Part 20 (1/2)

For a long time the weeping was sustained and dreary. It never ceased save when Mrs. Seeley came back to give Felicia instructions about her work, but usually after her footfalls had clattered down the stairway the crying would begin again, very softly. Frequently Felicia could hear the pad, pad, pad of stockinged feet. She knew that whenever the crying stopped the grieving one walked to and fro restlessly. After a longer interval of silence than usual Felicia became aware that Bab.i.+.c.he was sniffing excitably. The nervous sniff that had always characterized the wee doggies on days when the carbolic water was ready for the rinsing.

Felicia wrinkled her own nose tentatively. Presently she got up and opened the door to the next room. It was empty. But adjoining it was an untidy bathroom with a dark wainscoting and a grimy enameled tub and standing over near the uncurtained window was a boyish figure, wrapped in a man's overcoat, with a bottle in her hand. She had wept so long, poor girl, that Felicia couldn't tell very much about how she really looked, except that it seemed to her she had never seen any one so unhappy.

Felicia stood there, an absurdly dowdy figure, Bab.i.+.c.he clasped in her arm, and smiled timorously.

”Where is your dog?” she asked sweetly.

”What dog?” demanded a sulky voice.

”The dog you were going to wash--” Felicia's voice was casual. ”With the 'scarbolic.'”

”I wasn't--trying to wash any dog--” the girl breathed dully.

Felicia moved quickly, she took the bottle from the girl's hand. ”Then I wish you'd lend me your--'scarbolic,'” she entreated sweetly, ”Bab.i.+.c.he really needs a bath.”

The youthful sufferer stared from her tear-stained eyes, stared with all her might at the shabby, frumpy, middle-aged looking little person who had taken the bottle from her hand.

”I can't stand it--” she sobbed bitterly, ”I've got to quit--you don't know how I feel--I feel as if--”

”When you feel that way,” interrupted Felicia quietly, ”you mustn't have a 'scarbolic' bottle, that's a thing that will make you go dead--”

”It's my own business if I do--I'd rather be dead than the way I am--”

she stretched out her arms pa.s.sionately, ”I haven't room to breathe! I did have that top floor front you know, it was a peach of a place to work. But she rented it to a chauffeur and put me in this hole--oh, oh, when all I asked was room for my model stand and room for my clay --when all I wanted was room for Pandora--you can't know how I feel--”

”But I do know how you feel!” slender hands cupped the girl's face.

Felicia's eyes looked through into the girl's soul. ”You feel like 'I can't get out, I can't get out, sang the starling'! Once I did.

Perhaps every one of us comes to a time when she feels all shut in--I went out into my garden when I felt that way. It is a big garden but it felt smaller than this room. I cried in it all night long, walking up and down and up and down--quite sure I didn't want to live any more. But when it was getting to be morning I saw a rosebush by the wall. In a jar. I'd forgotten to take care of it and Bele--he is good, you know, but stupid--had been tending it. Poor Rosebus.h.!.+

”It was much too big for its jar. Its roots were all cramped and its top all cut back so it couldn't bloom--you mustn't prune some roses too much, you know--I've just been thinking, that you're rather like my rosebush. You're Dulcie, aren't you? I think I know exactly what you need. If you'd just come along with me--I've a big room--I mean I will have as soon as I get the abundance-of-weeds-for-which-we-have- no-name out--I'd just love you to come with me. You'd be proud, proud, proud if you did--

”Listen, that's Mrs. Seeley coming back up the stairs. She's bringing me my two dollars. You put on your shoes and when she's down the stairs I'll whistle--so--vairee softly. And then you will come out and down we'll go. It will really be a great favor if you will--it's a big house, my house and I'm ra-_ther_ lonely--”

It wasn't until they were outside in the shadowy, rain-sweet street that Dulcie realized she had been coaxed that far. She drew back.

”I've no hat,” she whimpered, ”It's no use--I don't want to go--”

”You would,” the seamstress insisted, ”if you only knew what fun it's going to be. And we'll stop in the Exchange and buy you a cap. It's a darling cap. I've wanted it evaire since I saw it, it's velvet, rather like a choir boy's, only it has a ta.s.sel.” Her arm was through Dulcie's, they were really walking along. ”And we shall buy our supper there too. Miss Susan has fat jars of baked beans and little round corn m.u.f.fins and I think she has quince jelly--”

She actually managed to get her hysterical guest as far as the shop without further parley. The girl took the cap and the parcels that Felicia handed her, turning her head away when she fancied Miss Susan was eyeing her sharply. They walked around the corner and into the gateway of that unspeakably dirty house. The girl drew back in dismay.

”Oh, it's altogether too dreadful--” she exclaimed. ”It's worse than Aunt Seeley's--I can't go in--”

But she did go in and up the stairs too, protesting weakly all the way. She was plainly exhausted from her emotions, and clung to Felicia's arm. And when they were safe in Mademoiselle's room she looked about her wildly. ”It's an awful place--” she moaned.

”It's going to be lovely,” promised Felicia stoutly, ”It used to be lovely. Look here,” she drew the girl to the window and pointed out across the gleaming river, ”that's what you'll see every night from your windows. You won't be in this little room, you'll be in the big room next, the room that used to be my nursery.”

She wheedled the tired girl into eating a bit. She coaxed her to lie on the bed and watch the stars. She did not talk any more, just listened to sobbing breaths that the girl drew--listened as she sat in the wicker chair with Bab.i.+.c.he cuddled in her arms. And presently the girl slept. And Felicia sighed and slept too.

Morning was droll and difficult. An enormous b.u.mping and thumping awakened the sleepers. Cramped and dazed from her uncomfortable night in the chair Felicia jumped up startled; drowsy and bewildered in her unaccustomed bed, Dulcie sat up and stared at her.

”Whatever is it?” Dulcie stammered.