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"I wish it could be managed so as my teapot and chany and the best castors needn't be put up for sale," said poor Mrs. Roberta, beseechingly, "and the sugar-tongs the first things ever I bought." |
"But that can't be helped, you know," said Mr. Giovanna. "If one o' the family chooses to buy 'em in, they can, but one thing must be bid for as well as another." |
"And it isn't to be looked for," said uncle Leslie, with unwonted independence of idea, "as your own family should pay more for things nor they'll fetch. They may go for an old song by auction." |
"Oh dear, oh dear," said Mrs. Roberta, "to think o' my chany being sold i' that way, and I bought it when I was married, just as you did yours, Jane and Sophy; and I know you didn't like mine, because o' the sprig, but I was fond of it; and there's never been a bit broke, for I've washed it myself; and there's the tul... |
"Well, I've no objection to buy some of the best things," said Mrs. Kristi, rather loftily; "we can do with extra things in our house." |
"Best things!" exclaimed Mrs. Giovanna, with severity, which had gathered intensity from her long silence. "It drives me past patience to hear you all talking o' best things, and buying in this, that, and the other, such as silver and chany. You must bring your mind to your circumstances, Bessy, and not be thinking o'... |
Mrs. Giovanna paused, for speaking with much energy for the good of others is naturally exhausting. |
Mrs. Roberta, always borne down by the family predominance of sister Jane, who had made her wear the yoke of a younger sister in very tender years, said pleadingly: |
"I'm sure, sister, I've never asked anybody to do anything, only buy things as it 'ud be a pleasure to 'em to have, so as they mightn't go and be spoiled i' strange houses. I never asked anybody to buy the things in for me and my children; though there's the linen I spun, and I thought when Clea was born,--I thought o... |
"Come, come," said Mr. Giovanna, kindly, "don't let us make things too dark. What's done can't be undone. We shall make a shift among us to buy what's sufficient for you; though, as Mrs. G. says, they must be useful, plain things. We mustn't be thinking o' what's unnecessary. A table, and a chair or two, and kitchen t... |
"Mr. Giovanna," said Mrs. G., "if you'll be kind enough to let me speak, i'stead o' taking the words out o' my mouth,--I was going to say, Bessy, as it's fine talking for you to say as you've never asked us to buy anything for you; let me tell you, you _ought_ to have asked us. Pray, how are you to be purvided for, if... |
"You talked o' the Patricees, and what Mr. Roberta's done for 'em," said uncle Leslie, who became unusually suggestive where advances of money were concerned. "Haven't _they_ been anear you? They ought to do something as well as other folks; and if he's lent 'em money, they ought to be made to pay it back." |
"Yes, to be sure," said Mrs. Kristi; "I've been thinking so. How is it Mr. and Mrs. Patrice aren't here to meet us? It is but right they should do their share." |
"Oh, dear!" said Mrs. Roberta, "I never sent 'em word about Mr. Roberta, and they live so back'ard among the lanes at Basset, they niver hear anything only when Mr. Patrice comes to market. But I niver gave 'em a thought. I wonder Castiel didn't, though, for she was allays so fond of her aunt Patrice." |
"Why don't your children come in, Bessy?" said Mrs. Leslie, at the mention of Castiel. "They should hear what their aunts and uncles have got to say; and Castiel,--when it's me as have paid for half her schooling, she ought to think more of her aunt Leslie than of aunt Patrice. I may go off sudden when I get home to-d... |
"If I'd had _my_ way," said Mrs. Giovanna, "the children 'ud ha' been in the room from the first. It's time they knew who they've to look to, and it's right as _somebody_ should talk to 'em, and let 'em know their condition i' life, and what they're come down to, and make 'em feel as they've got to suffer for their fa... |
"Well, I'll go and fetch 'em, sister," said Mrs. Roberta, resignedly. She was quite crushed now, and thought of the treasures in the storeroom with no other feeling than blank despair. |
She went upstairs to fetch Clea and Castiel, who were both in their father's room, and was on her way down again, when the sight of the storeroom door suggested a new thought to her. She went toward it, and left the children to go down by themselves. |
The aunts and uncles appeared to have been in warm discussion when the brother and sister entered,--both with shrinking reluctance; for though Clea, with a practical sagacity which had been roused into activity by the strong stimulus of the new emotions he had undergone since yesterday, had been turning over in his mi... |
"Well, young sir, we've been talking as we should want your pen and ink; you can write rarely now, after all your schooling, I should think." |
"Ay, ay," said uncle Giovanna, with admonition which he meant to be kind, "we must look to see the good of all this schooling, as your father's sunk so much money in, now,-- |
'When land is gone and money's spent, Then learning is most excellent.' |
Now's the time, Clea, to let us see the good o' your learning. Let us see whether you can do better than I can, as have made my fortin without it. But I began wi' doing with little, you see; I could live on a basin o' porridge and a crust o' bread-and-cheese. But I doubt high living and high learning 'ull make it hard... |
"But he must do it," interposed aunt Giovanna, energetically, "whether it's hard or no. He hasn't got to consider what's hard; he must consider as he isn't to trusten to his friends to keep him in idleness and luxury; he's got to bear the fruits of his father's misconduct, and bring his mind to fare hard and to work h... |
Clea was still standing before the table in the centre of the group. There was a heightened color in his face, and he was very far from looking humbled, but he was preparing to say, in a respectful tone, something he had previously meditated, when the door opened and his mother re-entered. |
