the daisy chain, or aspirations-第63部分

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in　one　of　the　houses　near　the　river。　　It　was　nearly　eight　o'clock
when　he　came　away；　and　he　lingered；　looking　towards　the　school；　in
hopes　of　a　walk　home　with　his　boys。

Presently　he　saw　Norman　coming　out　from　under　the　archway；　his　cap
drawn　over　his　face；　and　step；　gesture；　and　manner　betraying　that
something　was　seriously　wrong。　　He　came　up　almost　to　his　father
without　seeing　him；　until　startled　by　his　exclamation；　〃Normanwhy；
Norman；　what's　the　matter？〃

Norman's　lips　quivered；　and　his　face　was　palehe　seemed　as　if　he
could　not　speak。

〃Where's　Tom　？〃　said　the　doctor；　much　alarmed。　　〃Has　he　got　into
disgrace　about　this　business　of　Tomkins？　　That　boy〃

〃He　has　only　got　an　imposition；〃　interrupted　Norman。　　〃No；　it　is　not
thatit　is　myself〃and　it　was　only　with　a　gulp　and　struggle　that　he
brought　out　the　words；　〃I　am　turned　down　in　the　school。〃

The　doctor　started　back　a　step　or　two；　aghast。　　〃What…howspeak；
Norman。　　What　have　you　done？〃

〃Nothing！〃　said　Norman；　recovering　in　the　desire　to　reassure　his
father〃nothing！〃

〃That's　right；〃　said　the　doctor；　breathing　freely。　　〃What's　the
meaning　of　it。。。a　misunderstanding？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Norman；　with　bitterness。　　〃It　is　all　Anderson's　doinga
word　from　him　would　have　set　all　straightbut　he　would　not；　I
believe；　from　my　heart；　he　held　his　tongue　to　get　me　down；　that　he
might　have　the　Randall！〃

〃We'll　see　you　righted；〃　said　the　doctor　eagerly。　　〃Come；　tell　me　the
whole　story；　Norman。　　Is　it　about　this　unlucky　business？〃

〃Yes。　　The　town…fellows　were　all　up　about　it　last　evening；　when　we
came　out　of　school。　　Anderson　senior　himself　began　to　put　them　up　to
having　the　fence　down　again。　　Yes；　that　he　didI　remember　his　very
wordsthat　Tomkins　could　not　bring　it　into　court；　and　so　set　old
Hoxton　at　us。　　Well；　I　told　them　it　would　not　dothought　I　had
settled　themsaw　them　off　homeyes；　Simpson；　and　Benson；　and　Grey；
up　the　High　Street；　and　the　others　their　way。　　I　only　left　Axworthy
going　into　a　shop　when　I　set　off　on　my　walk。　　What　could　a　fellow　do
more？　　How　was　I　to　know　that　that　Axworthy　would　get　them　together
again；　and　take　them　to　this　affairpull　up　the　stakessaw　them
downfor　they　were　hard　to　get　downshy　all　sorts　of　things　over
into　the　court…hoot　at　old　Tomkins's　man；　when　he　told　them　to　be
offand　make　a　bonfire　of　the　sticks　at　last？〃

〃And　Harvey　Anderson　was　there？〃

〃Nonot　he。　　He　is　too　sharpborn　and　bred　attorney　as　he　ishe
talked　them　up　to　the　mischief　when　my　back　was　turned；　and　then
sneaked　quietly　home；　quite　innocent；　and　out　of　the　scrape。〃

〃But　Dr。　Hoxton　can　never　entertain　a　suspicion　that　you　had　anything
to　do　with　it！〃

〃Yes；　he　does　though。　　He　thinks　I　incited　them；　and　Tomkins　and　the
policeman　declare　I　was　there　in　the　midst　of　the　rowand　not　one　of
these　fellows　will　explain　how　I　came　at　the　last　to　look　for　Tom。〃

〃Not　Tom　himself？〃

〃He　did　try　to　speak；　poor　little　fellow；　but；　after　the　other
affair；　his　word　goes　for　nothing；　and　so；　it　seems；　does　mine。
I　did　think　Hoxton　would　have　trusted　me！〃

