Marklake Witches
When Dan took up boat-building, Una coaxed Mrs Vincey, the farmer's wifeat Little Lindens, to teach her to milk. Mrs Vincey milks in the pasturein summer, which is different from milking in the shed, because thecows are not tied up, and until they know you they will not stand still.After three weeks Una could milk Red Cow or Kitty Shorthorn quite dry,without her wrists aching, and then she allowed Dan to look. But milkingdid not amuse him, and it was pleasanter for Una to be alone in thequiet pastures with quiet-spoken Mrs Vincey. So, evening after evening,she slipped across to Little Lindens, took her stool from the fern-clumpbeside the fallen oak, and went to work, her pail between her knees, andher head pressed hard into the cow's flank. As often as not, Mrs Vinceywould be milking cross Pansy at the other end of the pasture, and wouldnot come near till it was time to strain and pour off.
Once, in the middle of a milking, Kitty Shorthorn boxed Una's ear withher tail.
'You old pig!' said Una, nearly crying, for a cow's tail can hurt.
'Why didn't you tie it down, child?' said a voice behind her.
'I meant to, but the flies are so bad I let her off--and this is whatshe's done!' Una looked round, expecting Puck, and saw a curly-hairedgirl, not much taller than herself, but older, dressed in a curioushigh-waisted, lavender-coloured riding-habit, with a high hunched collarand a deep cape and a belt fastened with a steel clasp. She wore ayellow velvet cap and tan gauntlets, and carried a real hunting-crop.Her cheeks were pale except for two pretty pink patches in the middle,and she talked with little gasps at the end of her sentences, as thoughshe had been running.
'You don't milk so badly, child,' she said, and when she smiled herteeth showed small and even and pearly.
'Can you milk?' Una asked, and then flushed, for she heard Puck'schuckle.
He stepped out of the fern and sat down, holding Kitty Short-horn'stail. 'There isn't much,' he said, 'that Miss Philadelphia doesn'tknow about milk--or, for that matter, butter and eggs. She's a greathousewife.'
'Oh,' said Una. 'I'm sorry I can't shake hands. Mine are all milky; butMrs Vincey is going to teach me butter-making this summer.' 'Ah! I'mgoing to London this summer,' the girl said, 'to my aunt in Bloomsbury.'She coughed as she began to hum, '"Oh, what a town! What a wonderfulmetropolis!"
'You've got a cold,' said Una.
'No. Only my stupid cough. But it's vastly better than it was lastwinter. It will disappear in London air. Every one says so. D'you likedoctors, child?'
'I don't know any,' Una replied. 'But I'm sure I shouldn't.'
'Think yourself lucky, child. I beg your pardon,' the girl laughed, forUna frowned.
'I'm not a child, and my name's Una,'she said.
'Mine's Philadelphia. But everybody except Rene calls me Phil. I'mSquire Bucksteed's daughter--over at Marklake yonder.' She jerked herlittle round chin towards the south behind Dallington. 'Sure-ly you knowMarklake?'
'We went a picnic to Marklake Green once,' said Una. 'It's awfullypretty. I like all those funny little roads that don't lead anywhere.'
'They lead over our land,' said Philadelphia stiffly, 'and the coachroad is only four miles away. One can go anywhere from the Green. I wentto the Assize Ball at Lewes last year.' She spun round and took a fewdancing steps, but stopped with her hand to her side.
'It gives me a stitch,' she explained. 'No odds. 'Twill go away inLondon air. That's the latest French step, child. Rene taught it me.D'you hate the French, chi--Una?'
'Well, I hate French, of course, but I don't mind Ma'm'selle. She'srather decent. Is Rene your French governess?'
Philadelphia laughed till she caught her breath again.
