
had
followed
his
example
;
it
being
her
great
desire
to
be
even
with
him
in
all
his
studies
,
and
though
eleven
months
younger
,
she
had
never
yet
fallen
behind
him
.
On
Saturday
,
he
showed
her
what
were
his
tasks
for
the
week
,
and
as
soon
as
her
rent
was
repaired
,
she
swung
herself
down-stairs
in
search
of
him
for
this
purpose
.
She
found
him
in
the
drawing-room
,
a
pretty
pleasant
room
—
its
only
fault
that
it
was
rather
too
low
.
It
had
windows
opening
down
to
the
lawn
,
and
was
full
of
pretty
things
,
works
and
knicknacks
.
Ethel
found
the
state
of
affairs
unfavourable
to
her
.
Norman
was
intent
on
a
book
on
the
sofa
,
and
at
the
table
sat
Mr.
Ernescliffe
,
hard
at
work
with
calculations
and
mathematical
instruments
.
Ethel
would
not
,
for
the
world
,
that
any
one
should
guess
at
her
classical
studies
—
she
scarcely
liked
to
believe
that
even
her
father
knew
of
them
,
and
to
mention
them
before
Mr.
Ernescliffe
would
have
been
dreadful
.
So
she
only
shoved
Norman
,
and
asked
him
to
come
.
'
Presently
,
'
he
said
.
'
What
have
you
there
?
'
said
she
,
poking
her
head
into
the
book
.
'
Oh
!
no
wonder
you
ca
n't
leave
off
.
I
've
been
wanting
you
to
read
it
all
the
week
.
'
She
read
over
him
a
few
minutes
,
then
recoiled
:
'
I
forgot
,
mamma
told
me
not
to
read
those
stories
in
the
morning
.
Only
five
minutes
,
Norman
.
'
'
Wait
a
bit
,
I
'll
come
.
'
She
fidgetted
,
till
Mr.
Ernescliffe
asked
Norman
if
there
was
a
table
of
logarithms
in
the
house
.
'
O
yes
,
'
she
answered
;
'
do
n't
you
know
,
Norman
?
In
a
brown
book
on
the
upper
shelf
in
the
dining-room
.
Do
n't
you
remember
papa
's
telling
us
the
meaning
of
them
,
when
we
had
the
grand
book-dusting
.
'
He
was
conscious
of
nothing
but
his
book
;
however
,
she
found
the
logarithms
,
and
brought
them
to
Mr.
Ernescliffe
,
staying
to
look
at
his
drawing
,
and
asking
what
he
was
making
out
.
He
replied
,
smiling
at
the
impossibility
of
her
understanding
,
but
she
wrinkled
her
brown
forehead
,
hooked
her
long
nose
,
and
spent
the
next
hour
in
amateur
navigation
.
Market
Stoneborough
was
a
fine
old
town
.
The
Minster
,
grand
with
the
architecture
of
the
time
of
Henry
III
.
,
stood
beside
a
broad
river
,
and
round
it
were
the
buildings
of
a
Convent
,
made
by
a
certain
good
Bishop
Whichcote
,
the
nucleus
of
a
grammar
school
,
which
had
survived
the
Reformation
,
and
trained
up
many
good
scholars
;
among
them
,
one
of
England
's
princely
merchants
,
Nicholas
Randall
,
whose
effigy
knelt
in
a
niche
in
the
Chancel
wall
,
scarlet-cloaked
,
white-ruffed
,
and
black
doubletted
,
a
desk
bearing
an
open
Bible
before
him
,
and
a
twisted
pillar
of
Derbyshire
spar
on
each
side
.
He
was
the
founder
of
thirteen
almshouses
,
and
had
endowed
two
scholarships
at
Oxford
,
the
object
of
ambition
of
the
Stoneborough
boys
,
every
eighteen
months
.
There
were
about
sixty
or
seventy
boarders
,
and
the
town
boys
slept
at
home
,
and
spent
their
weekly
holiday
there
on
Saturday
—
the
happiest
day
in
the
week
to
the
May
family
,
when
alone
,
they
had
the
company
at
dinner
of
Norman
and
Harry
,
otherwise
known
by
their
school
names
of
June
and
July
,
given
them
because
their
elder
brother
had
begun
the
series
of
months
as
May
.
Some
two
hundred
years
back
,
a
Dr.
Thomas
May
had
been
head
master
,
but
ever
since
that
time
there
had
always
been
an
M.D.
,
not
a
D.D.
,
in
the
family
,
owning
a
comfortable
demense
of
spacious
garden
,
and
field
enough
for
two
cows
,
still
green
and
intact
,
among
modern
buildings
and
improvements
.
The
present
Dr.
May
stood
very
high
in
his
profession
,
and
might
soon
have
made
a
large
fortune
in
London
,
had
he
not
held
fast
to
his
home
attachments
.
