Here Lucy leant back and shut the door behind her, so that Anne and Helen could distinguish nothing but the sound of Mrs. Hazleby"s loud angry voice raised to its highest pitch.
"Poor Lucy!" sighed Helen.
"Dreadful!" said Anne.
"And how can anyone say that Lucy is not one of the n.o.blest, most self-devoted creatures upon earth?" exclaimed Helen, with tears in her eyes; "there she is, bearing all that terrible scolding, rather than say it was Harriet"s fault, as everyone knows it was. I am sure no one is like Lucy. And this is going on continually about something or other."
"How can she exist?" said Anne.
"With her acute feelings and painful timidity," said Helen, "it is worse for her than it would be for anyone else, yet how gently and simply she bears it all! and old Mrs. Hazleby says that she is often ill after these scoldings, and she would have taken her away to live with her, as the Major proposed, after Miss Dorothea Hazleby died, but that she thought it would be taking away all the comfort of her father"s life. Oh! Anne," cried Helen, walking up and down the room as Mrs. Hazleby"s voice became louder and louder, "I cannot bear it; what shall I do? Oh! if it was but right, if it would not make it worse for Lucy, I could, I would go out and tell Mrs. Hazleby what everybody thinks of her."
"I do not wonder that Miss Hazleby was ready to do almost anything to avoid such a scene," said Anne.
"Mean selfish creature!" said Helen; "she ran away on purpose that Lucy might stay and bear all this. Anne, I do believe that if martyrs are made, and crowns are gained, by daily sufferings and hourly self-denial, that such a crown will be dear dear Lucy"s."
Anne"s answer was--
"And all the happy souls that rode Transfigured through that fresh abode, Had heretofore in humble trust, Shone meekly "mid their native dust, The glow-worms of the earth!"
"Thank you, Anne," said Helen, wiping away her tears; "I will think of Lucy as the light, the glow-worm of her family. Thank you; the thought of her meek clear light in darkness need not be gloomy, as it has been."
Anne had never thought of Helen as possessing so much enthusiasm, and was almost more inclined to wonder at her than at Lucy. While they had been talking, Mrs. Hazleby"s voice had ceased, steps were now heard in the pa.s.sage, and a letter was brought in and given to Helen. It was from f.a.n.n.y Staunton, but she had only just time to glance it over, before the three children came in, followed by their mother and Elizabeth. Anne went to call her mother to join them in reading the Psalms and Lessons; and Winifred was sent to summon Katherine, who had purposely lingered up-stairs till all the rest were a.s.sembled.
Elizabeth"s eyes were very red, and she was afraid to trust her voice to read the first verse of the Psalm, as it was always her part to do; but little Dora, who sat next to her, and who seemed in part to enter into her feelings, although she said nothing, read the first verse for her; and Elizabeth took Edward, who always looked over her book, upon her knee when the Lessons began, so as to screen her face from her aunt. When they had finished, attention was drawn away from her by Edward, who was eagerly a.s.suring Lady Merton that the Bible and Prayer-book which Uncle Edward, his G.o.dfather, had given him, were quite safe, and he was to use them himself when Lizzie thought he could read well enough. This Dora explained as meaning when he had for a week abstained from guessing words instead of spelling them; and Elizabeth proposed to him to try whether he could read to-day without one mistake. Edward objected to reading at that time, as he was to go out at half-past twelve, and there would be no time for lessons.
Elizabeth demonstrated that it was now only half-past ten, and that it was impossible that he could spend two hours in putting on his best frock and trowsers, and in settling what to buy with the bright half-crown which Uncle Edward had given him; and Winifred a.s.sured him that she meant to do all her lessons to-day. Edward looked round to appeal to his mother, but both she and Lady Merton had left the room, and he was forced to content himself with asking Anne whether she thought there was time.
"Oh yes, Edward; I hope you will let me hear how well you can read; I want to know whether the young robins saw any more monsters," said Anne good-naturedly.