'Oh no! Rene's a French prisoner--on parole. That means he's promisednot to escape till he has been properly exchanged for an Englishman.He's only a doctor, so I hope they won't think him worth exchanging. Myuncle captured him last year in the FERDINAND privateer, off Belle Isle,and he cured my uncle of a r-r-raging toothache. Of course, after thatwe couldn't let him lie among the common French prisoners at Rye, andso he stays with us. He's of very old family--a Breton, which is nearlynext door to being a true Briton, my father says--and he wears his hairclubbed--not powdered. Much more becoming, don't you think?'
'I don't know what you're--' Una began, but Puck, the other side ofthe pail, winked, and she went on with her milking. 'He's going to be agreat French physician when the war is over. He makes me bobbins for mylace-pillow now--he's very clever with his hands; but he'd doctor ourpeople on the Green if they would let him. Only our Doctor--DoctorBreak--says he's an emp--or imp something--worse than imposter. But myNurse says--'
'Nurse! You're ever so old. What have you got a nurse for?' Una finishedmilking, and turned round on her stool as Kitty Shorthorn grazed off.
'Because I can't get rid of her. Old Cissie nursed my mother, and shesays she'll nurse me till she dies. The idea! She never lets me alone.She thinks I'm delicate. She has grown infirm in her understanding, youknow. Mad--quite mad, poor Cissie!'
'Really mad?' said Una. 'Or just silly?'
'Crazy, I should say--from the things she does. Her devotion to me isterribly embarrassing. You know I have all the keys of the Hall exceptthe brewery and the tenants' kitchen. I give out all stores and thelinen and plate.'
'How jolly! I love store-rooms and giving out things.'
Ah, it's a great responsibility, you'll find, when you come to myage. Last year Dad said I was fatiguing myself with my duties, and heactually wanted me to give up the keys to old Amoore, our housekeeper.I wouldn't. I hate her. I said, "No, sir. I am Mistress of Marklake Halljust as long as I live, because I'm never going to be married, and Ishall give out stores and linen till I die!"
And what did your father say?'
'Oh, I threatened to pin a dishclout to his coat-tail. He ran away.Every one's afraid of Dad, except me.' Philadelphia stamped her foot.'The idea! If I can't make my own father happy in his own house, I'dlike to meet the woman that can, and--and--I'd have the living hide offher!'
She cut with her long-thonged whip. It cracked like a pistol-shot acrossthe still pasture. Kitty Shorthorn threw up her head and trotted away.
'I beg your pardon,' Philadelphia said; 'but it makes me furious. Don'tyou hate those ridiculous old quizzes with their feathers and fronts,who come to dinner and call you "child" in your own chair at your owntable?'
'I don't always come to dinner, said Una, 'but I hate being called"child." Please tell me about store-rooms and giving out things.'
Ah, it's a great responsibility--particularly with that old cat Amoorelooking at the lists over your shoulder. And such a shocking thinghappened last summer! Poor crazy Cissie, my Nurse that I was telling youof, she took three solid silver tablespoons.'
'Took! But isn't that stealing?' Una cried.
'Hsh!' said Philadelphia, looking round at Puck. 'All I say is she tookthem without my leave. I made it right afterwards. So, as Dad says--andhe's a magistrate-, it wasn't a legal offence; it was only compounding afelony.
'It sounds awful,' said Una.
'It was. My dear, I was furious! I had had the keys for ten months, andI'd never lost anything before. I said nothing at first, because a bighouse offers so many chances of things being mislaid, and coming to handlater. "Fetching up in the lee-scuppers," my uncle calls it. But nextweek I spoke to old Cissie about it when she was doing my hair at night,and she said I wasn't to worry my heart for trifles!'
'Isn't it like 'em?' Una burst out. 'They see you're worried oversomething that really matters, and they say, "Don't worry"; as if thatdid any good!'
'I quite agree with you, my dear; quite agree with you! I told Ciss thespoons were solid silver, and worth forty shillings, so if the thiefwere found, he'd be tried for his life.' 'Hanged, do you mean?'Una said.
