CHAPTER VI.
ALI BABA
Margaret went over duly that evening, meaning to be very friendly to the strange young woman; but it happened to be one of Mrs. Peyton"s bad times, and she sent down word that she needed Miss Wolfe, and could not possibly spare her. Margaret left a civil message, and went home disappointed, and yet the least bit relieved: she had rather dreaded a long tete-a-tete with her new neighbor.
"How absurd you are, Margaret Montfort," she said, severely, as she walked across the park. "Here you have been longing for a girl to talk to, and the moment one comes, you are seized with what Peggy calls "the shyies," just because she happens to be cut from a different pattern from your own."
Hugh was on the verandah, waiting for her, and seemed really disappointed when he heard that she had not seen Miss Wolfe; that showed how wide and cordial his interest was, and how much thought he took for others, Margaret told herself. What could he care about the meeting of a cousin he had just begun to know with a girl whom he never had seen?
Next day, however, she forgot all about Miss Wolfe, for the time being.
Gerald and Philip Merryweather had accepted Mr. Montfort"s invitation with amazing alacrity, and Jean had telegraphed her rapture of antic.i.p.ation from Ohio. Uncle John and Hugh were left to their own devices, while she plunged, with Elizabeth and Frances and Polly, into intricacies of hospitable preparation. Stores must be ordered, linen examined, silver and china looked out. In regard to the silver, Margaret had an experience that showed her that, even after two years, she did not know all the resources of Fernley House. Her uncle called her into his study after breakfast, and handed her a key of curious pattern.
"This is the key of the iron cupboard, Margaret," he said. Seeing her look of surprise, he added, "You surely know about the iron cupboard, my dear?"
"No, Uncle John. I remember hearing Aunt Faith speak of something of the kind once, but I did not rightly understand, and, being shy then,--it was before I knew our Dear so well,--I did not like to ask."
"Oh, there is no mystery, my child. No secret staircase this time, no ghosts in velvet jackets. But in a house like Fernley, that has been inhabited for many generations, there is necessarily an acc.u.mulation of certain kinds of things, above all, silver. We keep out all that an ordinary family would be likely to use, and the rest is stored in this safe cupboard, in case of fire or robbery. Very stupid of me not to have told my careful little housekeeper of this before. To tell the truth, I forget all about this h.o.a.rd most of the time, and might not have thought of it now, if Elizabeth had not come to me with an important face and asked me if I did not think Miss Margaret ought to have the opportunity of putting out The Silver if she wished to do so, being as the house was to be full of company. That meant that Elizabeth herself wanted to display to the astonished eyes of Hugh and the Merryweather boys the resources of the house that she and Frances rule (on the whole, wisely), through you and me, their deputies and servants. I see no reason why the good souls should not be gratified do you?"
"On the contrary, I see every reason why they, and I too, should be gratified. Uncle John, I am glad I did not know about it before. It is the most delightful thing about Fernley, that one never seems to come to the end of it. I thought I knew everything by this time, and here is another enchanting mystery; for say what you will, Uncle John, an iron cupboard full of old silver, that n.o.body knows about,--or hardly anybody,--_is_ a mystery. Now I am sure there are others, too; I shall never feel again that I know all about the house. Some day, when I am old and gray, I shall come upon another secret staircase, or a trap-door, or a hidden jewel-casket, or a lost will."
"Why, as to jewel-caskets," said Mr. Montfort, smiling, "there is perhaps something that might be said; but as you say, it would never do to find out everything at once, May Margaret. Run away now, and examine your tea-kettles; there are about forty, if I remember rightly."
"Uncle John! is there really a jewel-casket? What do you mean? There cannot be any more than those Aunt Faith had, surely."
"Can"t there?" said Mr. Montfort, with a provoking smile. "Doubtless you know best, my dear." And not another word would he say on the subject; but he told Margaret where to find the iron cupboard, and she ran off in such a flutter that Peggy would hardly have known her model and mentor.
Old silver was one of Margaret"s weak points; indeed, she had a strong feeling about heirlooms of every kind, and treasured carefully every sc.r.a.p of paper even that had any a.s.sociation with past times.
Seeing Hugh in the library, she called to him. "Hugh! come with me and see the Treasure Chamber of the Montforts. Don"t you want to see the ancestral silver?"
"Of course I do!" said Hugh, laying down his book and coming to join her. "Ancestral silver? My mother went to housekeeping with six teaspoons and a b.u.t.ter-knife, and thought herself rich. Uncle John wanted to send a trunkful of family silver, I have been told, but the Pater refused to be bothered with it. Poor Mother would have been glad enough of it, I fancy, but in those days he was masterful, and bent on roughing it, and would not hear of anything approaching luxury, or even convenience. Where is this wonderful treasury?"
"Come, and you shall see. Uncle John has told me how to find it. Come through this door; here we are in his own study, you see. Now--let me see! I will light this lamp--for the cupboard is dark--while you look and find Inigo Jones."
"Inigo Jones?"
"Yes. A tall blue morocco quarto, about the middle of the fourth shelf of the bookcase behind Uncle John"s desk. Ah! I see him!"
Springing forward, Margaret drew the stately volume from its place.
"Look!" she cried. "A keyhole. Hugh, isn"t this exactly like the "Mysteries of Udolpho?" "Inigo Jones" is his joke, you see, or somebody"s joke. Do you mind if I turn the key, Hugh?"
"Turn away!" said Hugh, much amused at the excitement of his staid little cousin.
With a trembling hand Margaret turned the key, and gave a pull, as she had been told. A section of the bookcase, with its load of books, swung slowly forward, revealing a dark opening. Margaret stepped in, and Hugh followed, holding the lamp aloft.