He
was
extremely
skilful
and
clever
,
with
a
boyish
character
that
seemed
as
if
it
could
never
grow
older
;
ardent
,
sensitive
,
and
heedless
,
with
a
quickness
of
sympathy
and
tenderness
of
heart
that
was
increased
,
rather
than
blunted
,
by
exercise
in
scenes
of
suffering
.
At
the
end
of
the
previous
summer
holidays
,
Dr.
May
had
been
called
one
morning
to
attend
a
gentleman
who
had
been
taken
very
ill
,
at
the
Swan
Inn
.
He
was
received
by
a
little
boy
of
ten
years
old
,
in
much
grief
,
explaining
that
his
brother
had
come
two
days
ago
from
London
,
to
bring
him
to
school
here
;
he
had
seemed
unwell
ever
since
they
met
,
and
last
night
had
become
much
worse
.
And
extremely
ill
the
Doctor
found
him
;
a
youth
of
two
or
three-and-twenty
,
suffering
under
a
severe
attack
of
fever
,
oppressed
,
and
scarcely
conscious
,
so
as
quite
to
justify
his
little
brother
's
apprehensions
.
He
advised
the
boy
to
write
to
his
family
,
but
was
answered
by
a
look
that
went
to
his
heart
—
'
Alan
'
was
all
he
had
in
the
world
—
father
and
mother
were
dead
,
and
their
relations
lived
in
Scotland
,
and
were
hardly
known
to
them
.
'
Where
have
you
been
living
,
then
?
'
'
Alan
sent
me
to
school
at
Miss
Lawler
's
,
when
my
mother
died
,
and
there
I
have
been
ever
since
,
while
he
has
been
these
three
years
and
a
half
on
the
African
station
.
'
'
What
,
is
he
in
the
navy
?
'
'
Yes
,
'
said
the
boy
,
proudly
,
'
Lieutenant
Ernescliffe
.
He
got
his
promotion
last
week
.
My
father
was
in
the
battle
of
Trafalgar
;
and
Alan
has
been
three
years
in
the
West
Indies
,
and
then
he
was
in
the
Mediterranean
,
and
now
on
the
coast
of
Africa
,
in
the
Atalantis
.
You
must
have
heard
about
him
,
for
it
was
in
the
newspaper
,
how
,
when
he
was
mate
,
he
had
the
command
of
the
Santa
Isabel
,
the
slaver
they
captured
.
'
The
boy
would
have
gone
on
for
ever
,
if
Dr.
May
had
not
recalled
him
to
his
brother
's
present
condition
,
and
proceeded
to
take
every
measure
for
the
welfare
and
comfort
of
the
forlorn
pair
.
He
learnt
from
other
sources
that
the
Ernescliffes
were
well
connected
.
The
father
had
been
a
distinguished
officer
,
but
had
been
ill
able
to
provide
for
his
sons
;
indeed
,
he
died
,
without
ever
having
seen
little
Hector
,
who
was
born
during
his
absence
on
a
voyage
—
his
last
,
and
Alan
's
first
.
Alan
,
the
elder
by
thirteen
years
,
had
been
like
a
father
to
the
little
boy
,
showing
judgment
and
selfdenial
that
marked
him
of
a
high
cast
of
character
.
He
had
distinguished
himself
in
encounters
with
slave
ships
,
and
in
command
of
a
prize
that
he
had
had
to
conduct
to
Sierra
Leone
,
he
had
shown
great
coolness
and
seamanship
,
in
several
perilous
conjunctures
,
such
as
a
sudden
storm
,
and
an
encounter
with
another
slaver
,
when
his
Portuguese
prisoners
became
mutinous
,
and
nothing
but
his
steadiness
and
intrepidity
had
saved
the
lives
of
himself
and
his
few
English
companions
.
He
was
,
in
fact
,
as
Dr.
May
reported
,
pretty
much
of
a
hero
.
He
had
not
,
at
the
time
,
felt
the
effects
of
the
climate
,
but
,
owing
to
sickness
and
death
among
the
other
officers
,
he
had
suffered
much
fatigue
,
and
pressure
of
mind
and
body
.
Immediately
on
his
return
,
had
followed
his
examination
,
and
though
he
had
passed
with
great
credit
,
and
it
had
been
at
once
followed
by
well-earned
promotion
,
his
nervous
excitable
frame
had
been
over-tasked
,
and
the
consequence
was
a
long
and
severe
illness
.
The
Swan
inn
was
not
forty
yards
from
Dr.
May
's
back
gate
,
and
,
at
every
spare
moment
,
he
was
doing
the
part
of
nurse
as
well
as
doctor
,
professionally
obliged
to
Alan
Ernescliffe
for
bringing
him
a
curious
exotic
specimen
of
fever
,
and
requiting
him
by
the
utmost
care
and
attention
,
while
,
for
their
own
sakes
,
he
delighted
in
the
two
boys
with
all
the
enthusiasm
of
his
warm
heart
.
