Bountiful Lady

by G. A. Henty

  VI

  MARY IS TAKEN AWAY

  Mary quite believed that she was living in an enchanted place where shewould always be able to have everything she wanted, and even a greatmany things she did not want in the least. Where there would always beplenty of nice things to eat and drink, and Evangeline to tell herstories as nobody had done before.

  She hoped she should never see Mrs. Coppert again as long as she lived,because Evangeline had said that she should not go away until her footwas well again, and although it was certainly better it was not quitewell yet.

  But there were times when Mary felt just a little afraid, for now andthen she dreamed she was back at William Street, where everything seemedmuch worse than it used to be. And one morning the tall man with thelong beard looked at her foot a great while, and when it was coveredover again, he quite frightened Mary.

  'It is very much better,' he said, 'and there is no reason why sheshould not try to walk. In fact, the sooner she goes away the better.'

  'There now,' said Sister Agatha when he had gone, 'what do you think ofthat? Won't it be nice to walk again? You will like that, won't you?'

  'No,' answered Mary; 'I shan't like it at all. I don't want to walk.'

  'Oh yes, you will like it!' said Sister Agatha. 'Now suppose you try towalk across the room.'

  Mary rose from her chair, and Sister Agatha held her hand while shelimped along by her side. It felt odd to be walking again, and SisterAgatha suggested she should race with her doll. So the doll was placedin a corner, and then Sister Agatha turned the key, which was necessary,she said, because the doll could not eat as Mary did, and the racebegan. But although Mary seemed to walk much more slowly than the doll,who made a great fuss whenever it walked a few yards, she reached thedoor first. Sister Agatha clapped her hands, and gave Mary a prize; shegave her a lump of sugar.

  But although Mary laughed about the race, she began to look miserableagain when she remembered that the tall man had said she was to go away,for of all things in the world she did not wish to leave Evangeline andSister Agatha. When Evangeline came to see her that afternoon, Maryclasped her small arms round her neck and clung to her, and cried,'Please don't send me away! Pray don't send me back to Mrs. Coppert!'

  'Why, my dear child,' said Evangeline; 'I am not going to send you back.I have never dreamed of such a thing.'

  'But he said I was to go away,' answered Mary.

  'So you are going away,' Evangeline explained; 'but not to WilliamStreet. Sister Agatha and I are going with you, and I think you willlike it very much indeed.'

  'I shall if you and Sister Agatha go,' said Mary, and now she felt moresatisfied, and she spent a happy afternoon with her toys. She went tobed quite happily, but when her head had been some time on the pillowEvangeline entered the room.

  'Poor child!' she said, 'is she asleep yet?'

  'Yes,' answered Sister Agatha, looking down at Mary's closed eyes; 'shedid not lie awake long to-night.'

  'How alarmed she was at the idea of leaving us,' said Evangelinequietly.

  'And yet,' answered Sister Agatha, 'it is certain she can't stay herefor ever. You will have to make up your mind what is to be done beforelong. Mary will soon be quite well again; besides, you will have otherthings to think of.'

  This conversation made Mary feel uncomfortable again. Of course sheought not to have listened to it; she ought to have sat up in bed, or atleast to have called out to let Evangeline know she was not asleep. Butthe fact was that Mary felt so interested to hear anything about herselfthat she could not resist the temptation to listen, and after Evangelinehad gone downstairs again she still kept her eyes shut, although it waslate before she really fell asleep that night.

  There were so many other things to think of that she soon forgot allabout her fear of going back to William Street, especially when SisterAgatha began to pack a trunk with Mary's clothes and toys. She told herthey were going into the country--she and Evangeline and Mary. Of courseMary had no idea what the country could be like, but she tried to findout by asking a great many questions. Sister Agatha said there werefields instead of houses, and trees instead of lamp-posts, but Mary didnot understand very clearly what a field was like; still the morningcame when they were to start, and Mary was ready first. When she stoodbefore the looking-glass with her new hat and jacket on, really shehardly knew herself. It seemed as if Evangeline must have changed her asCinderella was changed, for you remember that even Cinderella's sistersdid not recognise her at the ball.

  Mary Brown stood before the tall glass, and she saw a little girl with arather pale face; it looked very clean, and her brown hair was carefullytied back with ribbon. She wore tan-coloured stockings and high buttonboots, and altogether it was a little difficult to believe she was thesame Mary Brown who used to wear the ragged dress and to make mud piesin the gutter.

  She went downstairs holding Sister Agatha's hand, and on reaching thehall she saw two very tall men in pale blue coats and white stockings.Although they looked quite young men their hair was white, and one ofthem took Mary in his arms to carry her across the pavement to acarriage that was waiting before the door. It seemed so nice to be outin the sunshine that Mary laughed aloud, but she was soon seated in thecarriage with Evangeline and Sister Agatha; then the horses started, andpresently they reached a large railway station. Mary knew all abouttrains, because there was a bridge over William Street, and whilst sheplayed in the road they used to rush by overhead with a noise likethunder. But she had never entered a train before, so that she feltcurious to see what it would be like inside. She thought it seemed verynice, with soft blue cushions to sit upon, and windows to look out at.

  Presently the train began to move, and looking out at the window Marysaw rows and rows of houses which looked very much like those in WilliamStreet. But when the houses were left behind Mary opened her eyes verywidely; she thought she had never seen anything quite so wonderful asthis! Not even the wonderful things she had seen the night Sister Agathacarried her downstairs had astonished her so much! For there were nohouses, and she had never seen ground without houses until now.

  She looked upon wide open spaces, with dozens of trees and oxen in greenmeadows, and the consequence was that she began to ask so many questionsthat Sister Agatha suggested that she should sit down and try to go tosleep.

  'Oh no, thank you,' answered Mary, 'I'm not at all sleepy. I'd muchsooner look out of window.'

  'I thought perhaps you would like me to tell you a story,' saidEvangeline.

  'Yes, I should like you to tell me a story!' cried Mary, and she climbeddown from the seat and nestled close to Evangeline's side.