the daisy chain, or aspirations- 第36部分

〃Norman；　do　you　feel　up　to　a　long　day's　work？〃　said　Dr。　May；　on　the
following　morning。　　〃I　have　to　set　off　after　breakfast　to　see　old
Mrs。　Gould；　and　to　be　at　Abbotstoke　Grange　by　twelve；　then　I　thought
of　going　to　Fordholm；　and　getting　Miss　Cleveland　to　give　us　some
luncheonthere　are　some　poor　people　on　the　way　to　look　at；　and　that
girl　on　Far…view　Hill；　and　there's　another　place　to　call　in　at　coming
home。　　You'll　have　a　good　deal　of　sitting　in　the　carriage；　holding
Whitefoot；　so　if　you　think　you　shall　be　cold　or　tired；　don't　scruple
to　say　so；　and　I'll　take　Adams　to　drive　me。〃

〃No；　thank　you；〃　said　Norman　briskly。　　〃This　frost　is　famous。〃

〃It　will　turn　to　rain；　I　expectit　is　too　white；〃　said　the　doctor；
looking　out　at　the　window。　　〃How　will　you　get　to　Cocksmoor；　good
people？〃

〃Ethel　won't　believe　it　rains　unless　it　is　very　bad；〃　said　Richard。

Norman　set　out　with　his　father；　and　prosperously　performed　the
expedition；　arriving　at　Abbotstoke　Grange　at　the　appointed　hour。

〃Ha！〃　said　the　doctor；　as　the　iron　gates　of　ornamental　scrollwork
were　swung　back；　〃there's　a　considerable　change　in　this　place　since　I
was　here　last。　　Well　kept　up　indeed！　　Not　a　dead　leaf　left　under　the
old　walnuts；　and　the　grass　looks　as　smooth　as　if　they　had　a　dozen
gardeners　rolling　it　every　day。〃

〃And　the　drive；〃　said　Norman；　〃more　like　a　garden　walk　than　a　road！
But　oh！　what　a　splendid　cedar！〃

〃Isn't　it！　I　remember　that　as　long　as　I　remember　anything。　　All　this
fine　rolling　of　turf；　and　trimming　up　of　the　place；　does　not　make
much　difference　to　you；　old　fellow；　does　it？　　You　don't　look　altered
since　I　saw　you　last；　when　old　Jervis　was　letting　the　place　go　to
rack　and　ruin。　　So　they　have　a　new　entrancevery　handsome
conservatoryflowersthe　banker　does　things　in　style。　　There；〃　as
Norman　helped　him　off　with　his　plaid；　〃wrap　yourself　up　well；　don't
get　cold。　　The　sun　is　gone　in；　and　I　should　not　wonder　if　the　rain
were　coming　after　all。　　I'll　not　be　longer　than　I　can　help。〃

Dr。　May　disappeared　from　his　son's　sight　through　the　conservatory；
where；　through　the　plate…glass；　the　exotics　looked　so　fresh　and
perfumy；　that　Norman　almost　fancied　that　the　scent　reached　him。　　〃How
much　poor　Margaret　would　enjoy　one　of　those　camellias；〃　thought　he；
〃and　these　people　have　bushels　of　them　for　mere　show。　　If　I　were
papa；　I　should　be　tempted　to　be　like　Beauty's　father；　and　carry　off
one。　　How　she　would　admire　it！〃

Norman　had　plenty　of　time　to　meditate　on　the　camellias；　and　then　to
turn　and　speculate　on　the　age　of　the　cedar；　whether　it　could　have
been　planted　by　the　monks　of　Stoneborough　Abbey；　to　whom　the　Grange
had　belonged；　brought　from　Lebanon　by　a　pilgrim；　perhaps；　and　then　he
tried　to　guess　at　the　longevity　of　cedars；　and　thought　of　asking
Margaret；　the　botanist　of　the　family。　　Then　he　yawned；　moved　the
horse　a　little　about；　opined　that　Mr。　Rivers　must　be　very　prosy；　or
have　some　abstruse　complaint；　considered　the　sky；　and　augured　rain；
buttoned　another　button　of　his　rough　coat；　and　thought　of　Miss
Cleveland's　dinner。　　Then　he　thought　there　was　a　very　sharp　wind；　and
drove　about　till　he　found　a　sheltered　place　on　the　lee　side　of　the
great　cedar；　looked　up　at　it；　and　thought　it　would　be　a　fine　subject
for　verses；　if　Mr。　Wilmot　knew　of　it；　and　then　proceeded　to　consider
what　he　should　make　of　them。

