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the daisy chain, or aspirations-第160部分
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was as ever; but; neither by word or gesture; would she admit the
most remote allusion to her grief。 She withdrew her hand when
Margaret's pressure became expressive; she avoided her eye; and spoke
incessantly of different subjects。 All the time; her voice was low
and hollow; her face had a settled expression of wretchedness; and
her glances wandered drearily and restlessly anywhere but to
Margaret's face; but her steadiness of manner was beyond her sister's
power to break; and her visit was shortened on account of her
husband。 Poor George had quite given way at the sight of Gertrude;
whom his little girl had been thought to resemble; and; though Dr。
May had soothed him almost like a child; no one put any trust in his
self…control; and all sat round; fearing each word or look; till
Flora came downstairs; and they departed。
Richard and Ethel each offered to go with them; they could not bear
to think of their spending that first evening in their childless
home; but Flora gently; but decidedly; refused; and Dr。 May said
that; much as he wished to be with them; he believed that Flora
preferred having no one but Meta。 〃I hope I have done Margaret no
harm;〃 were Flora's last words to him; and they seemed to explain her
guarded manner; but he found Margaret weeping as she had never wept
for herself; and palpitation and faintness were the consequence。
Ethel looked on at Flora as a sad and perplexing mystery during the
weeks that ensued。 There were few opportunities of being alone
together; and Flora shrank from such as they werenay; she checked
all expression of solicitude; and made her very kisses rapid and
formal。
The sorrow that had fallen on the Grange seemed to have changed none
of the usual habits therevisiting; riding; driving; dinners; and
music; went on with little check。 Flora was sure to be found the
animated; attentive lady of the house; or else sharing her husband's
pursuits; helping him with his business; or assisting him in seeking
pleasure; spending whole afternoons at the coachmaker's over a
carriage that they were building; and; it was reported; playing
ecarte in the evening。
Had grief come to be forgotten and cast aside without effecting any
mission? Yet Ethel could not believe that the presence of the awful
messenger was unfelt; when she heard poor George's heavy sigh; or
when she looked at Flora's countenance; and heard the peculiar low;
subdued tone of her voice; which; when her words were most cheerful;
always seemed to Ethel the resigned accent of despair。
Ethel could not talk her over with Margaret; for all seemed to make
it a point that Margaret should believe the best。 Dr。 May turned
from the subject with a sort of shuddering grief; and said; 〃Don't
talk of her; poor childonly pray for her!〃
Ethel; though shocked by the unwonted manner of his answer; was
somewhat consoled by perceiving that a double measure of tenderness
had sprung up between her father and his poor daughter。 If Flora had
seemed; in her girlhood; to rate him almost cheaply; this was at an
end now; she met him as if his embrace were peace; the gloom was
lightened; the attention less strained; when he was beside her; and
she could not part with him without pressing for a speedy meeting。
Yet she treated him with the same reserve; since that one ghastly
revelation of the secrets of her heart; the veil had been closely
drawn; and he could not guess whether it had been but a horrible
thought; or were still an abiding impression。 Ethel could gather no
more than that her father was very unhappy about Flora; and that
Richard understood why; for Richard had told her that he had written
to Flora; to try to persuade her to cease from this reserve; but that
he had no reply。
Norman was not at home; he had undertaken the tutorship of two
schoolboys for the holidays; and his father owned; with a sigh; that
he was doing wisely。
As to Meta; she was Ethel's chief consolation; by the redoubled
assurances; directed to Ethel's unexpressed dread; lest Flora should
be rejecting the chastening Hand。 Meta had the most absolute
certainty that Flora's apparent cheerfulness was all for George's
sake; and that it was a most painful exertion。 〃If Ethel could only
see how she let herself sink together; as it were; and her whole
countenance relax; as soon as he was out of sight;〃 Meta said; 〃she
could not doubt what misery these efforts were to her。〃
〃Why does she go on with them? 〃 said Ethel。
〃George;〃 said Meta。 〃What would become of him without her? If he