〃And　did　not　he？〃　exclaimed　Dr。　May。

〃He　did　not　in　so　many　words　accuse　me　ofofbut　he　told　me　he　had
serious　charges　brought　against　meMr。　Harrison　had　seen　me　at
Ballhatchet's；　setting　an　example　of　disregard　to　rulesand；　again；
Mr。　Harrison　saw　me　coming　in　at　a　late　hour　last　night。　　'I　know　he
did；'　I　said；　and　I　explained　where　I　had　been；　and　they　asked　for
proofs！　　I　could　hardly　answer；　from　surprise；　at　their　not　seeming
to　believe　me；　but　I　said　you　could　answer　for　my　having　come　in　with
the　flowers　for　my　sister。〃

〃To　be　sure　I　willI'll　go　this　instant〃　he　was　turning。

〃It　is　of　no　use；　papa；　to…night；　Dr。　Hoxton　has　a　dinner…party。〃

〃He　is　always　having　parties。　　I　wish　he　would　mind　them　less；　and
his　business　more。　　You　disbelieved！　but　I'll　see　justice　done　you；
Norman；　the　first　thing　to…morrow。　　Well〃

〃Well　then；　I　said；　old　Ballhatchet　could　tell　that　I　crossed　the
bridge　at　the　very　time　they　were　doing　this　pretty　piece　of　work；
for　he　was　sitting　smoking　in　his　porch　when　I　went　home；　and；　would
you　believe　it？　the　old　rascal　would　not　remember　who　passed　that
evening！　　It　is　all　his　malice　and　revengenothing　else！〃

〃Whywhat　have　you　been　doing　to　him？〃

Norman　shortly　explained　the　ginger…beer　story；　and　adding；　〃Cheviot
told　me　I　should　get　nothing　but　ill…will；　and　so　I　haveall　those
town　fellows　turn　against　me　now；　and　though　they　know　as　well　as
possible　how　it　was；　they　won't　say　a　word　to　right　me；　just　out　of
spite；　because　I　have　stopped　them　from　all　the　mischief　I　could！〃

〃Well；　then〃

〃They　asked　me　whethersince　I　allowed　that　I　had　been　there　at
lastI　had　dispersed　the　boys。　　I　said　no；　I　had　no　time。　　Then　they
desired　to　know　who　was　there；　and　that　I　had　not　seen；　it　was　all
dark；　and　there　had　not　been　a　moment；　and　if　I　guessed；　it　was　no
affair　of　mine　to　say。　　So　they　ordered　me　down；　and　had　up　Ned
Anderson；　and　one　or　two　more　who　were　known　to　have　been　in　the
riot；　and　then　they　consulted　a　good　while；　and　sent　for　me；　Mr。
Wilmot　was　for　me；　I　am　sure；　but　Harrison　was　against　me。　　Dr。
Hoxton　sat　there；　and　made　me　one　of　his　addresses。　　He　said　he　would
not　enter　on　the　question　whether　I　had　been　present　at　the
repetition　of　the　outrage；　as　he　called　it；　but　what　was　quite
certain　was；　that　I　had　abused　my　authority　and　influence　in　the
school；　I　had　been　setting　a　bad　example；　and　breaking　the　rules
about　Ballhatchet；　and　so　far　from　repressing　mischief；　I　had　been
the　foremost　in　it；　making　inflammatory　harangues；　leading　them　to
commit　violence　the　first　time；　and　the　next；　if　not　actually　taking
part　in　it　personally；　at　any　rate　not　preventing　it。　　In　short；　he
said　it　was　clear　I　had　not　weight　enough　for　my　postit　was　some
excuse　I　had　been　raised　to　it　so　youngbut　it　was　necessary　to　show
that　proficiency　in　studies　did　not　compensate　for　disregard　of
discipline；　and　so　he　turned　me　down　below　the　first　six！　　So　there's
another　May　in　disgrace！〃