In　the　midst　he　was　suddenly　roused　by　the　deep…toned　note　of　a　dog；
and　beheld　a　large　black　Newfoundland　dog　leaping　about　the　horse　in
great　indignation。　〃Rollo！　Rollo！〃　called　a　clear　young　voice；　and　he
saw　two　ladles　returning　from　a　walk。　　Rollo；　at　the　first　call；
galloped　back　to　his　mistress；　and　was　evidently　receiving　an
admonition；　and　promising　good　behaviour。　　The　two　ladies　entered　the
house；　while　he　lay　down　on　the　step；　with　his　lion…like　paw　hanging
down；　watching　Norman　with　a　brilliant　pair　of　hazel　eyes。　　Norman；
after　a　little　more　wondering　when　Mr。　Rivers　would　have　done　with
his　father；　betook　himself　to　civil　demonstrations　to　the　creature；
who　received　them　with　dignity；　and　presently；　after　acknowledging
with　his　tail；　various　whispers　of　〃Good　old　fellow；〃　and　〃Here；　old
Rollo！〃　having　apparently　satisfied　himself　that　the　young　gentleman
was　respectable；　he　rose；　and　vouchsafed　to　stand　up　with　his
forepaws　in　the　gig；　listening　amiably　to　Norman's　delicate
flatteries。　　Norman　even　began　to　hope　to　allure　him　into　jumping　on
the　seat：　but　a　great　bell　rang；　and　Rollo　immediately　turned　round；
and　dashed　off；　at　full　speed；　to　some　back　region　of　the　house。
〃So；　old　fellow；　you　know　what　the　dinner…bell　means；〃　thought
Norman。　　〃I　hope　Mr。　Rivers　is　hungry　too。　　Miss　Cleveland　will　have
eaten　up　her　whole　luncheon；　if　this　old　bore　won't　let　my　father　go
soon！　　I　hope　he　is　desperately　ill'tis　his　only　excuse！　　Heigh　ho！
I　must　jump　out　to　warm　my　feet　soon！　　There；　there's　a　drop　of　rain！
Well；　there's　no　end　to　it！　I　wonder　what　Ethel　is　doing　about
Cocksmoor！　　It　is　setting　in　for　a　wet　afternoon！〃　and　Norman
disconsolately　put　up　his　umbrella。

At　last　Dr。　May　and　another　gentleman　were　seen　in　the　conservatory；
and　Norman　gladly　proceeded　to　clear　the　seat；　but　Dr。　May　called
out；　〃Jump　out；　Norman；　Mr。　Rivers　is　so　kind　as　to　ask　us　to　stay　to
luncheon。〃

With　boyish　shrinking　from　strangers；　Norman　privately　wished　Mr。
Rivers　at　Jericho；　as　he　gave　the　reins　to　a　servant；　and　entered　the
conservatory；　where　a　kindly　hand　was　held　out　to　him　by　a　gentleman
of　about　fifty；　with　a　bald　smooth　forehead；　soft　blue　eyes；　and
gentle　pleasant　face。　　〃Is　this　your　eldest　son？〃　said　he；　turning　to
Dr。　Mayand　the　manner　of　both　was　as　if　they　were　already　well
acquainted。　　〃No；　this　is　my　second。　　The　eldest　is　not　quite　such　a
long…legged　fellow；〃　said　Dr。　May。　　And　then　followed　the　question
addressed　to　Norman　himself；　where　he　was　at　school。

〃At　Stoneborough；〃　said　Norman；　a　little　amused　at　the　thought　how
angry　Ethel　and　Harry　would　be　that　the　paragraph　of　the　county
paper；　where　〃N。　W。　May〃　was　recorded　as　prizeman　and　foremost　in　the
examination；　had　not　penetrated　even　to　Abbotstoke　Grange；　or　rather
to　its　owner's　memory。

However；　his　father　could　not　help　adding；　〃He　is　the　head　of　the
schoola　thing　we　Stoneborough　men　think　much　of。〃

This；　and　Mr。　Rivers's　civil　answer；　made　Norman　so　hot；　that　he　did
not　notice　much　in　passing　through　a　hall　full　of　beautiful　vases；
stuffed　birds；　busts；　etc。；　tastefully　arranged；　and　he　did　not　look
up　till　they　were　entering　a　handsome　dining…room；　where　a　small
square　table　was　laid　out　for　luncheon　near　a　noble　fire。

