第 2 节
作者:这就是结局      更新:2022-08-21 16:39      字数:9322
  〃Pax!  Pax!〃 cried Norman; over all; with the voice of an authority;
  as he leaped up lightly and set Tom on his legs again。  〃Harry! you
  had better do that again;〃 he added warningly。  〃Be off; out of this
  window; and let Ethel and me read in peace。〃
  〃Here's the place;〃 said Ethel 〃Crispin; Crispian's day。  How I do
  like Henry V。〃
  〃It is no use to try to keep those boys in order!〃 sighed Miss
  Winter。
  〃Saturnalia; as papa calls Saturday;〃 replied Flora。
  〃Is not your eldest brother coming home to…day?〃 said Miss Winter in
  a low voice to Flora; who shook her head; and said confidentially;
  〃He is not coming till he has passed that examination。  He thinks it
  better not。〃
  Here entered; with a baby in her arms; a lady with a beautiful
  countenance of calm sweetness; looking almost too young to be the
  mother of the tall Margaret; who followed her。  There was a general
  hush as she greeted Miss Winter; the girls crowding round to look at
  their little sister; not quite six weeks old。
  〃Now; Margaret; will you take her up to the nursery?〃 said the
  mother; while the impatient speech was repeated; 〃Mamma; can we go to
  Cocksmoor?〃
  〃You don't think it will be too far for you?〃 said the mother to Miss
  Winter as Margaret departed。
  〃Oh; no; not at all; thank you; that was not But Margaret has
  explained。〃
  〃Yes; poor Margaret;〃 said Mrs。 May; smiling。  〃She has settled it by
  choosing to stay at home with me。  It is no matter for the others;
  and he is going on Monday; so that it will not happen again。〃
  〃Margaret has behaved very well;〃 said Miss Winter。
  〃She has indeed;〃 said her mother; smiling。  〃Well; Harry; how is the
  caterpillar?〃
  〃They've just capsized it; mamma;〃 answered Harry; 〃and Mary is
  making all taut。〃
  Mrs。 May laughed; and proceeded to advise Ethel and Norman to put
  away Henry V。; and find the places in their Bibles; 〃or you will have
  the things mixed together in your heads;〃 said she。
  In the meantime Margaret; with the little babe; to…morrow to be her
  godchild; lying gently in her arms; came out into the matted hall;
  and began to mount the broad shallow…stepped staircase; protected by
  low stout balusters; with a very thick; flat; and solid mahogany
  hand…rail; polished by the boys' constant riding up and down upon it。
  She was only on the first step; when the dining…room door opened; and
  there came out a young man; slight; and delicate…looking; with bright
  blue eyes; and thickly…curling light hair。  〃Acting nurse?〃 he said;
  smiling。  〃What an odd little face it is!  I didn't think little
  white babies were so pretty!  Well; I shall always consider myself as
  the real godfatherthe other is all a sham。〃
  〃I think so;〃 said Margaret; 〃but I must not stand with her in a
  draught;〃 and on she went; while he called after her。  〃So we are to
  have an expedition to…day。〃
  She did not gainsay it; but there was a little sigh of disappoint…
  ment; and when she was out of hearing; she whispered; 〃Oh! lucky
  baby; to have so many years to come before you are plagued with
  troublesome propriety!〃
  Then depositing her little charge with the nurse; and trying to cheer
  up a solemn…looking boy of three; who evidently considered his
  deposition from babyhood as a great injury; she tripped lightly down
  again; to take part in the Saturday's reading and catechising。
  It was pleasant to see that large family in the hush and reverence of
  such teaching; the mother's gentle power preventing the outbreaks of
  restlessness to which even at such times the wild young spirits were
  liable。  Margaret and Miss Winter especially rejoiced in it on this
  occasion; the first since the birth of the baby; that she had been
  able to preside。  Under her; though seemingly without her taking any
  trouble; there was none of the smothered laughing at the little
  mistakes; the fidgeting of the boys; or Harry's audacious
  impertinence to Miss Winter; and no less glad was Harry to have his
  mother there; and be guarded from himself。
  The Catechism was repeated; and a comment on the Sunday Services read
  aloud。  The Gospel was that on the taking the lowest place; and when
  they had finished; Ethel said; 〃I like the verse which explains that:
  〃They who now sit lowest here;
  When their Master shall appear;
  He shall bid them higher rise;
  And be highest in the skies。〃
  〃I did not think of that being the meaning of 'when He that bade thee
  cometh;'〃 said Norman thoughtfully。
  〃It seemed to be only our worldly advantage that was meant before;〃
  said Ethel。
  〃Well; it means that too;〃 said Flora。