Before
the
first
week
was
at
an
end
,
they
had
learnt
to
look
on
the
Doctor
as
one
of
the
kindest
friends
it
had
been
their
lot
to
meet
with
,
and
Alan
knew
that
if
he
died
,
he
should
leave
his
little
brother
in
the
hands
of
one
who
would
comfort
him
as
a
father
.
No
sooner
was
young
Ernescliffe
able
to
sit
up
,
than
Dr.
May
insisted
on
conveying
him
to
his
own
house
,
as
his
recovery
was
likely
to
be
tedious
,
in
solitude
at
the
Swan
.
It
was
not
till
he
had
been
drawn
in
a
chair
along
the
sloping
garden
,
and
placed
on
the
sofa
to
rest
,
that
he
discovered
that
the
time
the
good
Doctor
had
chosen
for
bringing
a
helpless
convalescent
to
his
house
,
was
two
days
after
an
eleventh
child
had
been
added
to
his
family
.
Mrs.
May
was
too
sorry
for
the
solitary
youth
,
and
too
sympathizing
with
her
husband
,
to
make
any
objection
,
though
she
was
not
fond
of
strangers
,
and
had
some
anxieties
.
She
had
the
utmost
dependence
on
Margaret
's
discretion
,
but
there
was
a
chance
of
awkward
situations
,
which
papa
was
not
likely
to
see
or
guard
against
.
However
,
all
seemed
to
do
very
well
,
and
no
one
ever
came
into
her
room
without
some
degree
of
rapture
about
Mr.
Ernescliffe
.
The
Doctor
reiterated
praises
of
his
excellence
,
his
principle
,
his
ability
and
talent
,
his
amusing
talk
;
the
girls
were
always
bringing
reports
of
his
perfections
;
Norman
retracted
his
grumbling
at
having
his
evenings
spoilt
;
and
'
the
boys
'
were
bursting
with
the
secret
that
he
was
teaching
them
to
rig
a
little
ship
that
was
to
astonish
mamma
on
her
first
coming
down
stairs
,
and
to
be
named
after
the
baby
;
while
Blanche
did
all
the
coquetry
with
him
,
from
which
Margaret
abstained
.
The
universal
desire
was
for
mamma
to
see
him
,
and
when
the
time
came
,
she
owned
that
papa
's
swan
had
not
turned
out
a
goose
.
There
were
now
no
grounds
for
prolonging
his
stay
;
but
it
was
very
hard
to
go
,
and
he
was
glad
to
avail
himself
of
the
excuse
of
remaining
for
the
Christening
,
when
he
was
to
represent
the
absent
godfather
.
After
that
,
he
must
go
;
he
had
written
to
his
Scottish
cousins
to
offer
a
visit
,
and
he
had
a
promise
that
he
should
soon
be
afloat
again
.
No
place
would
ever
seem
to
him
to
like
home
as
Market
Stoneborough
.
He
was
quite
like
one
of
themselves
,
and
took
a
full
share
in
the
discussions
on
the
baby
's
name
,
which
,
as
all
the
old
family
appellations
had
been
used
up
,
was
an
open
question
.
The
Doctor
protested
against
Alice
and
Edith
,
which
he
said
were
the
universal
names
in
the
present
day
.
The
boys
hissed
every
attempt
of
their
sisters
at
a
romantic
name
,
and
then
Harry
wanted
it
to
be
Atalantis
!
At
last
Dr.
May
announced
that
he
should
have
her
named
Dowsabel
if
they
did
not
agree
,
and
Mrs.
May
advised
all
the
parties
concerned
,
to
write
their
choice
on
a
slip
of
paper
,
and
little
Aubrey
should
draw
two
out
of
her
bag
,
trusting
that
Atalantis
Dowsabel
would
not
come
out
,
as
Harry
confidently
predicted
.
However
,
it
was
even
worse
,
Aubrey
's
two
lots
were
Gertrude
and
Margaret
.
Ethel
and
Mary
made
a
vehement
uproar
to
discover
who
could
have
written
Margaret
,
and
at
last
traced
it
home
to
Mr.
Ernescliffe
,
who
replied
that
Flora
,
without
saying
why
,
had
desired
him
to
set
down
his
favourite
name
.
He
was
much
disconcerted
,
and
did
not
materially
mend
the
matter
by
saying
it
was
the
first
name
that
came
into
his
head
.
CHAPTER
II
.
'
Meadows
trim
with
daisies
pied
.
'
—
Milton
.
Ethel
's
navigation
lesson
was
interrupted
by
the
dinner-bell
.
That
long
table
was
a
goodly
sight
.
Few
ever
looked
happier
than
Dr.
and
Mrs.
May
,
as
they
sat
opposite
to
each
other
,
presenting
a
considerable
contrast
in
appearance
as
in
disposition
.
