But I am afraid！ It is what people call a difficult； dangerous age；
and the grander she is； the greater danger of not managing her
rightly。 If those high purposes should run only into romance like
mine； or grow out into eccentricities and unfemininesses； what a
grievous pity it would be！ And I； so little older； so much less
clever； with just sympathy enough not to be a wise restraintI am
the person who has the responsibility； and oh； what shall I do？
Mamma trusted to me to be a mother to them； papa looks to me； and I
so unfit； besides this helplessness。 But God sent it； and put me in
my place。 He made me lie here； and will raise me up if it is good；
so I trust He will help me with my sisters。〃
〃Grant me to have a right judgment in all things； and evermore to
rejoice in Thy holy comfort。〃
CHAPTER VII。
Something between a hindrance and a help。
WORDSWORTH。
Etheldred awoke long before time for getting up； and lay pondering
over her visions。 Margaret had sympathised； and therefore they did
not seem entirely aerial。 To earn money by writing was her favourite
plan； and she called her various romances in turn before her memory；
to judge which might be brought down to sober pen and ink。 She
considered till it became not too unreasonably early to get up。 It
was dark； but there was a little light close to the window： she had
no writing…paper； but she would interline her old exercise…book。
Down she ran； and crouching in the school…room window…seat； she wrote
on in a trance of eager composition； till Norman called her； as he
went to school； to help him to find a book。
This done； she went up to visit Margaret； to tell her the story； and
consult her。 But this was not so easy。 She found Margaret with
little Daisy lying by her； and Tom sitting by the fire over his
Latin。
〃Oh； Ethel； good…morning； dear！ you are come just in time。〃
〃To take baby？〃 said Ethel； as the child was fretting a little。
〃Yes； thank you； she has been very good； but she was tired of lying
here； and I can't move her about；〃 said Margaret。
〃Oh； Margaret； I have such a plan；〃 said Ethel； as she walked about
with little Gertrude； but Tom interrupted。
〃Margaret； will you see if I can say my lesson？〃 and the thumbed
Latin grammar came across her just as Dr。 May's door opened； and he
came in exclaiming； 〃Latin grammar！ Margaret； this is really too
much for you。 Good…morning； my dears。 Ha！ Tommy； take your book
away； my boy。 You must not inflict that on sister now。 There's your
regular master； Richard； in my room； if it is fit for his ears yet。
What； the little one here too？〃
〃How is your arm； papa？〃 said Margaret。 〃Did it keep you awake？〃
〃Not longit set me dreaming though； and a very romantic dream it
was； worthy of Ethel herself。〃
〃What was it； papa？〃
〃Oh； it was an odd thing； joining on strangely enough with one I had
three or four and twenty years ago； when I was a young man； hearing
lectures at Edinburgh； and courting〃he stopped； and felt Margaret's
pulse； asked her a few questions； and talked to the baby。 Ethel
longed to hear his dream； but thought he would not like to go on；
however； he did presently。
〃The old dream was the night after a picnic on Arthur's Seat with the
Mackenzies； mamma and Aunt Flora were there。 'Twas a regular boy's
dream； a tournament； or something of that nature； where I was victor；
the queenyou know who she wasgiving me her tokena Daisy Chain。〃
〃That is why you like to call us your Daisy Chain；〃 said Ethel。
〃Did you write it in verse？〃 said Margaret。 〃I think I once saw some
verses like it in her desk。〃
〃I was in love； and three…and…twenty；〃 said the doctor； looking
drolly guilty in the midst of his sadness。 〃Ay； those fixed it in my
memory； perhaps my fancy made it more distinct than it really was。
An evening or two ago I met with them； and that stirred it up I
suppose。 Last night came the tournament again； but it was the melee；
a sense of being crushed down； suffocated by the throng of armed
knights and horsespain and woundsand I looked in vain through the
opposing overwhelming host for mymy Maggie。 Well； I got the worst
of it； my sword arm was brokenI fell； was stifledcrushedin
miseryall I could do was to grasp my tokenmy Daisy Chain；〃 and he
pressed Margaret's hand as he said so。 〃And； behold； the tumult and
despair were passed。 I lay on the grass in the cloisters； and the
Daisy Chain hung from the sky； and was drawing me upwards。 Thereit
is a queer dream for a sober old country doctor。 I don't know why I
told you； don't tell any one again。〃
And he walked away； muttering。 〃For he told me his dreams； talked of
eating and drinking；〃 leaving Margaret with her eyes full of tears；
and Ethe1 vehemently caressing the baby。
〃How beautiful！〃 said Ethel。
〃It has been a comfort to him； I am sure；〃 said Margaret。
〃You don't think it ominous；〃 said Ethel with a slight tremulous
voice。
〃More soothing than anything else。 It is what we all feel； is it
not？ that this little daisy bud is the link between us and heaven？〃