'They ought to be; but Dad says no jury will hang a man nowadays fora forty-shilling theft. They transport 'em into penal servitude atthe uttermost ends of the earth beyond the seas, for the term of theirnatur
al life. I told Cissie that, and I saw her tremble in my mirror.Then she cried, and caught hold of my knees, and I couldn't for my lifeunderstand what it was all about,--she cried so. Can you guess, my dear,what that poor crazy thing had done? It was midnight before I pieced ittogether. She had given the spoons to Jerry Gamm, the Witchmaster on theGreen, so that he might put a charm on me! Me!'
'Put a charm on you? Why?'
'That's what I asked; and then I saw how mad poor Cissie was! You knowthis stupid little cough of mine? It will disappear as soon as I go toLondon. She was troubled about that, and about my being so thin, andshe told me Jerry had promised her, if she would bring him three silverspoons, that he'd charm my cough away and make me plump--"flesh up," shesaid. I couldn't help laughing; but it was a terrible night! I had toput Cissie into my own bed, and stroke her hand till she cried herselfto sleep. What else could I have done? When she woke, and I coughed--Isuppose I can cough in my own room if I please--she said that she'dkilled me, and asked me to have her hanged at Lewes sooner than send herto the uttermost ends of the earth away from me.'
'How awful! What did you do, Phil?'
'Do? I rode off at five in the morning to talk to Master Jerry, with anew lash on my whip. Oh, I was furious! Witchmaster or no Witchmaster, Imeant to--'
Ah! what's a Witchmaster?'
'A master of witches, of course. I don't believe there are witches; butpeople say every village has a few, and Jerry was the master of all oursat Marklake. He has been a smuggler, and a man-of-war's man, and now hepretends to be a carpenter and joiner--he can make almost anything--buthe really is a white wizard. He cures people by herbs and charms. He cancure them after Doctor Break has given them up, and that's why DoctorBreak hates him so. He used to make me toy carts, and charm off my wartswhen I was a child.' Philadelphia spread out her hands with the delicateshiny little nails. 'It isn't counted lucky to cross him. He has hisways of getting even with you, they say. But I wasn't afraid of Jerry!I saw him working in his garden, and I leaned out of my saddle anddouble-thonged him between the shoulders, over the hedge. Well, my dear,for the first time since Dad gave him to me, my Troubadour (I wish youcould see the sweet creature!) shied across the road, and I spilled outinto the hedge-top. Most undignified! Jerry pulled me through to hisside and brushed the leaves off me. I was horribly pricked, but I didn'tcare. "Now, Jerry," I said, "I'm going to take the hide off you first,and send you to Lewes afterwards. You well know why."
'"Oh!" he said, and he sat down among his bee-hives. "Then I reckonyou've come about old Cissie's business, my dear." "I reckon I justabouthave," I said. "Stand away from these hives. I can't get at you there.""That's why I be where I be," he said. "If you'll excuse me, Miss Phil,I don't hold with bein' flogged before breakfast, at my time o' life."He's a huge big man, but he looked so comical squatting among the hivesthat--I know I oughtn't to--I laughed, and he laughed. I always laugh atthe wrong time. But I soon recovered my dignity, and I said, "Then giveme back what you made poor Cissie steal!"
'"Your pore Cissie," he said. "She's a hatful o' trouble. But you shallhave 'em, Miss Phil. They're all ready put by for you." And, would youbelieve it, the old sinner pulled my three silver spoons out of hisdirty pocket, and polished them on his cuff. "Here they be," he says,and he gave them to me, just as cool as though I'd come to have mywarts charmed. That's the worst of people having known you when you wereyoung. But I preserved my composure. "Jerry," I said, "what in the worldare we to do? If you'd been caught with these things on you, you'd havebeen hanged."
'"I know it," he said. "But they're yours now."
'"But you made my Cissie steal them," I said.
'"That I didn't," he said. "Your Cissie, she was pickin' at me an'tarrifyin' me all the long day an' every day for weeks, to put a charmon you, Miss Phil, an' take away your little spitty cough."
'"Yes. I knew that, Jerry, and to make me flesh-up!" I said. "I'm muchobliged to you, but I'm not one of your pigs!"
