Part 5 (1/2)
”Colette,” he replied firmly, ”you can't play a part with me any longer.
You, the real Colette, made it unnecessary for me to remonstrate with Amarilly on her choice of professions. She is wavering because of your a.s.surance that there are better things in life for her to engage in.”
He was not very tall, but stood straight and stalwart, with the air of one born to command. At times he seemed to tower above all others.
She regarded him with an admiring look which changed to wonder at what she read in his eyes. In a flash she felt the strength and depth of his feeling, but her searching scrutiny caused him to become tongue-tied, and he a.s.sumed the self-conscious mien peculiar to the man not yet a.s.sured that his love is returned. Once more a golden moment slipped away with elfish elusiveness, and Colette, secure in her supremacy, resumed her tantalizing badinage.
CHAPTER V
The Jenkins family was immediately summoned in council to discuss Amarilly's invitation to attend divine service at St. Mark's.
”You air jest more'n hevin' advantages,” said Mrs. Jenkins exultingly.
”Fust the matinee, then the Guild, and now St. Mark's is open to you.
But you'd orter hev a few fixin's to go to sech a grand place, Amarilly.”
Amarilly shook her determined little head resolutely.
”We can't afford it,” she said decisively. ”I'd stay to hum afore I'd spend anything on extrys now when we're aketchin' up and layin' by.”
”'Twould be good bookkeepin' fer you ter go,” spoke up Flamingus. ”You see the preacher's givin' us his business, and we'd orter return the favor and patrynize his church. You've gotter hustle to hold trade arter you git it these days. It's up to you ter go, Amarilly.” Mrs. Jenkins looked proudly at her eldest male offspring.
”I declare, Flamingus, you've got a real business head on you jest like your pa hed. He's right, Amarilly. 'Twouldn't be treating Mr. Meredith fair not ter go, and it's due him that you go right, so he won't be ashamed of you. I'll rig you up some way.”
The costuming of Amarilly in a manner befitting the great occasion was an all-absorbing affair for the next few days. Finally, by the combination of Mrs. Jenkins's industry and Amarilly's ingenuity, aided by the Boarder and the boys, an elaborate toilet was devised and executed. Milton donated a ”s.h.i.+ne” to a pair of tan shoes, the gift of the girl ”what took a minor part.” Mrs. Jenkins looked a little askance at the ”best skirt” of blue which had shrunk from repeated was.h.i.+ngs to a near-knee length, but Amarilly a.s.sured her that it was not as short as the skirts worn by the ballet girls. She cut up two old blouses and fas.h.i.+oned a new, bi-colored waist bedizened with gilt b.u.t.tons. The Boarder presented a resplendent buckle, and Flamingus provided a gawdy hair-ribbon.
The hat was the chief difficulty. On week days she wore none, but of course St. Mark's demanded a headgear of some kind, and at last Mrs.
Jenkins triumphantly produced one of Tam o' Shanter shape manufactured from a lamp mat and adorned with some roses bestowed by the leading lady. The belligerent locks of the little scrub-girl refused to respond to advances from curling iron or papers, but one of the neighbors whose hair was a second cousin in hue to Amarilly's amber tresses, loaned some frizzes, which were sewed to the brim of the new hat. The problem of hand covering was solved by Mr. Vedder, as a pair of orange-tinted gloves had been turned in at the box-office by an usher, and had remained unclaimed. They proved a perfect fit, and were the supreme triumph of the bizarre costume.
Not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed in splendor greater than that displayed by Amarilly when she set forth on Sunday morning for St.
Mark's. Promptness was ever Amarilly's chief characteristic, and she arrived long in advance of the ushers. This gave her an opportunity to sample several pews before finally selecting one whose usual occupants, fortunately, were out of the city.
The vastness and stillness of the edifice, disturbed now and then by silken rustle and soft-shod foot were bewildering to Amarilly. She experienced a slight depression until the vibrating tones of the organ fell softly upon the air. The harmony grew more subdued, ceased, and was succeeded by another moment of solemn silence. Then a procession of white-robed choristers came down the aisle, their well-trained voices ringing out in carolling cadence.
”Them's the chorus,” thought Amarilly.
Entranced, she listened to the service, sitting upright and very still.
The spiritual significance of the music, the ma.s.sing of foliage and flowers in the chancel, the white altars with their many lighted candles, were very impressive to the little wide-eyed wors.h.i.+pper.
”Their settin's is all right,” she said to herself critically, ”and it ain't like the theayter. It's--”
A sudden revealing light penetrated the shadows of her little being.
”This is the real thing!” she acknowledged.
There was only one disappointment to mar the perfection. She felt quite aggrieved that Mr. Meredith--or Mr. St. John as she still called him in her thoughts--did not ”come on” in the first act.
”Mebby he don't hev the leadin' part to-day,” she thought disappointedly, as a callow youth, whose hair was pompadoured and whose chin receded, began to read the lessons for the day. Amarilly was kept in action by her effort to follow the lead of the man in front of her.