第 127 节
作者:这就是结局      更新:2022-08-21 16:40      字数:9322
  〃No;〃 said Dr。 May。  〃Trouble may be at hand。  Help us through with
  it。  Remember; these children have no uncles。〃
  〃You will stay?〃 said Ethel。
  He made a sign of assenthe could do no more; and just then Gertrude
  came trotting back; so exceedingly smutty; as to call everybody's
  attention。  Hector had been shoving Tom half…way up the chimney; in
  hopes of reaching the nest; and the consequences of this amateur
  chimney…sweeping had been a plentiful bespattering of all the
  spectators with soot; that so greatly distressed the young ladies;
  that Mary and Blanche had fled away from public view。
  Dr。 Spencer's first act of possession was to threaten to pull Tom
  down by the heels for disturbing his jackdaws; whereupon there was a
  general acclamation; and Dr。 May began to talk of marauding times;
  when the jackdaws in the Minster tower had been harried。
  〃Ah!〃 said Dr。 Spencer; as Tom emerged; blacker than the outraged
  jackdaws; and half choked; 〃what do you know about jackdaws' nests?
  You that are no Whichcote scholars。〃
  〃Don't we?〃 cried Hector; 〃when there is a jackdaw's nest in Eton
  Chapel; twenty feet high。〃
  〃Old Grey made that!〃 said Tom; who usually acted the part of esprit
  fort to Hector's credulity。
  〃Why; there is a picture of it on Jesse's book;〃 said Hector。
  〃But may not we get up on the roof; to see if we can get at the nest;
  papa? 〃 said Tom。
  〃You must ask Dr。 Spencer。  It is his house。〃
  Dr。 Spencer did not gainsay it; and proceeded even to show the old
  Whichcote spirit; by leading the assault; and promising to take care
  of Aubrey; while Ethel retained Gertrude; and her father too; for Dr。
  May had such a great inclination to scramble up the ladder after
  them; that she; thinking it a dangerous experiment for so helpless an
  arm; was obliged to assure him that it would create a sensation among
  the gossiphood of Stoneborough; if their physician were seen
  disporting himself on the top of the house。
  〃Ah!  I'm not a physician unattached; like him;〃 said Dr。 May;
  laughing。  〃Hullo! have you got up; Tom?  There's a door up there。
  I'll show you〃
  〃No; don't papa。  Think of Mrs。 Ledwich; and asking her to see two
  trustees up there!〃 said Ethel。
  〃Ah!  Mrs。 Ledwich; what is to be done with her; Ethel?〃
  〃I am sure I can't tell。  If Flora were but at home; she would manage
  it。〃
  〃Spencer can manage anything!〃 was the answer。  〃That was the
  happiest chance imaginable that you came home with me; and so we came
  to go by the same train。〃
  Ethel was only afraid that time was being cruelly wasted; but the
  best men; and it is emphatically the best that generally are sohave
  the boy strong enough on one side or other of their natures; to be a
  great provocation to womankind; and Dr。 Spencer did not rest from his
  pursuit till the brood of the jackdaws had been discovered; and two
  gray…headed nestlings kidnapped; which were destined to a wicker cage
  and education。  Little Aubrey was beyond measure proud; and was
  suggesting all sorts of outrageous classical names for them; till
  politely told by Tom that he would make them as great prigs as
  himself; and that their names should be nothing but Jack and Jill。
  〃There's nothing for it but for Aubrey to go to school;〃 cried Tom;
  sententiously turning round to Ethel。
  〃Ay; to Stoneborough;〃 said Dr。 Spencer。
  Tom coloured; as if sorry for his movement; and hastened away to make
  himself sufficiently clean to go in quest of a prison for his
  captives。
  Dr。 Spencer began to bethink him of the paper that he had been so
  eagerly drawing up; and looking at his own begrimed hands; asked
  Ethel whether she would have him for a trustee。
  〃Will the other eight ladies?〃 said Ethel; 〃that's the point。〃
  〃Ha; Spencer! you did not know what you were undertaking。  Do you
  wish to be let off?〃 said Dr。 May。
  〃Not I;〃 said the undaunted doctor。  〃Come; Ethel; let us hear what
  should be done。〃
  〃There's no time;〃 said Ethel; bewildered。  〃The court will be only
  on the day after to…morrow。〃
  〃Ample time!〃 said Dr。 Spencer; who seemed ready to throw himself
  into it with all his might。  〃What we have to do is this。  The ladies
  to be propitiated are〃
  〃Nine Muses; to whom you will have to act Apollo;〃 said Dr。 May; who;
  having put his friend into the situation; had a mischievous delight
  in laughing at him; and watching what he would do。
  〃One and two; Ethel; and Mrs。 Rivers!〃
  〃Rather eight and nine;〃 said Ethel; 〃though Flora may be somebody
  now。〃
  〃Seven then;〃 said Dr。 Spencer。  〃Well then; Ethel; suppose we set