'"Ah! I reckon she've been talking to you, then," he said. "Yes,she give me no peace, and bein' tarrified--for I don't hold with oldwomen--I laid a task on her which I thought 'ud silence her. I neverreckoned the old scrattle 'ud risk her neckbone at Lewes Assizes foryour sake, Miss Phil. But she did. She up an' stole, I tell ye, ascheerful as a tinker. You might ha' knocked me down with any one of themliddle spoons when she brung 'em in her apron."
'"Do you mean to say, then, that you did it to try my poor Cissie?" Iscreamed at him.
'"What else for, dearie?" he said. "I don't stand in need ofhedge-stealings. I'm a freeholder, with money in the bank; and now Iwon't trust women no more! Silly old besom! I do beleft she'd ha' stolethe Squire's big fob-watch, if I'd required her."
'"Then you're a wicked, wicked old man," I said, and I was so angry thatI couldn't help crying, and of course that made me cough.
'Jerry was in a fearful taking. He picked me up and carried me into hiscottage--it's full of foreign curiosities--and he got me something toeat and drink, and he said he'd be hanged by the neck any day if itpleased me. He said he'd even tell old Cissie he was sorry. That's agreat comedown for a Witchmaster, you know.
'I was ashamed of myself for being so silly, and I dabbed my eyes andsaid, "The least you can do now is to give poor Ciss some sort of acharm for me."
'"Yes, that's only fair dealings," he said. "You know the names of theTwelve Apostles, dearie? You say them names, one by one, before youropen window, rain or storm, wet or shine, five times a day fasting. Butmind you, 'twixt every name you draw in your breath through your nose,right down to your pretty liddle toes, as long and as deep as you can,and let it out slow through your pretty liddle mouth. There's virtue foryour cough in those names spoke that way. And I'll give you somethingyou can see, moreover. Here's a stick of maple, which is the warmesttree in the wood."' 'That's true,' Una interrupted. 'You can feel italmost as warm as yourself when you touch it.'
'"It's cut one inch long for your every year," Jerry said. "That'ssixteen inches. You set it in your window so that it holds up the sash,and thus you keep it, rain or shine, or wet or fine, day and night. I'vesaid words over it which will have virtue on your complaints."
"I haven't any complaints, Jerry," I said. "It's only to please Cissie."
'"I know that as well as you do, dearie," he said. And--and that was allthat came of my going to give him a flogging. I wonder whether he madepoor Troubadour shy when I lashed at him? Jerry has his ways of gettingeven with people.'
'I wonder,' said Una. 'Well, did you try the charm? Did it work?'
'What nonsense! I told Rene about it, of course, because he's a doctor.He's going to be a most famous doctor. That's why our doctor hates him.Rene said, "Oho! Your Master Gamm, he is worth knowing," and he put uphis eyebrows--like this. He made joke of it all. He can see my windowfrom the carpenter's shed, where he works, and if ever the maple stickfell down, he pretended to be in a fearful taking till I propped thewindow up again. He used to ask me whether I had said my Apostlesproperly, and how I took my deep breaths. Oh yes, and the next day,though he had been there ever so many times before, he put on his newhat and paid Jerry Gamm a visit of state--as a fellow-physician. Jerrynever guessed Rene was making fun of him, and so he told Rene aboutthe sick people in the village, and how he cured them with herbs afterDoctor Break had given them up. Jerry could talk smugglers' French, ofcourse, and I had taught Rene plenty of English, if only he wasn't soshy. They called each other Monsieur Gamm and Mosheur Lanark, just likegentlemen. I suppose it amused poor Rene. He hasn't much to do, exceptto fiddle about in the carpenter's shop. He's like all the Frenchprisoners--always making knickknacks; and Jerry had a little lathe athis cottage, and so--and so--Rene took to being with Jerry much morethan I approved of. The Hall is so big and empty when Dad's away, andI will not sit with old Amoore--she talks so horridly about everyone--specially about Rene.
