Part 9 (1/2)

The Silver Knife.

”Then said Jesus unto him: Go and do thou likewise.”--LUKE, x. 37.

_Mary_.--(After having searched about the dining-room,) ”Who has seen my silver knife? William, John, Lucy, you who are amusing yourselves in the garden, have you seen my silver knife?”

_William_.--(Going up to the window, and in a sententious tone of voice,) ”'Disorder,' says an ancient writer, 'occasions sorrow, and negligence, blame.'”

_Mary_.--”Admirable! But that does not apply to _me_, for it is scarcely an hour since I laid my knife on this very table, which certainly belongs to us.”

_Lucy_.--”Are you quite sure of it, Mary!”

_Mary_--”Yes, indeed, there is no doubt of it, for Sophy asked me to give her a pretty little red apple, as usual, before going to school. I went immediately to the fruit-room for it, and as it was a little spoiled, I cleaned it with my silver knife, which I laid on this table, whilst I was kissing her. I am therefore quite sure of it.”

_John_.--(Frowning,)--”For my part, I confess, I don't like all these strangers who come about the house. For instance, that little _Jane_, who sells lilies of the valley, and strawberries, and so on--I very much distrust her sullen look; and who knows, if perhaps...?”

_Lucy_--”Fie, fie, brother, to suspect that poor little modest gentle child, who supports her sick mother by her own industry! Oh!

it is very wrong, John!”

”What is the matter?” said their Father, who had heard this dispute from the garden, where he was reading under the shade of a tree.

Mary related her story, and finished by saying,--”Well, if it be G.o.d's will, So-be-it! My beautiful knife is lost!”

”Yes, my dear girl,” answered her father, ”What G.o.d wills, is always best. But it is His will that I should watch over, my household. I must therefore know what has become of your knife. Did you ask Elizabeth if she had taken care of it, when she cleaned the room?”

Mary ran to the kitchen, and enquired of Elizabeth.

”Your silver knife! Miss,” said the servant, coloring. ”Have you lost that beautiful knife, which was given you on your birthday?”

”I ask you, if you have taken care of it,” answered Mary. ”I laid it this morning upon the table in the dining-room, near the window.”

_Elizabeth_.--(with astonishment,)--Near the window! Oh!--I know where it is, now. About half an hour ago, when I went into the dining-room, to ... put ... down ... some plates, I saw the great magpie, which builds its nest up in the large elm-tree, at the end of the garden, sitting on the window-ledge. It flew away as soon as it saw me; but it had something white and s.h.i.+ning in its beak. Oh! yes, I remember now! it was the silver knife!”

”The magpie,” exclaimed Mary, ”with my knife in its beak!”

”Oh! Miss,” replied Elizabeth, ”there is no thief like a magpie.

When I was at home, one of their nests was once pulled down, and nine pieces of silver were found in it, and a whole necklace of pearls!

Oh! magpies are terrible birds, and you may be sure that your knife is in their nest.”

Mary returned to her father in the garden, and related to him all that Elizabeth had said, but added, ”For my part, I don't believe a word of it!”

”And why not?” exclaimed John, sharply, ”Elizabeth is quite right!

Nothing steals like a magpie. Everybody says so. Come! let us to work! A ladder, a cord, and a long stick! Down with the nest!--Papa, will you allow me to climb the tree!”

_Lucy._--(Holding John by the arm.)--”Brother, how _can_ you think of it? The elm is more than eighty feet high! Papa, I beg of you, not to allow it.”

_Father_.--(Calmly.)--”No one shall get up the tree and risk his life, for a thing which certainly is not there.”

”There is no thief like a magpie,” repeated John, looking at the nest, which might be seen through the higher branches of the tree; ”but I confess it would not be easy to reach it. These branches are very long and very slender!”