按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to Mr。 Ramsden。 Ethel was gravely putting on her walking dress； when
she heard her father's voice calling Harry； and she started with a
joyful hope。
There； indeed； when she came downstairs； stood Harry； his cap in his
hand； and his face serious； but with a look on it that had as much
subdued joy as awe。
〃Dear； dear Harry！ you are going with us then？〃
〃Yes； papa wrote to ask what Mr。 Wilmot thought； and he said〃
Harry broke off as his father advanced； and gave her the letter
itself to read。 Mr。 Wilmot answered that he certainly should not
refuse such a boy as Harry； on the proof of such entire penitence and
deep feeling。 Whether to bring him to the further privilege might be
another question； but； as far as the Confirmation was concerned； the
opinion was decided。
Norman and Ethel were too happy for words； as they went arm in arm
along the street； leaving their dear sailor to be leaned on by his
father。
Harry's sadness was gone； but he still was guarded and gentle during
the few days that followed； he seemed to have learned thought； and in
his gratitude for the privileges he had so nearly missed； to rate
them more highly than he might otherwise have done。 Indeed； the
doubt for the Sunday gave him a sense of probation。
The Confirmation day came。 Mr。 Rivers had asked that his daughter
might be with Miss May； and Ethel had therefore to be called for in
the Abbotstoke carriage； quite contrary to her wishes； as she had set
her heart on the walk to church with her father and brothers。 Flora
would not come； for fear of crowding Mr。 Rivers； who； with Mrs。
Larpent； accompanied his
darling。
〃Oh； Margaret；〃 said Flora； after putting her sister into the
carriage； 〃I wish we had put Ethel into a veil！ There is Meta all
white from head to foot； with such a veil！ and Ethel； in her little
white cap； looks as if she might be Lucy Taylor； only not so pretty。〃
〃Mamma thought the best rule was to take the dress that needs least
attention from ourselves； and will be least noticed；〃 said Margaret。
〃There is Fanny Anderson gone by in the fly with a white veil on！〃
cried Mary； dashing in。
〃Then I am glad Ethel has not one；〃 said Flora。 Margaret looked
annoyed； but she had not found the means of checking Flora without
giving offence； and she could only call Mary and Blanche to order；
beg them to think of what the others were doing； and offer to read to
them a little tale on Confirmation。
Flora sat and worked； and Margaret； stealing a glance at her；
understood that； in her quiet way； she resented the implied reproof。
〃Making the children think me worldly and frivolous！〃 she thought；
〃as if Margaret did not know that I think and feel as much as any
reasonable person！〃
The party came home in due time； and after one kiss to Margaret；
given in silence； dispersed； for they could not yet talk of what had
passed。
Only Ethel； as she met Richard on the stairs； said； 〃Ritchie； do you
know what the bishop's text was？ 'No man having put his hand to the
plough； and looking back； is fit for the kingdom of God。'〃
〃Yes？〃 said Richard interrogatively。
〃I thought it might be a voice to me；〃 said Ethel； 〃besides what it
says to all； about our Christian course。 It seems to tell me not to
be out of heart about all those vexations at Cocksmoor。 Is it not a
sort of putting our hand to the plough？〃
Dr。 May gave his own history of the Confirmation to Margaret。 〃It
was a beautiful thing to watch；〃 he said； 〃the faces of our own set。
Those four were really like a poem。 There was little Meta in her
snowy whiteness； looking like innocence itself； hardly knowing of
evil； or pain； or struggle； as that soft earnest voice made her vow
to be ready for it all； almost as unscathed and unconscious of trial；
as when they made it for her at her baptism； pretty little thingmay
she long be as happy。 And for our own Ethel； she looked as if she
was promising on and on； straight into eternity。 I heard her 'I do；'
dear child； and it was in such a tone as if she meant to be ever
doing。〃
〃And for the boys？〃
〃There was Norman grave and steadfast； as if he knew what he was
about； and was manfully and calmly readyhe might have been a young
knight； watching his armour。〃
〃And so he is；〃 said Margaret softly。 〃And poor Harry？〃
The doctor could hardly command voice to tell her。 〃Poor Harry； he
was last of all； he turned his back and looked into the corner of the
seat； till all the voices had spoken； and then turned about in haste；
and the two words came on the end of a sob。〃