'I was rude to Rene, I'm afraid; but I was properly served out for it.One always is. You see, Dad went down to Hastings to
pay his respectsto the General who commanded the brigade there, and to bring him to theHall afterwards. Dad told me he was a very brave soldier from India--hewas Colonel of Dad's Regiment, the Thirty-third Foot, after Dad left theArmy, and then he changed his name from Wesley to Wellesley, or else theother way about; and Dad said I was to get out all the silver for him,and I knew that meant a big dinner. So I sent down to the sea for earlymackerel, and had such a morning in the kitchen and the store-rooms. OldAmoore nearly cried.
'However, my dear, I made all my preparations in ample time, but thefish didn't arrive--it never does--and I wanted Rene to ride to Pevenseyand bring it himself. He had gone over to Jerry, of course, as he alwaysused, unless I requested his presence beforehand. I can't send for Reneevery time I want him. He should be there. Now, don't you ever do what Idid, child, because it's in the highest degree unladylike; but--butone of our Woods runs up to Jerry's garden, and if you climb--it'sungenteel, but I can climb like a kitten--there's an old hollow oakjust above the pigsty where you can hear and see everything below.Truthfully, I only went to tell Rene about the mackerel, but I saw himand Jerry sitting on the seat playing with wooden toy trumpets. So Islipped into the hollow, and choked down my cough, and listened. Renehad never shown me any of these trumpets.'
'Trumpets? Aren't you too old for trumpets?' said Una.
'They weren't real trumpets, because Jerry opened his short-collar, andRene put one end of his trumpet against Jerry's chest, and put hisear to the other. Then Jerry put his trumpet against Rene's chest, andlistened while Rene breathed and coughed. I was afraid I would coughtoo.
'"This hollywood one is the best," said Jerry. "'Tis won'erful likehearin' a man's soul whisperin' in his innards; but unless I've abuzzin' in my ears, Mosheur Lanark, you make much about the same kind o'noises as old Gaffer Macklin--but not quite so loud as young Copper. Itsounds like breakers on a reef--a long way off. Comprenny?"
'"Perfectly," said Rene. "I drive on the breakers. But before I strike,I shall save hundreds, thousands, millions perhaps, by my littletrumpets. Now tell me what sounds the old Gaffer Macklin have made inhis chest, and what the young Copper also."
'Jerry talked for nearly a quarter of an hour about sick people in thevillage, while Rene asked questions. Then he sighed, and said, "Youexplain very well, Monsieur Gamm, but if only I had your opportunitiesto listen for myself! Do you think these poor people would let me listento them through my trumpet--for a little money? No?"--Rene's as poor asa church mouse.
'"They'd kill you, Mosheur. It's all I can do to coax 'em to abide it,and I'm Jerry Gamm," said Jerry. He's very proud of his attainments.
'"Then these poor people are alarmed--No?" said Rene.
'"They've had it in at me for some time back because o' my tryin' yourtrumpets on their sick; and I reckon by the talk at the alehouse theywon't stand much more. Tom Dunch an' some of his kidney was drinkin'themselves riot-ripe when I passed along after noon. Charms an'mutterin's an' bits o' red wool an' black hens is in the way o' natureto these fools, Mosheur; but anything likely to do 'em real service isdevil's work by their estimation. If I was you, I'd go home before theycome." Jerry spoke quite quietly, and Rene shrugged his shoulders.
'"I am prisoner on parole, Monsieur Gamm," he said. "I have no home."
'Now that was unkind of Rene. He's often told me that he looked onEngland as his home. I suppose it's French politeness.
'"Then we'll talk o' something that matters," said Jerry. "Not to nameno names, Mosheur Lanark, what might be your own opinion o' some onewho ain't old Gaffer Macklin nor young Copper? Is that person better orworse?"
'"Better--for time that is," said Rene. He meant for the time being, butI never could teach him some phrases.
'"I thought so too," said Jerry. "But how about time to come?"
'Rene shook his head, and then he blew his nose. You don't know how odd aman looks blowing his nose when you are sitting directly above him.