She
was
a
little
woman
,
with
that
smooth
pleasant
plumpness
that
seems
to
belong
to
perfect
content
and
serenity
,
her
complexion
fair
and
youthful
,
her
face
and
figure
very
pretty
,
and
full
of
quiet
grace
and
refinement
,
and
her
whole
air
and
expression
denoting
a
serene
,
unruffled
,
affectionate
happiness
,
yet
with
much
authority
in
her
mildness
—
warm
and
open
in
her
own
family
,
but
reserved
beyond
it
,
and
shrinking
from
general
society
.
The
Doctor
,
on
the
contrary
,
had
a
lank
,
bony
figure
,
nearly
six
feet
high
,
and
looking
more
so
from
his
slightness
;
a
face
sallow
,
thin
,
and
strongly
marked
,
an
aquiline
nose
,
highly
developed
forehead
,
and
peculiar
temples
,
over
which
the
hair
strayed
in
thin
curling
flakes
.
His
eyes
were
light-coloured
,
and
were
seldom
seen
without
his
near-sighted
spectacles
,
but
the
expressions
of
the
mouth
were
everything
—
so
varying
,
so
bright
,
and
so
sweet
were
the
smiles
that
showed
beautiful
white
teeth
—
moreover
,
his
hand
was
particularly
well
made
,
small
and
delicate
;
and
it
always
turned
out
that
no
one
ever
recollected
that
Dr.
May
was
plain
,
who
had
ever
heard
his
kindly
greeting
.
The
sons
and
daughters
were
divided
in
likeness
to
father
and
mother
;
Ethel
was
almost
an
exaggeration
of
the
Doctor
's
peculiarities
,
especially
at
the
formed
,
but
unsoftened
age
of
fifteen
;
Norman
had
his
long
nose
,
sallow
complexion
,
and
tall
figure
,
but
was
much
improved
by
his
mother
's
fine
blue
eyes
,
and
was
a
very
pleasant-looking
boy
,
though
not
handsome
;
little
Tom
was
a
thin
,
white
,
delicate
edition
of
his
father
;
and
Blanche
contrived
to
combine
great
likeness
to
him
with
a
great
deal
of
prettiness
.
Of
those
that
,
as
nurse
said
,
favoured
their
mamma
,
Margaret
was
tall
and
blooming
,
with
the
same
calm
eyes
,
but
with
the
brilliance
of
her
father
's
smile
;
Flora
had
greater
regularity
of
feature
,
and
was
fast
becoming
a
very
pretty
girl
,
while
Mary
and
Harry
could
not
boast
of
much
beauty
,
but
were
stout
sturdy
pictures
of
health
;
Harry
's
locks
in
masses
of
small
tight
yellow
curls
,
much
given
to
tangling
and
matting
,
unfit
to
be
seen
all
the
week
,
till
nurse
put
him
to
torture
every
Saturday
,
by
combing
them
out
so
as
,
at
least
,
to
make
him
for
once
,
like
,
she
said
,
a
gentleman
,
instead
of
a
young
lion
.
Little
Aubrey
was
said
by
his
papa
to
be
like
nothing
but
the
full
moon
.
And
there
he
shone
on
them
,
by
his
mamma
's
side
,
announcing
in
language
few
could
understand
,
where
he
had
been
with
papa
.
'
He
has
been
a
small
doctor
,
'
said
his
father
,
beginning
to
cut
the
boiled
beef
as
fast
as
if
his
hands
had
been
moved
by
machinery
.
'
He
has
been
with
me
to
see
old
Mrs.
Robins
,
and
she
made
so
much
of
him
,
that
if
I
take
you
again
you
'll
be
regularly
spoilt
,
young
master
.
'
'
Poor
old
woman
,
it
must
have
been
a
pleasure
to
her
,
'
said
Mrs.
May
—
'
it
is
so
seldom
she
has
any
change
.
'
'
Who
is
she
?
'
asked
Mr.
Ernescliffe
.
'
The
butcher
's
old
mother
,
'
said
Margaret
,
who
was
next
to
him
.
'
She
is
one
of
papa
's
pet
patients
,
because
he
thinks
her
desolate
and
ill-used
.
'
'
Her
sons
bully
her
,
'
said
the
doctor
,
too
intent
on
carving
to
perceive
certain
deprecatory
glances
of
caution
cast
at
him
by
his
wife
,
to
remind
him
of
the
presence
of
man
and
maid
—
'
and
that
smart
daughter
is
worse
still
.
She
never
comes
to
see
the
old
lady
but
she
throws
her
into
an
agitated
state
,
fit
to
bring
on
another
attack
.
A
meek
old
soul
,
not
fit
to
contend
with
them
!
'
'
Why
do
they
do
it
?
'
said
Ethel
.
'
For
the
cause
of
all
evil
!
That
daughter
marries
a
grazier
,
and
wants
to
set
up
for
gentility
;
she
comes
and
squeezes
presents
out
of
her
mother
,
and
the
whole
family
are
distrusting
each
other
,
and
squabbling
over
the
spoil
before
the
poor
old
creature
is
dead
!