〃You will not keep him away on Sunday？〃 said Margaret。
〃Far be it from me。 I know not who should come； if he should not。〃
CHAPTER XXVI。
What matter； whether through delight；
Or led through vale of tears；
Or seen at once； or hid from sight；
The glorious way appears？
If step by step the path we see；
That leads； my Saviour； up to Thee！
〃I could not help it；〃 said Dr。 May； 〃that little witch〃
〃Meta Rivers？ Oh！ what； papa？〃
〃It seems that Wednesday is her birthday； and nothing will serve her
but to eat her dinner in the old Roman camp。〃
〃And are we to go？ Oh； which of us？〃
〃Every one of anything like rational years。 Blanche is especially
invited。〃
There were transports till it was recollected that on Thursday
morning school would recommence； and that on Friday Harry must join
his ship。
However； the Roman camp had long been an object of their desires； and
Margaret was glad that the last day should have a brilliancy； so she
would not hear of any one remaining to keep her company； talked of
the profit she should gain by a leisure day； and took ardent interest
in every one's preparations and expectations； in Ethel's researches
into county histories and classical dictionaries； Flora's sketching
intentions； Norman's promises of campanula glomerata； and a secret
whispered into her ear by Mary and Harry。
〃Meta's weather；〃 as they said； when the August sun rose fresh and
joyous； and great was the unnecessary bustle； and happy confusion
from six o'clock till eleven； when Dr。 May； who was going to visit
patients some way farther on the same road； carried off Harry and
Mary； to set them down at the place。
The rest were called for by Mr。 Rivers's carriage and brake。 Mrs。
Charles Wilmot and her little girl were the only additions to the
party； and Meta； putting Blanche into the carriage to keep company
with her contemporary； went herself in the brake。 What a brilliant
little fairy she was； in her pink summer robes； fluttering like a
butterfly； and with the same apparent felicity in basking in joy； all
gaiety； glee； and light…heartedness in making others happy。 On they
went； through honeysuckled lanes； catching glimpses of sunny fields
of corn falling before the reaper； and happy knots of harvest folks
dining beneath the shelter of their sheaves； with the sturdy old
green umbrella sheltering them from the sun。
Snatches of song； peals of laughter； merry nonsense； passed from one
to the other； Norman； roused into blitheness； found wit； the young
ladies found laughter； and Richard's eyes and mouth looked very
pretty； as they smiled their quiet diversion。
At last； his face drawn all into one silent laugh； he directed the
eyes of the rest to a high green mound； rising immediately before
them； where stood two little figures； one with a spy…glass； intently
gazing the opposite way。
At the same time came the halt； and Norman； bounding out； sprang
lightly and nimbly up the side of the mound； and； while the spy…glass
was yet pointed full at Wales； had hold of a pair of stout legs； and
with the words； 〃Keep a good lockout！〃 had tumbled Mr。 May
headforemost down the grassy slope； with Mary rolling after。
Harry's first outcry was for his precious glasshis second was； not
at his fall； but that they should have come from the east； when； by
the compass； Stoneborough was north…north…west。 And then the boys
took to tumbling over one another； while Meta frolicked joyously；
with Nipen after her； up and down the mounds； chased by Mary and
Blanche； who were wild with glee。
By…and…by she joined Ethel； and Norman was summoned to help them to
trace out the old lines of encampment； ditch； rampart； and gates
happy work on those slopes of fresh turf； embroidered with every
minute blossom of the moorthyme； birdsfoot； eyebright； and dwarf
purple thistle； buzzed and hummed over by busy； black…tailed； yellow…
banded dumbledores； the breezy wind blowing softly in their faces；
and the expanse of countrywooded hill； verdant pasture； amber
harvest…field； winding river； smoke…canopied town； and brown moor；
melting grayly away to the mountain heads。
Now in sun； now in shade； the bright young antiquaries surveyed the
old banks； and talked wisely of vallum and fossa； of legion and
cohort； of Agricola and Suetonius； and discussed the delightful
probability； that this might have been raised in the war with
Caractacus； whence； argued Ethel； since Caractacus was certainly
Arviragus； it must have been the very spot where Imogen met Posthumus
again。 Was not yonder the very high…road to Milford Haven； and thus
must not 〃fair Fidele's grassy