the daisy chain, or aspirations-第3章

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little　Hector；　who　was　born　during　his　absence　on　a　voyagehis　last；
and　Alan's　first。　　Alan；　the　elder　by　thirteen　years；　had　been　like　a
father　to　the　little　boy；　showing　judgment　and　self…denial　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　overtasked；　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　learned　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　sympathising
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
spoiled；　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　downstairs；　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　so　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
mildnesswarm　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　his　smiles　that　showed
beautiful　white　teethmoreover；　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　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　eves；　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　him　again　he'll　be　regularly　spoiled。〃

〃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　Maya
harpy　dressed　up　in　feathers　and　lace。〃

There　was　a　great　laugh；　and　an　entreaty　to　know　whether　this　was
really　his　addressEthel　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　tableno；　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　can'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　h