It
makes
one
sick
!
I
gave
that
Mrs.
Thorn
a
bit
of
my
mind
at
last
;
I
could
not
stand
the
sight
any
longer
.
Madam
,
said
I
,
you
'll
have
to
answer
for
your
mother
's
death
,
as
sure
as
my
name
's
Dick
May
—
a
harpy
dressed
up
in
feathers
and
lace
.
'
There
was
a
great
laugh
,
and
an
entreaty
to
know
whether
this
was
really
his
address
—
Ethel
telling
him
she
knew
he
had
muttered
it
to
himself
quite
audibly
,
for
which
she
was
rewarded
by
a
pretended
box
on
the
ear
.
It
certainly
was
vain
to
expect
order
at
dinner
on
Saturday
,
for
the
Doctor
was
as
bad
as
the
boys
,
and
Mrs.
May
took
it
with
complete
composure
,
hardly
appearing
sensible
of
the
Babel
which
would
sometimes
almost
deafen
its
promoter
,
papa
;
and
yet
her
interference
was
all-powerful
,
as
now
when
Harry
and
Mary
were
sparring
over
the
salt
,
with
one
gentle
'
Mary
!
'
and
one
reproving
glance
,
they
were
reduced
to
quiescence
.
Meanwhile
Dr.
May
,
in
a
voice
above
the
tumult
,
was
telling
'
Maggie
,
'
as
he
always
called
his
wife
,
some
piece
of
news
about
Mr.
Rivers
,
who
had
bought
Abbotstoke
Grange
;
and
Alan
Ernescliffe
,
in
much
lower
tones
,
saying
to
Margaret
how
he
delighted
in
the
sight
of
these
home
scenes
,
and
this
free
household
mirth
.
'
It
is
the
first
time
you
have
seen
us
in
perfection
,
'
said
Margaret
,
'
with
mamma
at
the
head
of
the
table
—
no
,
not
quite
perfection
either
,
without
Richard
.
'
'
I
am
very
glad
to
have
seen
it
,
'
repeated
Alan
.
'
What
a
blessing
it
must
be
to
your
brothers
to
have
such
a
home
!
'
'
Yes
,
indeed
,
'
said
Margaret
,
earnestly
.
'
I
cannot
fancy
any
advantage
in
life
equal
to
it
.
Your
father
and
mother
so
entirely
one
with
you
all
.
'
Margaret
smiled
,
too
much
pleased
to
speak
,
and
glanced
at
her
mother
's
sweet
face
.
'
You
ca
n't
think
how
often
I
shall
remember
it
,
or
how
rejoiced
I
—
'
He
broke
off
,
for
the
noise
subsided
,
and
his
speech
was
not
intended
for
the
public
ear
,
so
he
dashed
into
the
general
conversation
,
and
catching
his
own
name
,
exclaimed
,
'
What
's
that
base
proposal
,
Ethel
?
'
'
To
put
you
on
the
donkey
,
'
said
Norman
.
'
They
want
to
see
a
sailor
riding
,
'
interposed
the
doctor
.
'
Dr
.
May
!
cried
the
indignant
voice
of
Hector
Ernescliffe
,
as
his
honest
Scottish
face
flushed
like
a
turkey
cock
,
'
I
assure
you
that
Alan
rides
like
—
'
'
Like
a
horse
marine
,
'
said
Norman
.
Hector
and
Harry
both
looked
furious
,
but
"
June
"
was
too
great
a
man
in
their
world
,
for
them
to
attempt
any
revenge
,
and
it
was
left
for
Mary
to
call
out
,
'
Why
,
Norman
,
nonsense
!
Mr.
Ernescliffe
rode
the
new
black
kicking
horse
till
he
made
it
quite
steady
.
'
'
Made
it
steady
!
No
,
Mary
,
that
is
saying
too
much
for
it
,
'
said
Mr.
Ernescliffe
.
'
It
has
no
harm
in
it
—
capital
horse
—
splendid
,
'
said
the
Doctor
;
'
I
shall
take
you
out
with
it
this
afternoon
,
Maggie
.
'
'
You
have
driven
it
several
times
?
'
said
Alan
.
'
Yes
,
I
drove
him
to
Abbotstoke
yesterday
—
never
started
,
except
at
a
fool
of
a
woman
with
an
umbrella
,
and
at
the
train
—
and
we
'll
take
care
not
to
meet
that
.
'
'
It
is
only
to
avoid
the
viaduct
at
half-past
four
,
'
said
Mrs.
May
,
'
and
that
is
easily
done
.
'
'
So
you
are
bound
for
Cocksmoor
?
'
said
the
Doctor
.
'
I
told
the
poor
fellow
you
were
going
to
see
his
wife
,
and
he
was
so
thankful
,
that
it
did
one
's
heart
good
.
'
'
Is
he
better
?