misses her for ten minutes he roams about lost; and he cannot enjoy
anything without her。 I cannot think how he can help seeing what
hard work it is; and how he can be contented with those dreadful sham
smiles; but as long as she can give him pleasure; poor Flora will
toil for him。〃
〃It is very selfish;〃 Ethel caught herself saying。
〃No; no; it is not;〃 cried Meta。 〃It is not that he will not see;
but that he cannot see。 Good honest fellow; he really thinks it does
her good and pleases her。 I was so sorry one evening when I tried to
take her place at that perpetual ecarte; and told him it teased her;
he went so wistfully to her; and asked whether it did; and she
exerted herself into such painful enjoyment to persuade him to the
contrary; and afterwards she said to me; 'Let me alone; dearestit
is the only thing left me。'〃
〃There is something in being husband and wife that one cannot
understand;〃 slowly said Ethel; so much in her quaint way that Meta
laughed。
Had it not been for Norman's absence; Ethel would; in the warm
sympathy and accustomed manner of Meta Rivers; have forgotten all
about the hopes and fears that; in brighter days; had centred on that
small personage; until one day; as she came home from Cocksmoor; she
found 〃Sir Henry Walkinghame's〃 card on the drawing…room table。 〃I
should like to bite you! Coming here; are you?〃 was her amiable
reflection。
Meta; in her riding…habit; peeped out of Margaret's room。 〃Oh;
Ethel; there you are! It is such a boon that you did not come home
sooner; or we should have had to ride home with him! I heard him
asking for the Miss Mays! And now I am in hopes that he will go home
without falling in with Flora and George。〃
〃I did not know he was in these parts。〃
〃He came to Drydale last week; but the place is forlorn; and George
gave him a general invitation to the Grange。〃
〃Do you like him?〃 said Ethel; while Margaret looked on; amazed at
her audacity。
〃I liked him very much in London;〃 said Meta; 〃he is pleasant enough
to talk to; but somehow; he is not congruous hereif you understand
me。 And I think his coming oppresses Florashe turned quite pale
when he was announced; and her voice was lower than ever when she
spoke to him。〃
〃Does he come often?〃 said Ethel。
〃I don't think he has anything else to do;〃 returned Meta; 〃for our
house cannot be as pleasant as it was; but he is very kind to George;
and for that we must be grateful。 One thing I am afraid of; that he
will persuade us off to the yachting after all。〃
〃Oh!〃 was the general exclamation。
〃Yes;〃 said Meta。 〃George seemed to like the plan; and I very much
fear that he is taking a dislike to the dear old Grange。 I heard him
say; 'Anything to get away。'〃
〃Poor George; I know he is restless;〃 said Margaret。
〃At least;〃 said Ethel; 〃you can't go till after your birthday; Miss
Heiress。〃
〃No; Uncle Cosham is coming;〃 said Meta。 〃Margaret; you must have
your stone laid before we go!〃
〃Dr。 Spencer promises it before Hector's holidays are over;〃 said
Margaret; blushing; as she always did; with pleasure; when they
talked of the church。
Hector Ernescliffe had revived Margaret wonderfully。 She was seldom
downstairs before the evening; and Ethel thought his habit of making
her apartment his sitting…room must be as inconvenient to her as it
was to herself; but Hector could not be de trop for Margaret。 She
exerted herself to fulfil for him all the little sisterly offices
that; with her brothers; had been transferred to Ethel and Mary; she
threw herself into all his schemes; tried to make him endure Captain
Gordon; and she even read his favourite book of Wild Sports; though
her feelings were constantly lacerated by the miseries of the
slaughtered animals。 Her couch was to him as a home; and he had
awakened her bright soft liveliness which had been only dimmed for a
time。
The church was her other great interest; and Dr。 Spencer humoured her
by showing her all his drawings; consulting her on every ornament;
and making many a perspective elevation; merely that she might see
the effect。
Richard and Tom made it their recreation to construct a model of the
church as a present for her; and Tom developed a genius for carving;
which proved a beneficial interest to keep him from surliness。 He
had voluntarily propounded his intended profession to his father; who
had been so much pleased by his choice; that he could not but be
gratified; though now and then ambitious fancies; and discontent with
Stoneborough; combined to bring on his ordinary moody fits; the more;
because his habitual reserve prevented any one from knowing
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