  out on our travels this afternoon。  Visit these ladies; get them to
  call a meeting to…morrow; and sanction their three trustees。〃
  〃You little know what a work it is to call a meeting; or how many
  notes Miss Rich sends out before one can be accomplished。〃
  〃Faint heartyou know the proverb; Ethel。  Allons。  I'll call on
  Mrs。 Ledwich〃
  〃Stay;〃 said Dr。 May。  〃Let Ethel do that; and ask her to tea; and we
  will show her your drawing of the school。〃
  So the remaining ladies were dividedEthel was to visit Miss
  Anderson; Miss Boulder; and Mrs。 Ledwich; Dr。 Spencer; the rest; and
  a meeting; if possible; be appointed for the next day。
  Ethel did as she was told; though rather against the grain; and her
  short; abrupt manner was excused the more readily; that Dr。 Spencer
  had been a subject of much mysterious speculation in Stoneborough;
  and to gain any intelligence respecting him; was a great object; so
  that she was extremely welcome wherever she called。
  Mrs。 Ledwich promised to come to tea; and instantly prepared to walk
  to Miss Rich; and authorise her to send out the notes of summons to
  the morrow's meeting。  Ethel offered to walk with her; and found Mrs。
  and Miss Rich in a flutter; after Dr。 Spencer's call; the daughter
  just going to put on her bonnet and consult Mrs。 Ledwich; and both
  extremely enchanted with Dr。 Spencer; who 〃would be such an
  acquisition。〃
  The hour was fixed and the notes sent out; and Ethel met Dr。 Spencer
  at the garden gate。
  〃Well!〃 he said; smiling; 〃I think we have fixed them offhave not
  we?〃
  〃Yes; but is it not heartless that everything should be done through
  so much nonsense?〃
  〃Did you ever hear why the spire of Ulm Cathedral was never
  finished?〃 said Dr。 Spencer。
  〃No; why not?〃
  〃Because the citizens would accept no help from their neighbours。〃
  〃I am glad enough of help when it comes in the right way; and from
  good motives。〃
  〃There are more good motives in the world than you give people credit
  for; Ethel。  You have a good father; good sense; and a good
  education; and you have some perception of the system by which things
  like this should be done。  Unfortunately; the system is in bad hands
  here; and these good ladies have been left to work for themselves;
  and it is no wonder that there is plenty of little self…importance;
  nonsense; and the like; among them; but for their own sakes we should
  rather show them the way; than throw them overboard。〃
  〃If they will be shown;〃 said Ethel。
  〃I can't say they seemed to me so very formidable;〃 said Dr。 Spencer。
  〃Gentle little women。〃
  〃Oh! it is only Mrs。 Ledwich that stirs them up。  I hope you are
  prepared for that encounter。〃
  Mrs。 Ledwich came to tea; sparkling with black bugles; and was very
  patronising and amiable。  Her visits were generally subjects of great
  dread; for she talked unceasingly; laid down the law; and overwhelmed
  Margaret with remedies; but to…night Dr。 Spencer took her in hand。
  It was not that he went out of his ordinary self; he was always the
  same simple…mannered; polished gentleman; but it was this that told
  she was evidently somewhat in awe of himthe refinement kept her in
  check。  She behaved very quietly all the evening; admired the plans;
  consented to everything; and was scarcely Mrs。 Ledwich!
  〃You will get on now; Ethel;〃 said Dr。 May afterwards。  〃Never fear
  but that he will get the Ladies' Committee well in hand。〃
  〃Why do you think so; papa?〃
  〃Never you fear。〃
  That was all she could extract from him; though he looked very arch。
  The Ladies' Committee accepted of their representatives with full
  consent; and the indefatigable Dr。 Spencer next had to hunt up the
  fellow trustee。  He finally contrived to collect every one he wanted
  at Fordholm; the case was laid before the Collegethe College was
  propitious; and by four o'clock in the evening; Dr。 Spencer laid
  before Ethel the promise of the piece of land。
  Mary's joy was unbounded; and Ethel blushed; and tried to thank。
  This would have been the summit of felicity a year ago; and she was
  vexed with herself for feeling that though land and money were both
  in such safe hands; she could not care sufficiently to feel the
  ecstasy the attainment of her object would once have given to her。
  Then she would have been frantic with excitement; and heedless of
  everything; now she took it so composedly as to annoy herself。
  〃To think of that one week at Oxford having so entirely turned this
  head of mine!〃
  Perhaps it was the less at home; because she had just heard that
  George and Flora had accepted an invitation to Glenbracken; but
  though the zest of Cocksmoor might be somewhat gone; she c