Part 16 (2/2)
”Oh, so good,” returned Araminta, gratefully. ”Why?”
”Because,” said Ralph, concisely, ”if she hadn't been, I'd break her neck.”
”You couldn't,” whispered Araminta, softly, ”you're too kind. You wouldn't hurt anybody.”
”Not unless I had to. Sometimes there has to be a little hurt to keep away a greater one.”
”You hurt me, I think, but I didn't know just when. It was the smelly, sweet stuff, wasn't it?”
Ralph did not heed the question. He was wondering what would become of Araminta when she went back to Miss Mehitable's, as she soon must. Her ankle was healing nicely and in a very short time she would be able to walk again. He could not keep her there much longer. By a whimsical twist of his thought, he perceived that he was endeavouring to wrap Araminta in cotton wool of a different sort, to prevent Aunt Hitty from wrapping her in her own particular brand.
”The little cat,” said Araminta, fondly. ”I thought perhaps it would come to-day. Is it coming when I am well?”
”Holy Moses!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Ralph. He had never thought of the kitten again, and the poor child had been waiting patiently, with never a word. The clear grey eyes were upon him, eloquent with belief.
”The little cat,” replied Ralph, shamelessly perjuring himself, ”was not old enough to leave its mother. We'll have to wait until to-morrow or next day. I was keeping it for a surprise; that's why I didn't say anything about it. I thought you'd forgotten.”
”Oh, no! When I go back home, you know, I can't have it. Aunt Hitty would never let me.”
”Won't she?” queried Ralph. ”We'll see!”
He spoke with confidence he was far from feeling, and was dimly aware that Araminta had the faith he lacked. ”She thinks I'm a wonder-worker,” he said to himself, grimly, ”and I've got to live up to it.”
It was not necessary to count Araminta's pulse again, but Doctor Ralph took her hand--a childish, dimpled hand that nestled confidingly in his.
”Listen, child,” he said; ”I want to talk to you. Your Aunt Hitty hasn't done right by you. She's kept you in cotton when you ought to be outdoors. You should have gone to school and had other children to play with.”
”And cats?”
”Cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, snakes, mice, pigeons, guinea-pigs--everything.”
”I was never in cotton,” corrected Araminta, ”except once, when I had a bad cold.”
”That isn't just what I mean, but I'm afraid I can't make you understand. There's a whole world full of big, beautiful things that you don't know anything about; great sorrows, great joys, and great loves. Look here, did you ever feel badly about anything?”
”Only--only--” stammered Araminta; ”my mother, you know. She was--was married.”
”Poor child,” said Ralph, beginning to comprehend. ”Have you been taught that it's wrong to be married?”
”Why, yes,” answered Araminta, confidently. ”It's dreadful. Aunt Hitty isn't married, neither is the minister. It's very, very wrong.
Aunt Hitty told my mother so, but she would do it.”
There was a long pause. The little warm hand still rested trustingly in Ralph's. ”Listen, dear,” he began, clearing his throat; ”it isn't wrong to be married. I never before in all my life heard of anybody who thought it was. Something is twisted in Aunt Hitty's mind, or else she's taught you that because she's so brutally selfish that she doesn't want you ever to be married. Some people, who are unhappy themselves, are so const.i.tuted that they can't bear to see anybody else happy. She's afraid of life, and she's taught you to be.
”It's better to be unhappy, Araminta, than never to take any risks. It all lies in yourself at last. If you're a true, loving woman, and never let yourself be afraid, nothing very bad can ever happen to you.
Aunt Hitty has been unjust to deny you life. You have the right to love and learn and suffer, to make great sacrifices, see great sacrifices made for you; to believe, to trust--even to be betrayed.
It's your right, and it's been kept away from you.”
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