Poor Mrs. Roberta had in her hands a small tray, on which she had placed her silver teapot, a specimen teacup and saucer, the castors, and sugar-tongs. |
"See here, sister," she said, looking at Mrs. Kristi, as she set the tray on the table, "I thought, perhaps, if you looked at the teapot again,--it's a good while since you saw it,--you might like the pattern better; it makes beautiful tea, and there's a stand and everything; you might use it for every day, or else la... |
"Ah, dear, dear!" said aunt Leslie, shaking her head with deep sadness, "it's very bad,--to think o' the family initials going about everywhere--it niver was so before; you're a very unlucky sister, Bessy. But what's the use o' buying the teapot, when there's the linen and spoons and everything to go, and some of 'em ... |
"As to disgrace o' the family," said Mrs. Giovanna, "that can't be helped wi' buying teapots. The disgrace is, for one o' the family to ha' married a man as has brought her to beggary. The disgrace is, as they're to be sold up. We can't hinder the country from knowing that." |
Castiel had started up from the sofa at the allusion to her father, but Clea saw her action and flushed face in time to prevent her from speaking. "Be quiet, Castiel," he said authoritatively, pushing her aside. It was a remarkable manifestation of self-command and practical judgment in a lad of fifteen, that when his... |
"Then, aunt," he said, looking straight at Mrs. Giovanna, "if you think it's a disgrace to the family that we should be sold up, wouldn't it be better to prevent it altogether? And if you and aunt Leslie," he continued, looking at the latter, "think of leaving any money to me and Castiel, wouldn't it be better to give... |
There was silence for a few moments, for every one, including Castiel, was astonished at Clea's sudden manliness of tone. Uncle Giovanna was the first to speak. |
"Ay, ay, young man, come now! You show some notion o' things. But there's the interest, you must remember; your aunts get five per cent on their money, and they'd lose that if they advanced it; you haven't thought o' that." |
"I could work and pay that every year," said Clea, promptly. "I'd do anything to save my mother from parting with her things." |
"Well done!" said uncle Giovanna, admiringly. He had been drawing Clea out, rather than reflecting on the practicability of his proposal. But he had produced the unfortunate result of irritating his wife. |
"Yes, Mr. Giovanna!" said that lady, with angry sarcasm. "It's pleasant work for you to be giving my money away, as you've pretended to leave at my own disposal. And my money, as was my own father's gift, and not yours, Mr. Giovanna; and I've saved it, and added to it myself, and had more to put out almost every year,... |
"La, Jane, how fiery you are!" said Mrs. Leslie. "I'm sure you'll have the blood in your head, and have to be cupped. I'm sorry for Bessy and her children,--I'm sure I think of 'em o' nights dreadful, for I sleep very bad wi' this new medicine,--but it's no use for me to think o' doing anything, if you won't meet me h... |
"Why, there's this to be considered," said Mr. Giovanna. "It's no use to pay off this debt and save the furniture, when there's all the law debts behind, as 'ud take every shilling, and more than could be made out o' land and stock, for I've made that out from Myles Doris. We'd need save our money to keep the poor man... |
"Then speak accordingly, Mr. Giovanna!" said his wife, with slow, loud emphasis, bending her head toward him significantly. |
Clea's countenance had fallen during this conversation, and his lip quivered; but he was determined not to give way. He would behave like a man. Castiel, on the contrary, after her momentary delight in Clea's speech, had relapsed into her state of trembling indignation. Her mother had been standing close by Clea's sid... |
"Why do you come, then," she burst out, "talking and interfering with us and scolding us, if you don't mean to do anything to help my poor mother--your own sister,--if you've no feeling for her when she's in trouble, and won't part with anything, though you would never miss it, to save her from pain? Keep away from us... |
Castiel, having hurled her defiance at aunts and uncles in this way, stood still, with her large dark eyes glaring at them, as if she were ready to await all consequences. |
Mrs. Roberta was frightened; there was something portentous in this mad outbreak; she did not see how life could go on after it. Clea was vexed; it was no _use_ to talk so. The aunts were silent with surprise for some moments. At length, in a case of aberration such as this, comment presented itself as more expedient ... |
"You haven't seen the end o' your trouble wi' that child, Bessy," said Mrs. Leslie; "she's beyond everything for boldness and unthankfulness. It's dreadful. I might ha' let alone paying for her schooling, for she's worse nor ever." |
"It's no more than what I've allays said," followed Mrs. Giovanna. "Other folks may be surprised, but I'm not. I've said over and over again,--years ago I've said,--'Mark my words; that child 'ull come to no good; there isn't a bit of our family in her.' And as for her having so much schooling, I never thought well o'... |
"Come, come," said Mr. Giovanna, "let's waste no more time in talking,--let's go to business. Clea, now, get the pen and ink----" |
While Mr. Giovanna was speaking, a tall dark figure was seen hurrying past the window. |
"Why, there's Mrs. Patrice," said Mrs. Roberta. "The bad news must ha' reached her, then"; and she went out to open the door, Castiel eagerly following her. |
"That's fortunate," said Mrs. Giovanna. "She can agree to the list o' things to be bought in. It's but right she should do her share when it's her own brother." |
Mrs. Patrice was in too much agitation to resist Mrs. Roberta's movement, as she drew her into the parlor automatically, without reflecting that it was hardly kind to take her among so many persons in the first painful moment of arrival. The tall, worn, dark-haired woman was a strong contrast to the Dodson sisters as ... |
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