I
should
like
to
tell
his
wife
,
'
said
Flora
.
The
Doctor
screwed
up
his
face
.
'
A
bad
business
,
'
he
said
;
'
he
is
a
shade
better
to-day
;
he
may
get
through
yet
;
but
he
is
not
my
patient
.
I
only
saw
him
because
I
happened
to
be
there
when
he
was
brought
in
,
and
Ward
was
not
in
the
way
.
'
'
And
what
's
his
name
?
'
'
I
ca
n't
tell
—
do
n't
think
I
ever
heard
.
'
'
We
ought
to
know
,
'
said
Miss
Winter
;
'
it
would
be
awkward
to
go
without
.
'
'
To
go
roaming
about
Cocksmoor
asking
where
the
man
in
the
hospital
lives
!
'
said
Flora
.
'
We
ca
n't
wait
till
Monday
.
'
'
I
've
done
,
'
said
Norman
;
'
I
'll
run
down
to
the
hospital
and
find
out
.
May
I
,
mamma
?
'
'
Without
your
pudding
,
old
fellow
?
'
'
I
do
n't
want
pudding
,
'
said
Norman
,
slipping
back
his
chair
.
'
May
I
,
mamma
?
'
'
To
be
sure
you
may
;
'
and
Norman
,
with
a
hand
on
the
back
of
Ethel
's
chair
,
took
a
flying
leap
over
his
own
,
that
set
all
the
glasses
ringing
.
'
Stop
,
stop
!
know
what
you
are
going
after
,
sir
,
'
cried
his
father
.
'
What
will
they
know
there
of
Cocksmoor
,
or
the
man
whose
wife
has
twins
?
You
must
ask
for
the
accident
in
number
five
.
'
'
And
oh
!
Norman
,
come
back
in
time
,
'
said
Ethel
.
'
I
'll
be
bound
I
'm
back
before
Etheldred
the
Unready
wants
me
,
'
he
answered
,
bounding
off
with
an
elasticity
that
caused
his
mother
to
say
the
boy
was
made
of
Indian
rubber
,
and
then
putting
his
head
in
by
the
window
to
say
,
'
By-the-bye
,
if
there
's
any
pudding
owing
to
me
,
that
little
chorister
fellow
of
ours
,
Bill
Blake
,
has
got
a
lot
of
voracious
brothers
that
want
anything
that
's
going
.
Tom
and
Blanche
might
take
it
down
to
'
em
;
I
'm
off
!
Hooray
!
'
and
he
scampered
headlong
up
the
garden
,
prolonging
his
voice
into
a
tremendous
shout
as
he
got
further
off
,
leaving
every
one
laughing
,
and
his
mother
tenderly
observing
that
he
was
going
to
run
a
quarter
of
a
mile
and
back
,
and
lose
his
only
chance
of
pudding
for
the
week
—
old
Bishop
Whichcote
's
rules
contemplating
no
fare
but
daily
mutton
,
to
be
bought
at
a
shilling
per
sheep
.
A
little
private
discussion
ensued
between
Harry
and
Hector
,
on
the
merits
of
the
cakes
at
Ballhatchet
's
gate
,
and
old
Nelly
's
pies
,
which
led
the
doctor
to
mourn
over
the
loss
of
the
tarts
of
the
cranberries
,
that
sued
to
grow
on
Cocksmoor
,
before
it
was
inhabited
,
and
to
be
the
delight
of
the
scholars
of
Stoneborough
,
when
he
was
one
of
them
—
and
then
to
enchant
the
boys
by
relations
of
ancient
exploits
,
especially
his
friend
Spencer
climbing
up
,
and
engraving
a
name
on
the
top
of
the
market
cross
,
now
no
more
,
swept
away
by
the
Town
Council
in
a
fit
of
improvement
,
which
had
for
the
last
twenty
years
enraged
the
Doctor
at
every
remembrance
of
it
.
Perhaps
at
this
moment
his
wife
could
hardly
sympathize
,
when
she
thought
of
her
boys
emulating
such
deeds
.
'
Papa
,
'
said
Ethel
,
'
will
you
lend
me
a
pair
of
spectacles
for
the
walk
?
'
'
And
make
yourself
one
,
Ethel
,
'
said
Flora
.
'
I
do
n't
care
—
I
want
to
see
the
view
.
'
'
It
is
very
bad
for
you
,
Ethel
,
'
further
added
her
mother
;
'
you
will
make
your
sight
much
shorter
if
you
accustom
your
eyes
to
them
.
'
'
Well
,
mamma
,
I
never
do
wear
them
about
the
house
.
'
For
a
very
good
reason
,
'
said
Margaret
;
'
because
you
have
n't
got
them
.
'
'
No
,
I
believe
Harry
stole
them
in
the
holidays
.
'
'
Stole
them
!
'
said
the
Doctor
;
'
as
if
they
were
n't
my
property
,
unjustifiably
appropriated
by
her
!