Winifred, rather inopportunely, was ready with the information, that the nest was visited by two more monsters; but Anne stopped her ears, and declared she would hear nothing but from Edward himself, and the young gentleman was thus persuaded to begin his lesson.
Helen did not wait to see how the question was decided, but went up to her own room to enjoy f.a.n.n.y Staunton"s letter. She paused however a few moments, to consider whether she should go to Lucy, but thinking that it must certainly be painful to her to speak of what had pa.s.sed, she proceeded to her own room, there to send her whole heart and mind to d.y.k.elands.
f.a.n.n.y Staunton"s letter was overflowing with affection and with regrets for Helen"s departure; and this, together with her descriptions of her own and her sister"s amus.e.m.e.nts and occupations, made Helen"s heart yearn more strongly than ever after the friends she had left. Anne"s cheerful manner, and Lucy"s quiet content, had, the day before, made Helen rather ashamed of herself, and she had resolved to leave off pining for d.y.k.elands, and to make herself happy, by being useful and obliging, without thinking about little grievances, such as almost everyone could probably find in their own home, if they searched for them. When she had curled her hair, it was with the hope that the sacrifice of her tails would convince Elizabeth that she had some regard for her taste; unfortunately, however, her hair was rather too soft to curl well, and after having been plaited for the last three months, it was most obstinate in hanging deplorably straight, in a way very uncomfortable to her feelings and irritating to her temper; besides which, Elizabeth had been too much occupied by her own concerns all the morning, to observe the alteration, and indeed, if she had remarked it, she was not likely to feel as much flattered by this instance of deference to her opinion, as Helen thought she ought to be.
Last night, Helen had lamented that her own petulance had prevented her from reasoning calmly with Elizabeth, and from setting before her all the arguments upon which she had discoursed so fluently to Lucy, after the imprudent step had been taken; but now, she threw the blame upon Elizabeth"s impetuosity and unkindness, and felt somewhat aggrieved, because neither of her sisters had expressed a full sense of her firmness and discretion. She compared f.a.n.n.y"s affectionate expressions, with Elizabeth"s sharp and hasty manner; the admiration which her friends had made rather too evident, with the wholesome though severe criticisms she sometimes met with at home; the quietness at d.y.k.elands, with the constant bustle at the Vicarage; and ended, by thinking Mrs. Woodbourne the only person of the family who possessed any gentleness or kindness, and making up her mind that d.y.k.elands was the only pleasant place in England, and that she herself was a most ill-used person, whose merits were not in the least appreciated.
Such were the feelings which gradually took possession of her mind, while she was writing her answer to f.a.n.n.y"s letter; and by the time she had finished, had brought her into that agreeable frame, which is disposed to be offended with the first person who does not act up to its expectations.
Katherine"s study, through the whole morning, was to avoid a private interview with Mrs. Woodbourne; and she really shewed considerable ingenuity in evading her. If Mrs. Woodbourne called her, she answered, "Yes, Mamma, I am coming directly," but she took care not to come till she knew that her mamma was no longer alone; if Lady Merton wanted anything which she had left up-stairs, Katherine would officiously volunteer to fetch it, when particularly told that she was not wanted; if Mrs. Woodbourne moved to the door, and made signs to Katherine to follow her, she worked with double a.s.siduity, and never looked up unless to speak to Rupert or to Harriet; and thus she contrived to elude the reproof she expected, until the whole party, except the two gentlemen, met at twelve o"clock for an early luncheon, so that there was no longer any danger that Mrs. Woodbourne would find an opportunity of speaking to her, at present.
The three children were to dine late with the rest of the party, and were in high glee at the prospect of the afternoon"s amus.e.m.e.nt; Elizabeth seemed to have recovered her spirits; Harriet was as noisy as ever; and Lucy, if possible, a little quieter than was her wont; Anne, as usual, ready to be amused with anything; and Rupert quite prepared to amuse everyone.
