Narcissa, or the Road to Rome.
by Laura E. Richards.
Part I.
DREAMING.
Narcissa was sitting in the doorway, feeding the young turkeys. It was the back door of the old gray house,--no one would have thought of sitting in the front doorway,--and there were crooked flagstones leading up to it, cracked and seamed, with gra.s.s growing in the cracks. Close by the door-post, against which the girl was leaning, stood a great bush of tansy, with waving feathery leaves and yellow blossoms, like small gold b.u.t.tons. Narcissa was very fond of this tansy-bush, and liked to pluck a leaf and crush it in her hands, to bring out the keen, wholesome smell. She had one in her hand now, and was wondering if ever any one had a dress of green velvet, tansy-color, with gold b.u.t.tons. The minister"s wife once had a bow of green velvet on her black straw bonnet, and Narcissa had loved to look at it, and to wish it were somewhere else, with things that belonged to it. She often thought of splendid clothes, though she had never seen anything finer than the black silk of the minister"s wife, and that always made her think of a newly-blacked stove. When she was younger, she had made a romance about every sc.r.a.p of silk or satin in the crazy-quilt that Aunt Pinker"s daughter, the milliner, had sent her one Christmas. The gown she had had out of that yellow satin--it did her good to think about it even now!--and there was a sc.r.a.p of pale pink silk which came--was it really nothing but fancy?--from a long, trailing robe, trimmed with filmy lace (the lace in the story-papers was always filmy), in which she had pa.s.sed many happy, dreamy hours.
It never occurred to Narcissa that she needed no fine clothes to set off her beauty; in truth, she never dreamed that she had any beauty.
Color meant so much to her, that she had always accepted the general verdict that she was "pindlin"-lookin"," and joined sincerely in the chorus of praise which always greeted the rosy cheeks and solid-looking yellow hair of Delilah Parshley, who lived at the next house below the old gray one.
Yet it was true that Narcissa had no need of finery; and it was a pretty picture she made, sitting in the doorway, leaning against the door-post. Her hair was nearly black, with no gloss or sparkle, only a soft, dusky cloudiness. It curled in little rings about her broad, low forehead, and round her soft, pale cheeks. Her eyes were dusky, too, but more gray than brown, and the only vivid color was in the scarlet line of her lips. There was nothing unhealthy in her clear pallor, no hint of sallowness, but a soft, white glow. The nostrils of her little straight nose were cut high, which gave them a look of being always slightly dilated; this caused the neighbors to say that Narcissa White was proud, though dear knew what she had to be proud of. As for her dress, it was of blue jean, a good deal faded, but all the better for that; and her white ap.r.o.n, though coa.r.s.e, was spotless and carefully starched.
The turkeys seemed to approve of her appearance, for they gathered eagerly round her, trying to get their beaks into the dish she held, gobbling and fluttering, and making a great commotion. Narcissa was fond of the turkeys, and had names for all her favorites. The finest young gobbler was called Black Diamond, and he was apt to take unfair advantage of his mistress"s partiality, and to get more than his share. So noisy they all were, that Narcissa did not hear the sound of approaching footsteps, nor know that some one had spoken to her twice in vain, and was now standing in silent amus.e.m.e.nt, watching the struggle for food.
It was a young man who had come so lightly up the steps of the old house that no sound had been heard. He had gone first to the front door, but his knock had brought no answer, and catching the flutter of Narcissa"s ap.r.o.n he had come round to the back porch and was standing within three feet of the girl and her clamorous brood.
A very young man, hardly more than a boy, yet with a steady, manly look in his blue eyes, which contradicted the boyish curves of cheek and chin. He was plainly but neatly dressed, and he carried in one hand a small satchel, such as travelling agents affect. His eyes were bright and quick, and glanced about with keen interest, taking in every outline of the house, but coming always back to the girl who sat in the doorway, and who was unlike any girl he had seen before. The house was dim and gaunt, with a look of great age. One did not often, in this part of the country, see such tall doors, such quaint chimneys, such irregular outlines of roof and gable. The green-painted front door, with its bra.s.s knocker, and its huge, old-world hinges, seemed to him a great curiosity; so did the high stone steps, whose forlorn dignity suffered perpetual insult from the malapert weeds and gra.s.ses that laughed and nodded through the cracks and seams.
And in the dim, sunken doorway sat this girl, herself all soft and shadowy, with a twilight look in her eyes and in her dusky hair. The turkeys were the only part of it all that seemed to belong to the sort of life about here, the hard, bustling life of New England farm-people, such as he had seen at the other houses along the way.
If it were not for the turkeys, he felt that he should hardly find courage to speak, for fear it might all melt away into the gathering twilight,--house, maiden, and all,--and leave nothing but the tall elms that waved their spectral arms over the sunken roofs.
As it was, however,--as the turkeys were making such a racket that the girl would never become aware of his presence unless he a.s.serted himself in some way,--he stepped boldly forward and lifted his hat, for he had been taught good manners, if he was a tree-agent.
"Excuse me, lady," he said. "Is this the road to Rome?"
Narcissa started violently, and came out of her dream. She had actually been dressed in the green velvet, and was fastening the last gold b.u.t.ton, ready to step into the chariot that was waiting for her,--she loved the word chariot, though the pictures in the Bible made her feel uncertain about the manner of riding in one,--and to drive along the road, the road to Rome. How strange that at this very moment some one should ask about the road!
She raised her eyes, still shining with the dream-light, and looked attentively at the stranger.
"Yes, sir," she answered. "This is the road,--the road to Rome. But it"s a long way from here," she added, rousing herself, and rising from her seat. "Shoo! go away, now;" and she waved a signal of dismissal with her ap.r.o.n which the turkeys understood, and at sight of which they withdrew, not without angry cluckings and gobblings directed at the disturber of their evening meal.