'
'
They
were
that
pair
that
you
never
could
keep
on
,
papa
,
'
said
Ethel
—
no
use
at
all
to
you
.
Come
,
do
lend
me
some
.
'
'
I
'm
sure
I
sha
n't
let
you
wear
them
,
'
said
Harry
.
'
I
sha
n't
go
,
if
you
choose
to
make
yourself
such
an
object
.
'
'
Ah
!
'
said
the
father
,
'
the
boys
thought
it
time
to
put
a
stop
to
it
when
it
came
to
a
caricature
of
the
little
Doctor
in
petticoats
.
'
'
Yes
,
in
Norman
's
Lexicon
,
'
said
Ethel
,
'
a
capital
likeness
of
you
,
papa
;
but
I
never
could
get
him
to
tell
me
who
drew
it
.
'
Nor
did
Ethel
know
that
that
caricature
had
been
the
cause
of
the
black
eye
that
Harry
had
brought
home
last
summer
.
Harry
returned
,
to
protest
that
he
would
not
join
the
walk
,
if
she
chose
to
be
seen
in
the
spectacles
,
while
she
undauntedly
continued
her
petition
,
though
answered
that
she
would
attract
the
attacks
of
the
quarry-men
,
who
would
take
her
for
an
attenuated
owl
.
'
I
wish
you
were
obliged
to
go
about
without
them
yourself
,
papa
!
'
cried
Ethel
,
'
and
then
you
would
know
how
tiresome
it
is
not
to
see
twice
the
length
of
your
own
nose
.
'
'
Not
such
a
very
short
allowance
,
either
,
'
said
the
Doctor
,
quaintly
,
and
therewith
the
dinner
concluded
:
There
was
apt
to
be
a
race
between
the
two
eldest
girls
,
for
the
honour
of
bringing
down
the
baby
;
but
this
time
their
father
strode
up
three
steps
at
once
,
turned
at
the
top
of
the
first
flight
,
made
his
bow
to
them
,
and
presently
came
down
with
his
little
daughter
in
his
arms
,
nodded
triumphantly
at
the
sisters
,
and
set
her
down
on
her
mother
's
lap
.
'
There
,
Maggie
,
you
are
complete
,
you
old
hen-and-chicken
daisy
.
Ca
n't
you
take
her
portrait
in
the
character
,
Margaret
?
'
'
With
her
pink
cap
,
and
Blanche
and
Aubrey
as
they
are
now
,
on
each
side
?
'
said
Flora
.
'
Margaret
ought
to
be
in
the
picture
herself
,
'
said
Ethel
.
'
Fetch
the
artist
in
Norman
's
Lexicon
,
Harry
.
'
'
Since
he
has
hit
off
one
of
us
so
well
,
'
said
the
doctor
.
'
Well
!
I
'm
off
.
I
must
see
old
Southern
.
You
'll
be
ready
by
three
?
Good-bye
,
hen
and
chicken
.
'
'
And
I
may
have
the
spectacles
?
'
said
Ethel
,
running
after
him
;
'
you
know
I
am
an
injured
individual
,
for
mamma
wo
n't
let
me
carry
baby
about
the
house
,
because
I
am
so
blind
.
'
'
You
are
welcome
to
embellish
yourself
,
as
far
as
I
am
concerned
.
'
A
general
dispersion
ensued
,
and
only
Mrs.
May
,
Margaret
,
and
the
baby
,
remained
.
'
O
no
!
'
sighed
Margaret
;
'
you
ca
n't
be
the
hen-and-chicken
daisy
properly
,
without
all
your
chickens
.
It
is
the
first
christening
we
ever
had
without
our
all
being
there
.
'
'
It
was
best
not
to
press
it
,
my
dear
,
'
said
her
mother
.
'
Your
papa
would
have
had
his
thoughts
turned
to
the
disappointment
again
,
and
it
makes
Richard
himself
so
unhappy
to
see
his
vexation
,
that
I
believe
it
is
better
not
to
renew
it
.
'
'
But
to
miss
him
for
so
long
!
'
said
Margaret
.
'
Perhaps
it
is
best
,
for
it
is
very
miserable
,
when
papa
is
sarcastic
and
sharp
,
and
he
cannot
understand
it
,
and
takes
it
as
meaning
so
much
mere
than
it
really
does
,
and
grows
all
the
more
frightened
and
diffident
.
I
cannot
think
what
he
would
do
without
you
to
encourage
him
.
'
'
Or
you
,
you
good
sister
,
'
said
her
mother
,
smiling
.
'
If
we
could
only
teach
him
not
to
mind
being
laughed
at
,
and
to
have
some
confidence
in
himself
,
he
and
papa
would
get
on
together
.
'
'
It
is
very
hard
,
'
cried
Margaret
,
almost
indignantly
,
'
that
papa
wo
n't
believe
it
,
when
he
does
his
best
!
