Part 7 (1/2)
”That dog-roses are large roses,” replied Emma Jane.
”That the Chinese laundry man around the corner, Hop Sin, is a little sinner,” said Winnie.
”No, no, I don't mean that, but she said that the Prince del Paradiso was related to her; then, of course, she must belong to the Paradiso family as well, and what we have so long suspected is really true. She is a genuine princess, and probably the daughter of a king.”
”I am not so sure of that,” replied Emma Jane.
”Do you suspect Miss Prillwitz of being an impostor?” Adelaide asked, coldly.
”Certainly not,” replied Emma Jane; ”but in many European countries every son of a prince is called a prince, instead of the eldest son only, as in England, and all the sons of all the younger sons are princes, and so on to the last descendant; and I presume it is so with the daughters as well; so that the t.i.tle must often exist where there are no estates.”
”But Miss Prillwitz said that the Prince del Paradiso was heir to immense estates,” Milly insisted.
”But that proves nothing in her own case,” Adelaide admitted. ”Some day, perhaps she will tell us more about herself, since she has begun to open her heart to us.”
At that moment the door-bell rang, and as the princess kept no servant, Winnie went to the door. She was gone a long time, and came back looking grave and distraught--giving an evasive answer when we asked her who had called. I wondered at this because, as I sat nearest the door, I had overheard a part of the conversation, and knew that it referred to the little boy who was expected. ”He cannot come,” a voice had said; ”he has a situation where he can learn a trade.” This was of so much interest to us all that I wondered why Winnie did not immediately report it.
As soon as we returned to the school she obtained an interview with Madame, and permission to see Mrs. Halsey in reference to the Celeste situation; Madame stipulating that she must not ask this favor for a long time, as she did not like to have her pupils frequent the tenement district. I offered to go with Winnie, and was surprised that she declined my company. She returned glowing with suppressed excitement.
”Mrs. Halsey has accepted Madame Celeste's offer,” she exclaimed; ”she leaves the court to-morrow, let us hope for good and all. O girls, it is a horrible place! I saw worse sights than when I was there before.”
”And Jim?” we asked.
”Jim is provided for. We are to pay three dollars a week for him for the present, until Mrs. Halsey gets on her feet.”
”Did she find a good place for him?”
”An excellent place; but you must not ask me another question, and if any mysterious circ.u.mstances should come to your observation within a few days, you are not to say a thing, or even look surprised. Promise, every one of you.”
”A mystery! how delightful!” exclaimed Milly. ”It's almost as good as the little prince. You can rely on us; we will help you, Winnie, whatever it is, for we know it's all right if it's your doing.”
Emma Jane was not present, and I remarked that, while the rest of us would believe in Winnie without understanding her, and even in spite of the most suspicious circ.u.mstances, I was not sure that we could trust Emma Jane so far.
”Emma Jane will see nothing to suspect, and Milly, I know, will stand by me. It's only you two that I am afraid of--Adelaide, because she has seen Jim; and Tib, from her natural smartness in smelling out a secret.”
”Whatever it is, Winnie, we believe you could never do anything very bad,” said Adelaide.
”But I have,” Winnie replied; ”something just reckless. I'm in for the worst sc.r.a.pe of my life, and just as I was trying so hard to be good. I shall never be anything but a malefactor, and maybe get expelled, and throw the dear Amen Corner into disgrace. I'd better have staid queen of the Hornets, for I shall be nothing but Witch Winnie to the end of the chapter.”
CHAPTER VI.
MRS. HETTERMAN THROWS LIGHT ON THE MYSTERY.
[Ill.u.s.tration: {Drawing of Mrs. Hetterman.}]
Mrs. Hetterman came into our life in consequence of a train of troubles which arose in the boarding-school from the frequent change of the cook.
Madame had been served for several years by a faithful colored man, who had suddenly taken it into his head to go off as steward on a gentleman's yacht. She had supplied his place by a Biddy, who was found intoxicated on the kitchen floor. A woman followed who turned out to be a thief, and we were now enduring an incompetent creature who made sour bread and spoiled nearly every dish which pa.s.sed through her hands. Half of the girls were suffering with dyspepsia, and all were grumbling. The Amen Corner was especially out of sorts. Milly, who was always fastidious, had eaten nothing but maple-sugar for breakfast, and had a sick headache; Emma Jane was snappish; Witch Winnie had stolen a box of crackers from the pantry, which she had pa.s.sed around. Adelaide and I had regaled ourselves upon them, but Emma Jane had declined on high moral grounds, and was virtuously miserable. It was in this unchristian frame of mind, or rather of stomach, that we took our next botany lesson. We found the princess beaming with pleasure. ”My tear young ladies,” she exclaimed, ”you must felicitate me. It is all so much better as I had hoped. Ze leetle prince has not been so badly elevated after all. He haf been taught to be kind and unselfish; zat is already ze foundation of a gentleman.”
Miss Prillwitz had occasion to leave the room a few minutes later.