"Won"t you set down and rest a spell? It"s ben real hot to-day, though it"s some cooler now."
"It has so!" a.s.sented the young man, taking off his hat again to wipe his brow, and dropping his satchel on the doorstep.
"I should be pleased to set a few minutes, if I"m not intruding. And do you suppose I could have a drink of water, if it wouldn"t be too much trouble?"
Narcissa went away without a word, and brought back the water, ice-cold and clear as crystal, in a queer brown mug with a twisted handle, and an inscription in white letters.
"I"m sorry I haven"t got a gla.s.s," she said. "But the water is good."
The young man drank deeply, and then looked curiously at the mug. "I"d rather have this than a gla.s.s," he said. "It"s quite a curiosity, ain"t it? "Be Merry!" Well, that"s a good sentiment, I"m sure. Thank you, lady. I"m ever so much obliged."
"You no need to," responded Narcissa, civilly.
"I--I don"t suppose you want any trees or plants to set out, do you?"
said the stranger. "I am travelling for a house near Portland, and I"ve got some first-rate things,--real chances, I call "em."
"I--guess not," said Narcissa, with an apprehensive glance over her shoulder. "I only keep house for the man here,--he"s my father"s uncle,--and he don"t buy such things. I wish"--she sighed, and looked longingly at the black satchel. "I suppose you"ve got roses, have you, and all kinds of flowers?"
"I should think so!" replied the youth, proudly. "Our house is the greatest one in the State for roses. Let me show you some pictures."
He opened the satchel and took out a black order-book filled with brilliant pictures.
"Oh!" cried Narcissa, "I--I guess I"d better not look at "em. I don"t believe he"d like it. Not but what I"m just as much obliged to you,"
she added, hastily.
But the stranger had already opened the book.
"Just look here, lady," he said. "Why, it can"t do no manner of hurt for you to look at them. Just see here! Here"s the Jacqueminot rose, the finest in the world, some folks think. Why, we"ve got beds and beds of it. Splendid grower, and sweet--well there! I can"t give you any idea of it. Cornelia Cook! that"s a great rose nowadays. And here"s a white blush, that looks for all the world like--"
Here he stopped suddenly; for it was Narcissa"s cheek that the rose was like, he thought, and it came to him suddenly that he did not want to say such things to this girl.
The girl at the house below, when he had paid her compliments, had laughed in his face, well pleased, and seemed to ask for more; but she was an ordinary girl, like other folks. This soft, shadowy maiden might shrink away, and vanish in the dusky porch, if he should touch her rudely.
He need have had no fear, for Narcissa would hardly have heard or understood his compliment. She was gazing with hungry eyes at the bright pictures, drinking in every shade of crimson and scarlet and gold.
"Oh, stop!" she cried eagerly. "Oh, may I read about that one? Ain"t it beautiful! May I?"
"Well, I should think you might!" replied the gallant agent, holding the book toward her. "Here, lean right over me; I"d like to read it too."
""This grand rose,"" Narcissa read aloud,""has created an epoch in rose-growing. Of free habit and luxurious growth, the plants form the most splendid ornament of garden or hot-house. The beautiful, perfectly-shaped flowers show a marvellous blending of colors, in which a rich apricot predominates, shading into light pink, bright canary, and pale yellow. The outer petals are grandly recurved, forming a fine contrast to the Camellia-like inner petals. With its rare and exquisite fragrance, its bold and beautiful foliage, and the unparalleled profusion with which its splendid blossoms are borne, we claim that this rose is absolutely _without a rival_.""
Narcissa drew a long breath and looked up, her eyes full of awe and admiration. "Ain"t that elegant?" she said simply. "They have great writers there, don"t they?"
The youth smiled, as he thought of little Mr. Bimsey, who "got up" the catalogues and kept the accounts; then, reminded by this and by the fading light that he had still a good way to go before nightfall, he added, rising reluctantly from his seat,--
"I must be going, I guess. You haven"t any notion how far it might be to Rome, have you, lady?"
Narcissa shook her head.
"It"s a long way," she said. "When Uncle Pinker goes there with the turkeys in the fall, it takes him the whole day to go and come."
"You haven"t got a map of the county?" persisted the youth. "I"d ought to have one myself, and I guess I shall have to get me one. I"m a stranger in these parts."
Narcissa shook her head again. "We haven"t got any kind of a map, as I know of," she said; but next moment her face brightened. "We"ve got a picture of Rome," she said,--"a real handsome picture. Would you like to see it?"
"Well, if it ain"t too much trouble."
Narcissa led the way into the house, cautioning the stranger to tread softly. "Uncle Pinker is asleep," she said. "He"s real old, and he sleeps in the afternoon, most times. He"s so deef, he wouldn"t hear you most likely, but you never can count on deef folks. Not but what he"d be pleased to see you," she added, with a doubtful look at a closed door as she pa.s.sed it.
"I"d ought to make you acquainted with my name, seem"s though," said the agent, following her into a dim, dreary room. "My name"s Patten,--Romulus Patten." He paused, and then went on: "Folks always ask how I got my name, so I get into the way of firing right ahead before they ask. My mother got it out of the history book. She was a great hand for history, my mother was. It seems queer, my going to Rome, don"t it? They made consid"able fun about it, down to our place, but I"m used to that, and don"t mind it."
There was no answering gleam in Narcissa"s lovely eyes. "Romulus? was he in the Revolution?" she asked. "I had to leave school before we got through history. I"d only got as far as the Battle of Lexington, when Aunt Pinker died, and I had to come and keep house for Uncle Pinker.
It was real interestin"," she added, with a little sigh of regret, "I wish"t I could have finished history."