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the daisy chain, or aspirations-第165章

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indeed。〃

He faced suddenly towards her 〃Meta; Meta! is it possible?  Do you
know what you are saying?〃

〃I think I do。〃

〃You must understand me;〃 said Norman; striving to speak calmly。 〃You
have beenwords will not express what you have been to me for years
past; but I thought you too far beyond my hopes。  I knew I ought to
be removed from youI believed that those who are debarred from
earthly happiness are marked for especial tasks。  I never intended
you to know what actuated me; and now the work is undertaken; and
and I cannot turn back;〃 he added quickly; as if fearing himself。

〃No indeed;〃 was her steady reply。

〃Then I may believe it!〃 cried Norman。  〃You doyou willyou
deliberately choose to share it with me?〃

〃I will try not to be a weight on you;〃 answered the young girl; with
a sweet mixture of resolution and humility。  〃It would be the
greatest possible privilege。  I really do not think I am a fine lady
ingrain; and you will teach me not to be too unworthy。〃

〃I?  Oh; Meta; you know not what I am!  Yet with you; with you to
inspire; to strengthen; to cheerMeta; Meta; life is so much changed
before me; that I cannot understand it yetafter the long dreary
hopelessness〃

〃I can't think why〃 Meta had half said; when feminine dignity
checked the words; consciousness and confusion suddenly assailed her;
dyed her cheeks crimson; and stifled her voice。

It was the same with Norman; and bashfulness making a sudden prey of
bothon they went under its dominion; in a condition partaking
equally of discomfort and felicity; dreading the sound of their own
voices; afraid of each other's faces; feeling they were treating each
other very strangely and ungratefully; yet without an idea what to
say next; or the power of speaking first; and therefore pacing
onwards; looking gravely straight along the path; as if to prevent
the rabbits and foxgloves from guessing that anything had been
passing between them。

Dr。 May had made his call at Drydale; and was driving up a rough
lane; between furzy banks; leading to Cocksmoor; when he was aware of
a tall gentleman on one side of the road and a little lady on the
other; with the whole space of the cart…track between them; advancing
soberly towards him。

〃Hallo!  Why; Meta!  Norman! what brings you here?  Where are you
going?〃

Norman perceived that he had turned to the left instead of to the
right; and was covered with shame。

〃That is all your wits are good for。  It is well I met you; or you
would have led poor Meta a pretty dance!  You will know better than
to trust yourself to the mercies of a scholar another time。  Let me
give you a lift。〃

The courteous doctor sprang out to hand Meta in; but something made
him suddenly desire Adams to drive on; and then turning round to the
two young people; he said; 〃Oh!〃

〃Yes;〃 said Norman; taking her hand; and drawing her towards him。

〃What; Meta; my pretty one; is it really so?  Is he to be happy after
all?  Are you to be a Daisy of my own?〃

〃If you will let me;〃 murmured Meta; clinging to her kind old friend。

〃No flower on earth could come so naturally to us;〃 said Dr。 May。
〃And; dear child; at last I may venture to tell you that you have a
sanction that you will value more than mine。  Yes; my dear; on the
last day of your dear father's life; when some foreboding hung upon
him; he spoke to me of your prospects; and singled out this very
Norman as such as he would prefer。〃

Meta's tears prevented all; save the two little words; 〃thank you;〃
but she put out her hand to Norman; as she still rested on the
doctor's arm; more as if he had been her mother than Norman's father。

〃Did he?〃 from Norman; was equally inexpressive of the almost
incredulous gratitude and tenderness of his feeling。

It would not bear talking over at that moment; and Dr。 May presently
broke the silence in a playful tone。 〃So; Meta; good men don't like
heiresses?〃

〃Quite true;〃 said Meta; 〃it was very much against me。〃

〃Or it may be the other way;〃 said Norman。

〃Eh?  Good men don't like heiresseshere's a man who likes an
heiresstherefore here's a man that is not good?  Ah; ha! Meta; you
can see that is false logic; though I've forgotten mine。  And pray;
miss; what are we to say to your uncle?〃

〃He cannot help it;〃 said Meta quickly。

〃Ha!〃 said the doctor; laughing; 〃we remember our twenty…one years;
do we?〃

〃I did not meanI hope I said nothing wrong;〃 said Meta; in blushing
distress。  〃Only after what you said; I can care for nothing else。〃