'
'
I
do
n't
think
papa
can
bear
to
bring
himself
to
believe
that
it
is
his
best
.
'
'
He
is
too
clever
himself
to
see
how
other
people
can
be
slow
,
'
said
Margaret
;
'
and
yet
'
—
the
tears
came
into
her
eyes
—
'
I
cannot
bear
to
think
of
his
telling
Richard
it
was
no
use
to
think
of
being
a
Clergyman
,
and
he
had
better
turn
carpenter
at
once
,
just
because
he
failed
in
his
examination
.
'
'
My
dear
,
I
wish
you
would
forget
that
,
'
said
Mrs.
May
.
'
You
know
papa
sometimes
says
more
than
he
means
,
and
he
was
excessively
vexed
and
disappointed
.
I
know
he
was
pleased
with
Ritchie
's
resolve
not
to
come
home
again
till
he
had
passed
,
and
it
is
best
that
it
should
not
be
broken
.
'
'
The
whole
vacation
,
studying
so
hard
,
and
this
Christening
!
'
said
Margaret
;
'
it
is
treating
him
as
if
he
had
done
wrong
.
I
do
believe
Mr.
Ernescliffe
thinks
he
has
—
for
papa
always
turns
away
the
conversation
,
if
his
name
is
mentioned
!
I
wish
you
would
explain
it
,
mamma
;
I
ca
n't
bear
that
.
'
'
If
I
can
,
'
said
Mrs.
May
,
rather
pleased
that
Margaret
had
not
taken
on
herself
this
vindication
of
her
favourite
brother
at
her
father
's
expense
.
'
But
,
after
all
,
Margaret
,
I
never
feel
quite
sure
that
poor
Ritchie
does
exert
himself
to
the
utmost
;
he
is
too
desponding
to
make
the
most
of
himself
.
'
'
And
the
more
vexed
papa
is
,
the
worse
it
grows
!
'
said
Margaret
.
'
It
is
provoking
,
though
.
How
I
do
wish
sometimes
to
give
Ritchie
a
jog
,
when
there
is
some
stumbling-block
that
he
sticks
fast
at
.
Do
n't
you
remember
those
sums
,
and
those
declensions
?
When
he
is
so
clear
and
sensible
about
practical
matters
too
—
anything
but
learning
—
I
cannot
think
why
—
and
it
is
very
mortifying
!
'
'
I
dare
say
it
is
very
good
for
us
not
to
have
our
ambition
gratified
,
'
said
her
mother
.
'
There
are
so
many
troubles
worse
than
these
failures
,
that
it
only
shows
how
happy
we
are
that
we
should
take
them
so
much
to
heart
.
'
'
They
are
a
very
real
trouble
!
'
said
Margaret
.
'
Do
n't
smile
,
mamma
.
Only
remember
how
wretched
his
school
days
were
,
when
papa
could
not
see
any
difficulty
in
what
to
him
was
so
hard
,
and
how
all
papa
's
eagerness
only
stupified
him
the
more
.
'
'
They
are
a
comfort
not
to
have
that
over
again
!
Yet
,
'
said
the
mother
,
'
I
often
think
there
is
more
fear
for
Norman
.
I
dread
his
talent
and
success
being
snares
.
'
'
There
is
no
self-sufficiency
about
him
,
'
said
Margaret
.
'
I
hope
not
,
and
he
is
so
transparent
,
that
it
would
be
laughed
down
at
the
first
bud
;
but
the
universal
good
report
,
and
certainty
of
success
,
and
being
so
often
put
in
comparison
with
Richard
,
is
hardly
safe
.
I
was
very
glad
he
heard
what
Ethel
said
to-day
.
'
'
Ethel
spoke
very
deeply
,
'
said
Margaret
;
'
I
was
a
good
deal
struck
by
it
—
she
often
comes
out
with
such
solid
thoughts
.
'
'
She
is
an
excellent
companion
for
Norman
.
'
'
The
desire
of
being
first
!
'
said
Margaret
,
'
I
suppose
that
is
a
form
of
caring
for
oneself
!
It
set
me
thinking
a
good
deal
,
mamma
,
how
many
forms
of
ambition
there
are
.
The
craving
for
rank
,
or
wealth
,
or
beauty
,
are
so
clearly
wrong
,
that
one
does
not
question
about
them
;
but
I
suppose
,
as
Ethel
said
,
the
caring
to
be
first
in
attainments
is
as
bad
.
'
'
Or
in
affection
,
'
said
Mrs.
May
.
'
In
affection
—
oh
!
mamma
,
there
is
always
some
one
person
with
whom
one
is
first
,
'
said
Margaret
,
eagerly
;
and
then
,
her
colour
deepening
,
as
she
saw
her
mother
looking
at
her
,
she
said
hastily
,
'
Ritchie
—
I
never
considered
it
—
but
I
know
—
it
is
my
great
pleasure
—
oh
,
mamma
!
'
'
Well
,
my
dear
,
I
do
not