  〃I suppose it does;〃 said Mrs。 May; 〃but the higher sense is the one
  chiefly to be dwelt on。  It is a lesson how those least known and
  regarded here; and humblest in their own eyes; shall be the highest
  hereafter。〃
  And Margaret looked earnestly at her mother; but did not speak。
  〃May we go; mamma?〃 said Mary。
  〃Yes; you threeall of you; indeed; unless you wish to say any
  more。〃
  The 〃boys〃 availed themselves of the permission。  Norman tarried to
  put his books into a neat leather case; and Ethel stood thinking。
  〃It means altogetherit is a lesson against ambition;〃 said she。
  〃True;〃 said her mother; 〃the love of eminence for its own sake。〃
  〃And in so many different ways!〃 said Margaret。
  〃Ay; worldly greatness; riches; rank; beauty;〃 said Flora。
  〃All sorts of false flash and nonsense; and liking to be higher than
  one ought to be;〃 said Norman。  〃I am sure there is nothing lower; or
  more mean and shabby; than getting places and praise a fellow does
  not deserve。〃
  〃Oh; yes!〃 cried Ethel; 〃but no one fit to speak to would do that!〃
  〃Plenty of people do; I can tell you;〃 said Norman。
  〃Then I hope I shall never know who they are!〃 exclaimed Ethel。  〃But
  I'll tell you what I was thinking of; mamma。  Caring to be clever;
  and get on; only for the sake of beating people。〃
  〃I think that might be better expressed。〃
  〃I know;〃 said Ethel; bending her brow; with the fullness of her
  thought〃I mean caring to do a thing only because nobody else can do
  itwanting to be first more than wanting to do one's best。〃
  〃You are quite right; my dear Ethel;〃 said her mother; 〃and I am glad
  you have found in the Gospel a practical lesson; that should be
  useful to you both。  I had rather you did so than that you read it in
  Greek; though that is very nice too;〃 she added; smiling; as she put
  her hand on a little Greek Testament; in which Ethel had been reading
  it; within her English Bible。  〃Now; go and mend that deplorable
  frock; and if you don't dream over it; you won't waste too much of
  your holiday。〃
  〃I'll get it done in no time!〃 cried Ethel; rushing headlong
  upstairs; twice tripping in it before she reached the attic; where
  she slept; as well as Flora and Marya large room in the roof; the
  windows gay with bird…cages and flowers; a canary singing loud enough
  to deafen any one but girls to whom headaches were unknown; plenty of
  books and treasures; and a very fine view; from the dormer window; of
  the town sloping downwards; and the river winding away; with some
  heathy hills in the distance。  Poking and peering about with her
  short…sighted eyes; Ethel lighted on a work…basket in rare disorder;
  pulled off her frock; threw on a shawl; and sat down cross…legged on
  her bed; stitching vigorously; while meantime she spouted with great
  emphasis an ode of Horace; which Norman having learned by heart; she
  had followed his example; it being her great desire to be even with
  him in all his studies; and though eleven months younger; she had
  never yet fallen behind him。  On Saturday; he showed her what were
  his tasks for the week; and as soon as her rent was repaired; she
  swung herself downstairs in search of him for this purpose。  She
  found him in the drawing…room; a pretty; pleasant roomits only
  fault that it was rather too low。  It had windows opening down to the
  lawn; and was full of pretty things; works and knick…knacks。  Ethel
  found the state of affairs unfavourable to her。  Norman was intent on
  a book on the sofa; and at the table sat Mr。 Ernescliffe; hard at
  work with calculations and mathematical instruments。  Ethel would not
  for the world that any one should guess at her classical studiesshe
  scarcely liked to believe that even her father knew of them; and to
  mention them before Mr。 Ernescliffe would have been dreadful。  So she
  only shoved Norman; and asked him to come。
  〃Presently;〃 he said。
  〃What have you here?〃 said she; poking her head into the book。  〃Oh!
  no wonder you can't leave off。  I've been wanting you to read it all
  the week。〃
  She read over him a few minutes; then recoiled: 〃I forgot; mamma told
  me not to read those stories in the morning。  Only five minutes;
  Norman。〃
  〃Wait a bit; I'll come。〃
  She fidgeted; till Mr。 Ernescliffe asked Norman if there was a table
  of logarithms in the house。
  〃Oh; yes;〃 she answered; 〃don't you know; Norman?  In a brown book on
  the upper shelf in the dining…room。  Don't you remember papa's
  telling us the meaning of them; when we had the grand book…dusting?〃
  He was conscious of nothing but his book; however; she found the
  logarithms; and brought them to Mr。 Ernesc