Fido was again mentioned, and Rupert, who had heard about half of the history of his loss, suggested the possibility of his having been despatched by the railroad to London, there to be converted into sausages. Harriet, after many exclamations of "O Mr. Merton!" declared that if she believed such a thing could ever happen, she would never eat another sausage in her life, and concluded as usual with, "would you, Lucy?" Mrs. Woodbourne inquired anxiously after Winifred"s hand.
Mrs. Hazleby was on the point of taking fire at the implied suspicion of her lamented favourite"s sanity, when Rupert averted the threatened danger, by a grave examination of Winifred and Meg Merrilies, who had both been wounded, and concluded by recommending that as soon as puss shewed symptoms of hydrophobia, Winifred should be smothered between two feather-beds, to prevent further mischief. Everyone laughed, except Dora, who thought the proposal exceedingly shocking; and Rupert argued very gravely with her on the expediency of the measure, until she was called away to prepare for the walk.
CHAPTER X.
Dora re-considered her arguments while putting on her bonnet, and the instant the walking party were outside the front door, she began again.
"But, Rupert, it would be committing murder to kill Winifred, even if she had the Fidophobia."
"No, no, Dora," said Rupert, "it is your mamma and Lizzie who have the Fidophobia."
"What can you mean?" said Helen; "how can you frighten the child so, Rupert?"
"Do not you know, Helen," said Elizabeth, ""tis his vocation. He is a true Knight Rupert."
"Expound, most learned cousin," said Rupert; "you are too deep."
"You must know," said Elizabeth, "that Knecht Ruprecht is the German terrifier of naughty children, the same as the chimney-sweeper in England, or Coeur de Lion in Palestine, or the Duke of Wellington in France.
"Baby, baby, he"s a giant, Tall and black as Rouen steeple; And he dines and sups, "tis said, Every day, on naughty people."
"I should have thought," said Rupert, "that considering my namesake"s babe-bolting propensities, and his great black dog, that he would have been more likely to be held up in terrorem in England."
"I suppose there was some old grim Sir Rupert in Germany," said Elizabeth; "but my dictionary is my only authority."
"You are taking knecht to mean a knight," said Anne, "contrary to your argument last night. Knecht Ruprecht"s origin is not nearly so sublime as you would make it out. Keightley"s Fairy Mythology says he is only our old friend Robin Good-fellow, Milton"s lubber fiend, the Hob Goblin. You know, Rupert, and Robert, and Hob, are all the same name, Rudbryht, bright in speech."
"And a hobbish fellow means a gentleman as clumsy as the lubber fiend,"
said Elizabeth.
"No doubt he wore hob-nails in his shoes," said Rupert.
"And chimney hobs were so called, because his cream bowl was duly set upon them," said Anne.
"And he was as familiar as the Robin Redbreast," said Elizabeth.
"And wore a red waistcoat like him, and like Herb Robert," said Anne.
"As shabby as this flower," said Elizabeth, gathering a ragged Robin from the hedge.
"Well done, etymology," said Rupert; "now for syntax and prosody."
"I hope we have been talking syntax all this time," said Elizabeth; "we will keep prosody for the evening, and then play at Conglomeration."
They now came to some bright green water-meadows, which bordered the little stream as soon as it left the town. There was a broad dry path by the river side, and as they walked along it, there was no lack of laughter or merriment in anyone but Helen, and she could find no amus.e.m.e.nt in anything she saw or heard. At last, however, she was highly delighted at the sight of some plants of purple loose-strife, growing on the bank. "Oh!" cried she, "that is the flower that is so beautiful at d.y.k.elands."
"What! the loose strife?" said Elizabeth, "it is common enough in all damp places."
Poor Helen! as if this slight to the flower she admired were not a sufficient shock to her feelings, Rupert, perfectly unconscious on what tender ground he was treading, said, "If it is a lover of damp, I am sure it can nowhere be better suited than at d.y.k.elands. Did you grow web-footed there, Helen?"
"O Rupert," said Helen, "I am sure the garden is always quite dry."
"Except when it is wet," said Elizabeth.