The　two　ladies　were　there；　and　Mr。　Rivers　introduced　them　as　his
daughter　and　Mrs。　Larpent。　　It　was　the　most　luxurious　meal　that
Norman　had　ever　seen；　the　plate；　the　porcelain；　and　all　the
appointments　of　the　table　so　elegant；　and　the　viands；　all　partaking
of　the　Christmas　character；　and　of　a　recherche　delicate　description
quite　new　to　him。　　He　had　to　serve　as　his　father's　right　hand；　and
was　so　anxious　to　put　everything　as　Dr。　May　liked　it；　and　without
attracting　notice；　that　he　hardly　saw　or　listened　till　Dr。　May　began
to　admire　a　fine　Claude　on　the　opposite　wall；　and　embarked　in　a
picture　discussion。　　The　doctor　had　much　taste　for　art；　and　had　made
the　most　of　his　opportunities　of　seeing　paintings　during　his　time　of
study　at　Paris；　and　in　a　brief　tour　to　Italy。　　Since　that　time；　few
good　pictures　had　come　in　his　way；　and　these　were　a　great　pleasure　to
him；　while　Mr。　Rivers；　a　regular　connoisseur；　was　delighted　to　meet
with　one　who　could　so　well　appreciate　them。　　Norman　perceived　how　his
father　was　enjoying　the　conversation；　and　was　much　interested　both　by
the　sight　of　the　first　fine　paintings　he　had　ever　seen；　and　by　the
talk　about　their　merits；　but　the　living　things　in　the　room　had　more
of　his　attention　and　observation；　especially　the　young　lady　who　sat
at　the　head　of　the　table；　a　girl　about　his　own　age；　she　was　on　a　very
small　scale；　and　seemed　to　him　like　a　fairy；　in　the　airy　lightness
and　grace　of　her　movements；　and　the　blithe　gladsomeness　of　her
gestures　and　countenance。　　Form　and　features；　though　perfectly
healthful　and　brisk；　had　the　peculiar　finish　and　delicacy　of　a
miniature　painting；　and　were　enhanced　by　the　sunny　glance　of　her　dark
soft　smiling　eyes。　　Her　hair　was　in　black　silky　braids；　and　her
dress；　with　its　gaiety　of　well…assorted　colour；　was　positively
refreshing　to　his　eye；　so　long　accustomed　to　the　deep　mourning　of　his
sisters。　　A　little　Italian　greyhound；　perfectly　white；　was　at　her
side；　making　infinite　variations　of　the　line　of　beauty　and　grace；
with　its　elegant　outline；　and　S…like　tail；　as　it　raised　its　slender
nose　in　hopes　of　a　fragment　of　bread　which　she　from　time　to　time
dispensed　to　it。

Luncheon　over；　Mr。　Rivers　asked　Dr。　May　to　step　into　his　library；　and
Norman　guessed　that　they　had　been　talking　all　this　time；　and　had
never　come　to　the　medical　opinion。　　However；　a　good　meal　and　a　large
fire　made　a　great　difference　in　his　toleration；　and　it　was　so　new　a
scene；　that　he　had　no　objection　to　a　prolonged　waiting；　especially
when　Mrs。　Larpent　said；　in　a　very　pleasant　tone；　〃Will　you　come　into
the　drawing…room　with　us？〃

He　felt　somewhat　as　if　he　was　walking　in　enchanted　ground　as　he
followed　her　into　the　large　room；　the　windows　opening　into　the
conservatory；　the　whole　air　fragrant　with　flowers；　the　furniture　and
ornaments　so　exquisite　of　their　kind；　and　all　such　a　fit　scene　for
the　beautiful　little　damsel；　who；　with　her　slender　dog　by　her　side；
tripped　on　demurely；　and　rather　shyly；　but　with　a　certain　skipping
lightness　in　her　step。　　A　very　tall　overgrown　schoolboy　did　Norman
feel　himself　for　one　bashful　moment；　when　he　found　himself　alone　with
the　two　ladies；　but　he　was　ready　to　be　set　at　ease　by　Mrs。　Larpent's
good…natured　manner；　when　she　said　something　of　Rollo's　discourtesy。
He　smiled；　and　answered　that　he　had　made　great　friends　with　the　fine
old　dog；　and　spoke　of　his　running　off　to　the　dinner；　at　which　little
Miss　Rivers　laughed；　and　looked　delighted；　and　began　to　tell　of
Rollo's　perfections　and　intelligence。　　Norman　ventured　to　inquire　the
name　of　the　little　Italian；　and　was　told　i