"Well, upon my word!" he said. "I never heard of anything like this, out of the "Arabian Nights.""
Margaret was looking about her, too much absorbed for words. The Iron Cupboard was a recess some ten feet deep and seven or eight wide, lined with shelves. These shelves were literally packed with silver, some in boxes, much in bags, glimmering in the half-light like dwarfish ghosts; but the greater part uncovered, glittering in tarnished splendor wherever the lamplight fell. Rows upon rows of teapots, tall and squat, round and oval, chased, hammered, and plain; behind them, coffee-pots looking down, in every possible device. There were silver pitchers and silver bowls; porringers and fruit-dishes, salvers and platters. Such an array as might dazzle the eyes of any silversmith of moderate ambition.
"Well, Margaret," said Hugh, somewhat impressed, but more amused, at sight of all this h.o.a.rded treasure, "what do you say? I shall leave the expression of emotion to you."
But Margaret was in no jesting mood. With clasped hands she turned to her cousin. "Oh, Hugh," she cried, "isn"t it wonderful? to think of all those beautiful things living here alone,--I don"t mean alone, but all by themselves--year after year, with no one to see them, or take them out and polish them. Oh, I never saw such things! Look at this perfect pitcher, will you? did you ever see anything so graceful? This must come in, if nothing else does. The milk shall be poured from it from this day forward, as long as I am the Mistress of Fernley. That is just a play-name, of course," she hastened to explain, blushing as she did so.
"Uncle John gave it to me in sport, when I first began to try to keep house."
"It seems to me a most appropriate name," said Hugh. "There has never been another, has there? in this generation, I mean. Uncle John was never married, was he?"
"No; isn"t it a pity? I have so often wondered why. I asked Aunt Faith once,--well, Hugh, of course she was Mistress of Fernley as long as she lived, though she would always speak of herself as a visitor,--and she only sighed and shook her head, and said, "Poor John! poor dear lad!"
and then changed the subject. But--do you suppose any one can hear us here, Hugh?"
"I do not, Margaret. I should say that you might safely tell me anything, of however fearful a nature, in this iron-bound retreat."
"Oh, it really isn"t anything--or perhaps it is not--but my own fancy. I have built up a kind of air-castle of the past, that is all. You know Uncle John"s pa.s.sion for roses? Well, and sometimes, when he is sitting quietly and has forgotten that any one is near, he will say to himself, "Rose! Rose!" softly, just like that, and as if it were something he loved to say. I have wondered whether he once cared a great deal for some one whose name was Rose.--What do you think, Hugh? and she died, and that is why he has never married. There! I have never spoken of this before, not even to Peggy. Don"t tell any one, will you?"
She looked anxiously in her cousin"s face, and met the grave, sweet look that always made her feel safe and quiet; she did not know how else to express it.
"Tell any one? No indeed, my dear little cousin. It is a young girl"s fancy, and a very sweet and graceful one."
"Then you don"t think it may be true?" asked Margaret, disappointed.
"Certainly it may be true; I should think it highly probable that something of the sort had happened, to keep a man like Uncle John single all his days; but--well, I don"t see that anything can be done about it now, do you?"
"Hugh, I am afraid you are practical, after all!" said Margaret. "And I was hoping you would turn out romantic."
Hugh only laughed, and asked her if she had chosen all the silver she wanted. This question put a stop at once to Margaret"s romantic visions.
Enough? but, she had only just begun, she said. Did he think she was going to take one pitcher and leave all the rest of these enchanting treasures?
"And we have not explored the boxes yet!" she cried. "See, they all have dear little ivory labels. Do reach me down that fat square box, please! "Col. Montfort"s Tankard, 1814." Oh, that was our great-great-grandfather, Hugh! Do let us open this!"
The black leathern box, being opened, revealed a stately gla.s.s-bottomed tankard, with a dragon"s curling tail for a handle. On the front was an inscription, "Presented to Col. Peter Montfort, in token of respect and affection, by the officers of his mess, July, 1814."
"His portrait is up in the long gallery," said Margaret. "Don"t you remember, with the high ruffled stock? I don"t see how he could speak, with his chin so very high in the air. Now I must have that oval green case; I am sure that is something interesting. "General Washington"s Gift." Oh, Hugh!"
This time Hugh was as much interested as she, and both bent eagerly over the box as Margaret opened it. The case was of faded green morocco, lined with crimson satin. Within was an oval cup or bowl, of exquisite workmanship; it was what is called a loving-cup, and Margaret looked in vain for an inscription.
"There must be one!" said Hugh. "_Papa Patriae_ would not have been so unkind as to leave such a thing unmarked. Look on the bottom, Margaret!"
Margaret looked, and there, to be sure, was a tolerably long inscription, in minute script.
"Hold the light nearer, please; I can hardly read this, it is so fine.
Oh, listen to this, Hugh! "For my worthy Friend and Host, Roger Montfort Esquire, and his estimable Lady, in grateful Recollection of my agreeable Stay beneath their hospitable Roof. From their obliged Friend and Servant, G. Washington. 1776.""
"That _is_ a treasure!" said Hugh, handling the bowl with reverent care.
"I knew that General Washington had spent some days at Fernley, but I never heard of this relic of his stay. Margaret, this is really extremely interesting. Go on, and open more of them. Perhaps we shall find tokens of all the Continental Congress. I shall look for at least a model of a kite in silver, with the compliments of B. Franklin. Suppose we try this next. It looks very inviting."
He took down an oblong box of curious pattern, and opened it. "What upon earth--Margaret, what are these? Grape-scissors? Asparagus-tongs?
They don"t look like either."