Part 2 (1/2)
Right now?”
So Miss Eliza proceeded.
”Your father,” she announced, in a tone that plainly indicated her hearty disapproval of the whole affair, and plunging at once into the very middle of her subject, ”has married again!”
”Married again!” echoed Arethusa, uncertainly.
The effect of her aunt's disclosure was as though some one had thrown a bulky object at her quite unexpectedly.
”That's what I said, I believe. It's what I intended to say. Shut your mouth, child,--you look half-witted with it open that way. I always did think he would. And I must confess I never thought he'd wait near as long as he has. Though I'm no great believer in second marriages, myself.”
”But, Aunt 'Liza ...”
Miss Eliza frowned at the interruption.
”Will you wait, Arethusa? Till I finis.h.!.+”
Arethusa might have retorted, and very properly, that nothing had been really begun as yet, by jumping into a middle without preamble. But then, Miss Eliza had her own most individual way of doing everything, even to telling of the contents of important letters.
”When I have finished, you may read his letter for yourself. His new wife,” she crowded a quant.i.ty of scorn into those two words, ”wants you to come visit them. He says she does. They both do. She has sent ...”
Arethusa sprang, starry-eyed, from her ha.s.sock. Her hands flew, clasped, up to her heart to hold its beating down.
”To Europe? Oh, Aunt 'Liza!”
”Will you _wait_!! I must say! To Europe, indeed! He's in America!”
And then Arethusa gave such a shriek of joy that it echoed through and through the house. Mandy, in the kitchen, looked inquiringly at Blish as it penetrated there. Miss Asenath smiled; Miss Let.i.tia's crochet needle slipped clear out of the st.i.tch she was just taking: and Miss Eliza put her hands over her ears.
”_Arethusa!!_ If you don't sit down!...”
So Arethusa subsided to the ha.s.sock, still quivering. Miss Asenath gave her a rea.s.suring pat and her frail hand was grabbed and held tight.
Such composure as could be managed came easier with something to squeeze.
Miss Eliza continued her tale.
”Yes, his new wife, thank heaven, is an American, and I reckon she wants to live at home.” Then to herself, parenthetically, ”I was always afraid he'd marry one of those frog-eating foreigners he's been trotting around with so long, and I must say I'm mightily surprised that he didn't.”
She paused a moment and looked at Arethusa over her gla.s.ses as if Arethusa were the one to blame for this situation. Although the girl did not dare open her mouth in face of such an expression, she gave a little jump of impatience. It did seem as if Miss Eliza might finish telling It, and tell It straight, in some sort of order, if she were going to tell It at all.
”They want you to come visit them,” repeated Miss Eliza, after her parenthesis and the little pause, ”and your father's sent the money, as he says, for your 'immediate needs.' Over one hundred dollars it is. He says his wife gave it to him. She must be mighty well-off. 'Immediate needs,' indeed! I can buy your whole winter wardrobe with that money!”
Then once more did Arethusa rush recklessly in where angels would have feared to tread.
”Oh, Aunt 'Liza!...” A belated discretion came to her aid before she finished.
Miss Eliza frowned again. Her lips drew ominously down, and reprimand of some sort was plainly to be detected hovering there, but, for some obscure reason, she also changed her mind.