〃If I could only thank him;〃 said Norman fervently。

〃I believe you know how to do that; my boy;〃 said Dr。 May; looking
tenderly at the fairy figure between them; and ending with a sigh;
remembering; perhaps; the sense of protection with which he had felt
another Margaret lean on his arm。

The clatter of horses' hoofs caused Meta to withdraw her hand; and
Norman to retreat to his own side of the lane; as Sir Henry
Walkinghame and his servant overtook them。

〃We will be in good time for the proceedings;〃 called out the doctor。
〃Tell them we are coming。〃

〃I did not know you were walking;〃 said Sir Henry to Meta。

〃It is pleasant in the plantations;〃 Dr。 May answered for her; 〃but I
am afraid we are late; and our punctual friends will be in despair。
Will you kindly say we are at hand?〃

Sir Henry rode on; finding that he was not to be allowed to walk his
horse with them; and that Miss Rivers had never looked up。

〃Poor Sir Henry!〃 said Dr。 May。

〃He has no right to be surprised;〃 said Meta; very low。

〃And so you were marching right upon Drydale!〃 continued Dr。 May; not
able to help laughing。  〃It was a happy dispensation that I met you。〃

〃Oh; I am so glad of it!〃 said Meta。

〃Though to be sure you were disarming suspicion by so cautiously
keeping the road between you。  I should never have guessed what you
had been at。〃

There was a little pause; then Meta said; rather tremulously;
〃PleaseI think it should be known at once。〃

〃Our idle deeds confessed without loss of time; miss?〃

Norman came across the path; saying; 〃Meta is rightit should be
known。〃

〃I don't think Uncle Cosham would object; especially hearing it while
he is here;〃 said Meta 〃and if he knew what you told us。〃

〃He goes to…morrow; does he not?〃 said Dr。 May。

A silence of perplexity ensued。  Meta; brave as she was; hardly knew
her uncle enough to volunteer; and Norman was privately devising a
beginning by the way of George; when Dr。 May said; 〃Well; since it is
not a case for putting Ethel in the forefront; I must e'en get it
over for you; I suppose。〃

〃Oh; thank you;〃 they cried both at once; feeling that he was the
proper person in every way; and Norman added; 〃The sooner the better;
if Meta〃

〃Oh; yes; yes; the sooner the better;〃 exclaimed Meta。  〃And let me
tell Florapoor dear Florashe is always so kind。〃

A testimony that was welcome to Dr。 May; who had once; at least; been
under the impression that Flora courted Sir Henry's attentions to her
sister…in…law。

Further consultation was hindered by Tom and Blanche bursting upon
them from the common; both echoing Norman's former reproach of 〃A
pretty guide!〃 and while Blanche explained the sufferings of all the
assembly at their tardiness; Tom; without knowing it; elucidated what
had been a mystery to the doctor; namely; how they ever met; by his
indignation at Norman's having assumed the guidance for which he was
so unfit。

〃A shocking leader; Meta will never trust him again;〃 said Dr。 May。

Still Blanche thought them not nearly sufficiently sensible of their
enormities; and preached eagerly about their danger of losing
standing…room; when they emerged on the moor; and beheld a crowd;
above whose heads rose the apex of a triangle; formed by three poles;
sustaining a rope and huge stone。

〃Here comes Dr。 Spencer;〃 she said。  〃I hope he will scold you。〃

Whatever Dr。 Spencer might have suffered; he was far too polite to
scold; and a glance between the two physicians ended in a merry
twinkle of his bright eyes。

〃This way;〃 he said; 〃we are all ready。〃

〃But where's my little Daisy?〃 said Dr。 May。

〃You'll see her in a minute。  She is as good as gold。〃

He drew them on up the bankpeople making way for themtill he had
stationed them among the others of their own party; beside the deep
trench that traced the foundation; around a space that seemed far too
small。

Nearly at the same moment began the soft clear sound of chanting
wafted upon the wind; then dying awaycarried off by some eddying
breeze; then clear; and coming nearer and nearer。


             I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep;
                Nor mine eye…lids to slumber:
             Neither the temples of my head to take any rest;
             Until I find out a place for the temple of the Lord:
             An habitation for the mighty God of Jacob。


Few; who knew the history of Cocksmoor; could help glancing towards
the slight girl; who stood; with bent head; her hand clasped over
little Aubrey's; while; all that was not prayer and thanksgiving in
her mind; was applying the words to him; whose head rested in the
Pacific isle; while; in the place whi
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