'"I've thought that too," said Jerry. He rumbled so deep I could scarcelycatch. "It don't make much odds to me, because I'm old. But you'reyoung, Mosheur--you're young," and he put his hand on Rene's knee, andRene covered it with his hand. I didn't know they were such friends.
'"Thank you, mon ami," said Rene. "I am much oblige. Let us return toour trumpet-making. But I forget"--he stood up--"it appears that youreceive this afternoon!"
'You can't see into Gamm's Lane from the oak, but the gate opened, andfat little Doctor Break stumped in, mopping his head, and half-a-dozenof our people following him, very drunk.
'You ought to have seen Rene bow; he does it beautifully.
'"A word with you, Laennec," said Doctor Break. "Jerry has beenpractising some devilry or other on these poor wretches, and they'veasked me to be arbiter."
'"Whatever that means, I reckon it's safer than asking you to bedoctor," said Jerry, and Tom Dunch, one of our carters, laughed.
'"That ain't right feeling of you, Tom," Jerry said, "seeing how cleverDoctor Break put away your thorn in the flesh last winter." Tom's wifehad died at Christmas, though Doctor Break bled her twice a week. DoctorBreak danced with rage.
'"This is all beside the mark," he said. "These good people are willingto testify that you've been impudently prying into God's secrets bymeans of some papistical contrivance which this person"--he pointedto poor Rene--"has furnished you with. Why, here are the thingsthemselves!" Rene was holding a trumpet in his hand.
'Then all the men talked at once. They said old Gaffer Macklin was dyingfrom stitches in his side where Jerry had put the trumpet--they calledit the devil's ear-piece; and they said it left round red witch-marks onpeople's skins, and dried up their lights, and made 'em spit blood, andthrew 'em into sweats. Terrible things they said. You never heard such anoise. I took advantage of it to cough.
'Rene and Jerry were standing with their backs to the pigsty. Jerryfumbled in his big flap pockets and fished up a pair of pistols. Youought to have seen the men give back when he cocked his. He passed oneto Rene.
'"Wait! Wait!" said Rene. "I will explain to the doctor if he permits."He waved a trumpet at him, and the men at the gate shouted, "Don't touchit, Doctor! Don't lay a hand to the thing."
'"Come, come!" said Rene. "You are not so big fool as you pretend. No?"
'Doctor Break backed toward the gate, watching Jerry's pistol, and Renefollowed him with his trumpet, like a nurse trying to amuse a child, andput the ridiculous thing to his ear to show how it was used, and talkedof la Gloire, and l'Humanite, and la Science, while Doctor Break watchedjerry's pistol and swore. I nearly laughed aloud.
'"Now listen! Now listen!" said Rene. "This will be moneys in yourpockets, my dear confrere. You will become rich."
'Then Doctor Break said something about adventurers who could not earnan honest living in their own country creeping into decent houses andtaking advantage of gentlemen's confidence to enrich themselves by baseintrigues.
'Rene dropped his absurd trumpet and made one of his best bows. I knewhe was angry from the way he rolled his "r's."
'"Ver-r-ry good," said he. "For that I shall have much pleasure tokill you now and here. Monsieur Gamm,"--another bow to Jerry--"you willplease lend him your pistol, or he shall have mine. I give you my word Iknow not which is best; and if he will choose a second from his friendsover there"--another bow to our drunken yokels at the gate--"we willcommence."
'"That's fair enough," said Jerry. "Tom Dunch, you owe it to the Doctorto be his second. Place your man." '"No," said Tom. "No mixin' ingentry's quarrels for me." And he shook his head and went out, and theothers followed him.
'"Hold on," said Jerry. "You've forgot what you set out to do up at thealehouse just now. You was goin' to search me for witch-marks; youwas goin' to duck me in the pond; you was goin' to drag all my bitso' sticks out o' my little cottage here. What's the matter with you?Wouldn't you like to be with your old woman tonight, Tom?"
'But they didn't even look back, much less come. They ran to the villagealehouse
like hares.