〃But about him。 He was victor at firstvanquished the next time。〃
〃I thinkif it is to have an interpretation； though I am not sure we
ought to take it so seriously； it would only mean that in younger
days people care for victory and distinction in this world； like
Norman； or as papa most likely did then； but； as they grow older；
they care less； and others pass them； and they know it does not
signify； for in our race all may win。〃
〃But he has a great name。 How many people come from a distance to
consult him！ he is looked upon； too； in other ways！ he can do
anything with the corporation。〃
Margaret smiled。 〃All this does not sound grandit is not as if he
had set up in London。〃
〃Oh； dear； I am so glad he did not。〃
〃Shall I tell you what mamma told me he said about it； when Uncle
Mackenzie said he ought？ He answered that he thought health and
happy home attachments were a better provision for us to set out in
life with than thousands。〃
〃I am sure he was right！〃 said Ethel earnestly。 〃Then you don't
think the dream meant being beaten； only that our best things are not
gained by successes in this world？〃
〃Don't go and let it dwell on your mind as a vision；〃 said Margaret。
〃I think dear mamma would call that silly。〃
An interruption occurred； and Ethel had to go down to breakfast with
a mind floating between romance； sorrow； and high aspirations； very
unlike the actual world she had to live in。 First； there was a sick
man walking into the study； and her father； laying down his letters；
saying； 〃I must despatch him before prayers； I suppose。 I've a great
mind to say I never will see any one who won't keep to my days。〃
〃I can't imagine why they don't；〃 said Flora； as he went。 〃He is
always saying so； but never acting on it。 If he would once turn one
away； the rest would mind。〃
Richard went on in silence； cutting bread and butter。
〃There's another ring；〃 said Mary。
〃Yes； he is caught now； they'll go on in a stream。 I shall not keep
Margaret waiting for her breakfast； I shall take it up。〃
The morning was tiresome； though Dr。 May had two regular days for
seeing poor people at his house； he was too good…natured to keep
strictly to them； and this day； as Flora had predicted； there was a
procession of them not soon got rid of； even by his rapid queries and
the talismanic figures made by his left hand on scraps of paper； with
which he sent them off to the infirmary。 Ethel tried to read； the
children lingered about； it was a trial of temper to all but Tom； who
obtained Richard's attention to his lessons。 He liked to say them to
his brother； and was an incentive to learn them quickly； that none
might remain for Miss Winter when Richard went out with his father。
If mamma had been there； she would have had prayers； but now no one
had authority enough； though they did at last even finish breakfast。
Just as the gig came to the door； Dr。 May dismissed his last patient；
rang the bell in haste； and as soon as prayers were over； declared he
had an appointment； and had no time to eat。 There was a general
outcry that it was bad enough when he was well； and now he must not
take liberties； Flora made him drink some tea； and Richard placed
morsels in his way； while he read his letters。 He ran up for a final
look at Margaret； almost upset the staid Miss Winter as he ran down
again； called Richard to take the reins； and was off。
It was French day； always a trial to Ethel。 M。 Ballompre； the
master； knew what was good and bad French； but could not render a
reason； and Ethel； being versed in the principles of grammar； from
her Latin studies； chose to know the why and wherefore of his
correctionsshe did not like to see her pages defaced； and have no
security against future errors； while he thought her a troublesome
pupil； and was put out by her questions。 They wrangled； Miss Winter
was displeased； and Ethel felt injured。
Mary's inability to catch the pronunciation； and her hopeless dull
look when she found that coeur must not be pronounced cour； nor cur；
but something between； to which her rosy English lips could never
comeall this did not tease M。 Ballompre； for he was used to it。
His mark for Ethel's lesson was 〃de l'humeur。〃
〃I am sorry；〃 said Miss Winter； when he was gone。 〃I thought you had
outgrown that habit of disputing over every phrase。〃
〃I can't tell how a language is to be learned without knowing the
reasons of one's mistakes；〃 said Ethel。
〃That is what you always say； my dear。 It is of no use to renew it
all； but I wish you would control yourself。 Now； Mary； call Blanche；
and you and Ethel take your arithmetic。〃
So Flora went to read to Margaret； while Blanche went lightly and
playfully through her easy lessons； and Mary floundered piteously
over the difficulties of Compound Long Division。 Ethel's mind was in
too irritated and tumultuous a state for her to derive her usual
solace from Cube Root。 Her sum was wrong； and she wanted to work it
right； but Miss Winter； who had little liking for the higher branches
of arithmetic； said she had spent tim