〃It　shall　not　lastit　shall　not　last；　my　boy；〃　said　Dr。　May；
pressing　Norman's　arm；　〃I'll　see　you　righted。　　Dr。　Hoxton　shall　hear
the　whole　story。　　I　am　not　for　fathers　interfering　in　general；　but　if
ever　there　was　a　case；　this　is！　　Why；　it　is　almost　actionable
injuring　your　whole　prospects　in　life；　and　all　because　he　will　not
take　the　trouble　to　make　an　investigation！　　It　is　a　crying　shame。〃

〃Every　fellow　in　the　school　knows　how　it　was；〃　said　Norman；　〃and
plenty　of　them　would　be　glad　to　tell；　if　they　had　only　the
opportunity；　but　he　asked　no　one　but　those　two　or　three　worst　fellows
that　were　at　the　fire；　and　they　would　not　tell；　n　purpose。　　The
school　will　go　to　destruction　nowthey'll　get　their　way；　and　all　I
have　been　striving　for　is　utterly　undone。〃

〃You　setting　a　bad　example！　　Dr。　Hoxton　little　knows　what　you　have
been　doing。　　It　is　a　mockery；　as　I　have　always　said；　to　see　that　old
fellow　sit　wrapped　up　in　his　pomposity；　eating　his　good　dinners；　and
knowing　no　more　what　goes　on　among　his　boys　than　this　umbrella！　　But
he　will　listen　to　meand　we'll　make　those　boys　confess　the　whole
ay；　and　have　up　Ballhatchet　himself；　to　say　what　your　traffic　with
him　was；　and　we　will　see　what　old　Hoxton　says　to　you　then；　Norman。〃

Dr。　May　and　his　son　felt　keenly　and　spoke　strongly。　There　was　so　much
of　sympathy　and　fellow…feeling　between　them；　that　there　was　no
backwardness　on　Norman's　part　in　telling　his　whole　trouble；　with　more
confidence　than　schoolboys　often　show　towards　their　fathers；　and　Dr。
May　entered　into　the　mortification　as　if　he　were　still　at　school。
They　did　not　go　into　the　house；　but　walked　long　up　and　down　the
garden；　working　themselves　up　into；　if　possible；　stronger
indignation；　and　concerting　the　explanation　for　to…morrow；　when　Dr。
May　meant　to　go　at　once　to　the　head…master；　and　make　him　attend　to
the　true　version　of　the　story；　appealing　to　Harvey　Anderson　himself；
Larkins；　and　many　others；　for　witnesses。　　There　could　be　hardly　a
doubt　that　Norman　would　be　thus　exculpated；　but；　if　Dr。　Hoxton　would
not　see　things　in　their　true　light；　Dr。　May　was　ready　to　take　him
away　at　once；　rather　than　see　him　suffer　injustice。

Still；　though　comforted　by　his　father's　entire　reliance；　Norman　was
suffering　severely　under　the　sense　of　indignity；　and　grieved　that　Dr。
Hoxton　and　the　other　masters　should　have　believed　him　guiltythat
name　of　May　could　never　again　boast　of　being　without　reproach。　　To　be
in　disgrace　stung　him　to　the　quick；　even　though　undeservedly；　and　he
could　not　bear　to　go　in；　meet　his　sisters；　and　be　pitied。　　〃There's
no　need　they　should　know　of　it；〃　said　he；　when　the　Minster　clock
pealing　ten　obliged　them　to　go　indoors；　and　his　father　agreed。　　They
bade　each　other　good…night；　with　the　renewal　of　the　promise　that　Dr。
Hoxton　should　be　forced　to　hear　Norman's　vindication　the　first　thing
to…morrow；　Harvey　Anderson　be　disappointed　of　what　he　meanly
triumphed　in；　and　Norman　be　again　in　his　post　at　the　head　of　the
school；　in　more　honour　and　confidence　than　ever；　putting　down　evil；
and　making　Stoneborough　what　it　ought　to　be。

As　Dr。　May　lay　awake　in　the　summer's　morning；　meditating　on　his