'"No matter for these canaille," said Rene, buttoning up his coat soas not to show any linen. All gentlemen do that before a duel, Dadsays--and he's been out five times. "You shall be his second, MonsieurGamm. Give him the pistol."
'Doctor Break took it as if it was red-hot, but he said that if Reneresigned his pretensions in certain quarters he would pass over thematter. Rene bowed deeper than ever.
'"As for that," he said, "if you were not the ignorant which you are,you would have known long ago that the subject of your remarks is notfor any living man."
'I don't know what the subject of his remarks might have been, but hespoke in a simply dreadful voice, my dear, and Doctor Break turned quitewhite, and said Rene was a liar; and then Rene caught him by the throat,and choked him black.
'Well, my dear, as if this wasn't deliciously exciting enough, justexactly at that minute I heard a strange voice on the other side ofthe hedge say, "What's this? What's this, Bucksteed?" and there was myfather and Sir Arthur Wesley on horseback in the lane; and there wasRene kneeling on Doctor Break, and there was I up in the oak, listeningwith all my ears.
'I must have leaned forward too much, and the voice gave me such astart that I slipped. I had only time to make one jump on to the pigstyroof--another, before the tiles broke, on to the pigsty wall--and thenI bounced down into the garden, just behind Jerry, with my hair full ofbark. Imagine the situation!'
'Oh, I can!' Una laughed till she nearly fell off the stool.
'Dad said, "Phil--a--del--phia!" and Sir Arthur Wesley said, "Good Ged"and Jerry put his foot on the pistol Rene had dropped. But Rene wassplendid. He never even looked at me. He began to untwist Doctor Break'sneckcloth as fast as he'd twisted it, and asked him if he felt better.
'"What's happened? What's happened?" said Dad.
'"A fit!" said Rene. "I fear my confrere has had a fit. Do not bealarmed. He recovers himself. Shall I bleed you a little, my dearDoctor?" Doctor Break was very good too. He said, "I am vastly obliged,Monsieur Laennec, but I am restored now." And as he went out of thegate he told Dad it was a syncope--I think. Then Sir Arthur said, "Quiteright, Bucksteed. Not another word! They are both gentlemen." And hetook off his cocked hat to Doctor Break and Rene.
'But poor Dad wouldn't let well alone. He kept saying, "Philadelphia,what does all this mean?"
'"Well, sir," I said, "I've only just come down. As far as I could see,it looked as though Doctor Break had had a sudden seizure." That wasquite true--if you'd seen Rene seize him. Sir Arthur laughed. "Not muchchange there, Bucksteed," he said. "She's a lady--a thorough lady."
'"Heaven knows she doesn't look like one," said poor Dad. "Go home,Philadelphia."
'So I went home, my dear--don't laugh so!---right under Sir Arthur'snose--a most enormous nose--feeling as though I were twelve years old,going to be whipped. Oh, I beg your pardon, child!'
'It's all right,' said Una. 'I'm getting on for thirteen. I've neverbeen whipped, but I know how you felt. All the same, it must have beenfunny!'
'Funny! If you'd heard Sir Arthur jerking out, "Good Ged, Bucksteed!"every minute as they rode behind me; and poor Dad saying, '"'Pon myhonour, Arthur, I can't account for it!" Oh, how my cheeks tingled whenI reached my room! But Cissie had laid out my very best evening dress,the white satin one, vandyked at the bottom with spots of morone foil,and the pearl knots, you know, catching up the drapery from the leftshoulder. I had poor mother's lace tucker and her coronet comb.'
'Oh, you lucky!' Una murmured. 'And gloves?'
'French kid, my dear'--Philadelphia patted her shoulder--'and moronesatin shoes and a morone and gold crape fan. That restored my calm. Nicethings always do. I wore my hair banded on my forehead with a littlecurl over the left ear. And when I descended the stairs, en grandetenue, old Amoore curtsied to me without my having to stop and look ather, which, alas! is too often the case. Sir Arthur highly approvedof the dinner, my dear: the mackerel did come in time. We had all theMarklake silver out, and he toasted my health, and he asked me wheremy little bird's-nesting sister was. I know he did it to quiz me, so Ilooked him straight in the face, my dear, and I said, "I always send herto the nursery, Sir Arthur, when I receive guests at Marklake Hall."'
