Part 16 (2/2)
Gowan's north country recipe for divination was equally impracticable--to go out at midnight, and ”dip your smock in a south-running spring where the lairds' lands meet,” then hang it to dry before the fire. They discussed it quite seriously, however, in all its various aspects.
”To begin with, what exactly is a smock?” asked Carmel.
Everybody had a hazy notion, but n.o.body was quite sure about it.
”Usen't farm laborers to wear them once?” suggested Lilias.
”But Shakespeare says,
”'When shepherds pipe on oaten straws, And merry larks are ploughmen's clocks, When ring the woods with rooks and daws, And maidens bleach their summer smocks,'”
objected Prissie.
”Was it an upper or an under garment?” questioned Noreen.
”I'm sure I don't know. I don't fancy we any of us possess 'smocks'!”
”Then we certainly can't go and soak them in a spring!”
”And there is no 'laird' here, and even if you count an ordinary owner of property as a 'laird,' you don't know where the boundaries are!”
”No, that floors us completely!”
An expedition to the cellar for apples would be an equally hopeless quest, for all the harvest of the orchard had been stored in the loft, and was under lock and key. Some minor experiments, however, might be tried with apple skins, so they determined to pocket their next dessert, and keep it till the magic hour of divination arrived. Hot chestnuts would be a distinct possibility, and a little coaxing at head-quarters would doubtless result in Jones the gardener bringing a bag full for them from Glazebrook.
They felt quite excited when the fateful day arrived. Miss Walters had made no objection to an order for chestnuts, and had even allowed a modic.u.m of toffee to be added to the list. She did not refer to the subject of Hallowe'en, for she had some years ago suppressed the custom of bobbing for apples, finding that the girls invariably got their hair wet, and had colds in their heads in consequence.
The members of the Mafia, well stocked therefore with the apples and chestnuts necessary for divination, remained in their schoolroom after evening preparation, so as to have a gay time all to themselves. To make matters more thrillsome they turned out the light, and sat in the flickering glow of the fire. Gowan, having the largest acquaintance with the occult, not to speak of having possessed a great-grandmother endowed with second sight, was universally acknowledged priestess of the ceremonies.
”Shall we begin with apples or chestnuts?” she asked seriously.
As some said one thing and some another, she held a specimen of each behind her back, and commanded Carmel to choose right hand or left. The lot fell upon chestnuts, and these were placed neatly in pairs along the bars of the grate.
”You name them after yourself and your sweetheart,” explained Gowan. ”If he pops first, he'll ask you to marry him.”
”And suppose the other pops first?” asked Carmel.
”Then you won't marry him!”
”Doesn't it mean that it may be Leap Year, and the girl will 'pop the question'?” asked Dulcie, still giggling.
”No, it doesn't.”
”Suppose they neither of them pop?” said Prissie.
”It's a sign that neither cares, but it's not very likely to happen--they nearly always pop.”
”I p.r.i.c.ked mine with my penknife, though.”
”The more goose you! Take them back and try two fresh ones.”
<script>