Part 29 (1/2)
”You didn't learn that of the French minister.”
”But he is not French, Miss Redwood.”
”I wisht he was,” said the housekeeper. ”I say nothin' agin other country people, only to be sorry for 'em; but I get put out o' my patience when I see one of the right stock makin' a fool of himself.
Well, honey, what about Mis' Eldridge?”
”I've got some money, Miss Redwood,--somebody gave me some money, to get things for her and do what I like; and Norton Laval and I were going to have her made nice and comfortable. But now Aunt Candy will not let me go there any more, and I can't do what I wanted to do; and I thought--Mr. Richmond thought--maybe you would see to it for me.”
”What's to be done?” said the housekeeper.
”Why, first of all, Miss Redwood, her house wants cleaning. It is not fit to put anything nice into it.”
”All Lilac Lane wouldn't be the worse of a cleanin',” said the housekeeper; ”men and women and all; but I don't know who's to do the cleanin'.”
”I thought maybe Sabrina Rogers would do it,--if she was paid, you know. She lives just over the way, and she _is_ pretty clean.”
”Kin try,” said the housekeeper. ”No harm in tryin'. I guess a dollar would fetch her round. Supposin' it was cleaned; what's to do next?”
”Get things, Miss Redwood,” said Matilda, looking up at her eagerly.
”You know she wants so much. I want to get a bedstead for her, and a decent bed; her bed isn't a bed, and it lies on the floor. And she has no way to wash herself; I want to send her a little washstand, and basin, and pitcher, and towels; and a table for the other room; and a saucepan to cook things in; and some bread, and meat, and sugar, and other things; for she hasn't comfortable things to eat. And one or two calico dresses, you know; she wants them so much.”
The child's face grew excitedly eager. There came a glitter in the housekeeper's faded blue eye as it looked down upon her.
”But, honey, all these things'll cost a sight o' money.”
”I've got money.”
”It'll take all you've got.”
”But I want to do what I can, Miss Redwood.”
”I kind o' don't think it's right,” said the housekeeper. ”Why should you go a-spendin' all your little savin's upon Sally Eldridge? And it's only one old woman helped, when all's done; there's lots more. It's somebody else that ought to do it; 'tain't your work, child.”
”But I want to do it, Miss Redwood. And I've got the money.”
”I wonder how much better she'll be at the end of six months,” said the housekeeper. ”Well, you want me to take this job in hand, do you?”
”If you can; if you would be so very good.”
”You make me feel as mean as water,” said the housekeeper. ”It'll take me a little while to get up any notion o' my goodness again. I suppose it'll come, with the old pride o' me. I know what the Bible says, but I kind o' didn't think it meant it; and I've been a makin' myself comfortable all my days, or workin' for it, and consolin' my conscience with thinkin' it was no use to help _one;_ but now yours and mine would make two; and somebody else's would ha' been three. La! child, you make me ashamed o' myself.”
”But Miss Redwood,” said Matilda, in much surprise, ”you are always doing something for somebody; I don't know what you mean.”
”Not this way, child,” said the housekeeper. ”I kind o' thought my money was my own, after I had worked for it.”
”Well, so it is.”
”And so is your'n your'n; but it looks like as if what was your'n was the Lord's. And to be sure, that's what the minister is always a sayin'; but I kind o' thought it was because he was the minister, and that Sarah Redwood hadn't no call to be just exactly as good as him.”
And to Matilda's bewilderment, she saw the corner of Miss Redwood's ap.r.o.n lifted to wipe off a tear.