Part 10 (1/2)
Meanwhile a little girl stood all alone on one of the terrace walks at Meredith Manor Mrs Cardew and Cicely would not arrive until rather late for lunch, and Merry and her father were to partake of it alone
Merry paced up and down very slowly What a lovely day it was, and how beautiful the place looked with its long lines of stately trees, and its background of woods, and its terraces of bright flowers and green, green grass!
As far as the eye could reach the land belonged to the Cardews, and yet Merry Cardew, the joint-heiress with Cicely of all this wealth, did not feel either happy or contented at that irl had coray, her sunshi+ne to shadow She was a very nice girl, too--exceedingly nice There was so about her which Merry found impossible to define, for Merry had no acquaintances just then in her sheltered life who possessed the all-important and ie Howland was neither rich nor beautiful She was just a little schoolgirl, and yet she could not get Maggie out of her head She sighed for the girl's cohed yet ie had placed so enticingly before her etic, purposeful life Music--oh, how passionately Merry loved the very little music she had ever heard! And art--Merry and Cicely had learned a little bit of art in their own picture-gallery; but of all there was outside they knew nothing Then that delightful, wonderful scheirl for your very own to train, and help, and write to, and support; and the cos which the Tristran schools, but which seemed to have reached a delicacy of perfection at Aylmer House!
Yes, doubtless these were forbidden fruits; but she could not help, as she paced alone on the terrace, contrasting her mode of education with that which was put within the reach of her friends Molly and Isabel, and of Maggie herself How dull, after all, were her lessons! The daily governess, as always tired when she arrived, taught her out of books which even Molly and Isabel declared to be out of date; who yawned a good deal; as always quite, quite kind, but at the same time had no enthusiasm; who said, ”Yes, my dears; very nicely done,”
but never even punished; and who only uttered just that mild phrase which was ood of reading Racine aloud to Miss Beverley day after day, and not being able to talk French properly at all? And where was the use of struggling through Ger-master who came from Warwick: he was better than Miss Beverley; but, after all, he taught what Molly and Isabel said was now quite exploded--namely, freehand--and he only came once a week
Merry's passion was for ; it was Cicely who pleased Mr Vaughan, the drawing-master, best Then there was the music- a note, and he taught very dull, old-fashi+oned pieces How sick she was of pieces, and of playing theiously before her father at least once a week! Her dancing was better, for she had to go to Warwick to a dancing-class, and there were other girls, and they
But compared to school, and in especial Mrs Ward's school, Merry's mode of instruction was very dull After all, Molly and Isabel, although they would be quite poor girls, had a better time than she and Cicely with all their wealth
”A penny for your thoughts, my love,” said her father at thatlittle face towards hiht not to tell them to you, dad,” she said, ”for they are--I'hts”
”You discontented, irls unacquainted with the et it over, dad I'll be perfectly all right once I have told you”
”Then talk away my child; you know I have your very best interests at heart”
”Indeed I know that,father The fact is this,” said Merry; ”I”----She stopped; she glanced at her father He was a most determined and yet a most absolutely kind man Merry adored him; nevertheless, she was a tiny little bit in awe of hi round at her ”Has your co silly thoughts into your head? If so, she ain”
”Oh father, don't say that! You'llsilly thoughts into my head”
”Well, then, what are you so melancholy about?”
”The fact is--there, I will have it out,” said Merry--”I'd give anything in the world to go to school”
”What?” said Mr Cardew
”Yes,” said Merry, gaining courage as she spoke; ”Molly and Isabel are going, and Aneta Lysle is there, and Maggie Howland is there, and I'd like to go, too, and I'm sure Cicely would; and, oh, father! I know it _can't_ be; but you asked me as the o to school!”
”Has that girl Miss Howland been telling you that you ought to go to school?”
”Indeed no, she has not breathed such a word But I am always interested, as you know--or as perhaps you don't know--in schools; and I have always asked--and so has Cicely--Molly and Isabel to tell us all about their lives at school”
”I did not know it, my little Merry”
”Well, yes, father, Cicely and I have been curious; for, you see, the life is so very different froallery, I asked her to tell lowing picture, evidently,” said Mr Cardew
”Oh father, it et the best music and the best art, and to be under the influence of a woood! Do you know, father, that every girl in her school has an East End girl to look after and help; so that some of the riches of the West should be felt and appreciated by those who live in the East Oh father! I could not help feeling a little jealous”