'Oh, how chee--clever of you. What did he say?' Una cried. 'He said,"Not much change there, Bucksteed. Ged, I deserved it," and he toastedme again. They talked about the French and what a shame it was that SirArthur only commanded a brigade at Hastings, and he told Dad of a battlein India at a place called Assaye. Dad said it was a terrible fight, butSir Arthur described it as though it had been a whist-party--I supposebecause a lady was present.'
'Of course you were the lady. I wish I'd seen you,'said Una.
'I wish you had, child. I had such a triumph after dinner. Rene andDoctor Break came in. They had quite made up their quarrel, and theytold me they had the highest esteem for each other, and I laughed andsaid, "I heard every word of it up in the tree." You never saw two menso frightened in your life, and when I said, "What was 'the subject ofyour remarks,' Rene?" neither of them knew where to look. Oh, I quizzedthem unmercifully. They'd seen me jump off the pigsty roof, remember.'
'But what was the subject of their remarks?' said Una.
'Oh, Doctor Break said it was a professional matter, so the laughwas turned on me. I was horribly afraid it might have been somethingunladylike and indelicate. But that wasn't my triumph. Dad asked me toplay on the harp. Between just you and me, child, I had been practisinga new song from London--I don't always live in trees--for weeks; and Igave it them for a surprise.'
'What was it?'said Una. 'Sing it.'
'"I have given my heart to a flower." Not very difficult fingering, butr-r-ravishing sentiment.'
Philadelphia coughed and cleared her throat.
'I've a deep voice for my age and size,' she explained. 'Contralto, youknow, but it ought to be stronger,' and she began, her face all darkagainst the last of the soft pink sunset:
'I have given my heart to a flower, Though I know it is fading away, Though I know it will live but an hour And leave me to mourn its decay!
'Isn't that touchingly sweet? Then the last verse--I wish I had my harp,dear--goes as low as my register will reach.'She drew in her chin, andtook a deep breath:
'Ye desolate whirlwinds that rave, I charge you be good to my dear! She is all--she is all that I have, And the time of our parting is near!'
'Beautiful!' said Una. 'And did they like it?' 'Like it? They wereoverwhelmed--accables, as Rene says. My dear, if I hadn't seen it, Ishouldn't have believed that I could have drawn tears, genuine tears, tothe eyes of four grown men. But I did! Rene simply couldn't endureit! He's all French sensibility. He hid his face and said, "Assez,Mademoiselle! C'est plus fort que moi! Assez!" And Sir Arthur blew hisnose and said, "Good Ged! This is worse than Assaye!" While Dad sat withthe tears simply running down his cheeks.'
'And what did Doctor Break do?'
'He got up and pretended to look out of the window, but I saw his littlefat shoulders jerk as if he had the hiccoughs. That was a triumph. Inever suspected him of sensibility.'
'Oh, I wish I'd seen! I wish I'd been you,'said Una, clasping herhands. Puck rustled and rose from the fern, just as a big blunderingcock-chafer flew smack against Una's cheek.
When she had finished rubbing the place, Mrs Vincey called to her thatPansy had been fractious, or she would have come long before to help herstrain and pour off. 'It didn't matter,' said Una; 'I just waited. Isthat old Pansy barging about the lower pasture now?'
'No,' said Mrs Vincey, listening. 'It sounds more like a horse beinggalloped middlin' quick through the woods; but there's no road there.I reckon it's one of Gleason's colts loose. Shall I see you up to thehouse, Miss Una?'
'Gracious, no! thank you. What's going to hurt me?' said Una, and sheput her stool away behind the oak, and strolled home through the gapsthat old Hobden kept open for her.
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