Part 27 (1/2)

Presently she appeared on the other side of the street, and performed a war-dance of delight as she looked up at her sister, p.r.o.ne upon the roof-ridge.

”You do look so funny, Bernadine,” she cried. ”Your petticoats are nohow; and you seem to have only one leg, and it is so long and thin!”

Bernadine howled aloud. Mrs. Caldwell was not at home; but the cry brought Mrs. Davy out in her spectacles. When she saw the child's dangerous predicament, she seized Beth and shook her emphatically.

”Oh, thank you,” said Beth.

”What 'a' you bin doin' now, you bad girl?” said Mrs. Davy. ”Hold on, missy,” she called up to Bernadine. ”We'll soon 'ave ye down. You're all right! You'll not take no 'arm.”

Harriet now came running out, wringing her hands, and uttering hysterical exclamations.

”Shut up, you fool,” said Mrs. Davy.

Doors opened all the way down the street, and a considerable crowd had soon collected. Beth, quite detached from herself, leant against the orchard-wall and watched the people with interest.

How to get the child down was the difficulty, as there was no ladder at hand long enough to reach up to the roof.

”I'll go and fetch her down if you like,” said Beth.

”I should think so! and then there'd be two of you,” said Mrs. Davy.

”I don't see how you'll manage it then,” said Beth. ”There isn't foothold for a man to get out of the attic-window.” Having spoken, she strolled off with an air of indifference, and disappeared. She was a heroine of romance now, going to do a great deed; and before she was missed, the horrified spectators saw her climbing out of the front attic-window smiling serenely. The people held their breath as they watched her go up the roof on the slippery tiles at a reckless rate to her sister.

”Come along, Bernadine,” she whispered. ”Such fun! There's a whole crowd down there watching us. Just let them see you're not afraid.”

Bernadine peeped. It was gratifying to be an object of such interest.

”Come along, don't be an idiot,” said Beth. ”Just follow me, and don't look at anything but the tiles. That's the way _I_ learnt to do it.”

Bernadine's courage revived. Slowly she slid from the roof-ridge, Beth helping her carefully. It looked fearfully dangerous, and the people below dared not utter a sound. When they got to the attic-window, Beth, herself on the edge of the roof, guided her sister past her, and helped her in. She was following herself, when some tiles gave way beneath her, and fell with a crash into the street. Fortunately she had hold of the sill, but for a moment her legs hung over; then she pulled herself through, and, falling head first on to the floor, disappeared from sight. The people below relieved their feelings with a faint cheer.

”Eh, but she's a _bad_ un,” said Mrs. Davy, who was trembling all over.

”Well, she's a rare plucky un, at any rate,” said a man in the crowd, admiringly.

Crowds constantly collected at the little house in Orchard Street in those days. When Mrs. Caldwell had to go out alone she was always anxious, not knowing what might be happening in her absence. Coming home from Lady Benyon's one summer evening, she found the whole street blocked with people, and the roadway in front of her own house packed so tight she could not get past. Beth had dressed herself up in a mask and a Russian sheepskin cloak which had belonged to her father, and sat motionless in the drawing-room window on a throne made of an arm-chair set on a box; while Bernadine played Scotch airs on the piano. A couple of children pa.s.sing had stopped to see what on earth the thing was, then a man and woman had come along and stopped too, then several girls, some sailors, the bellman, and many more, until the street was full. Harriet was enjoying the commotion in the background, but when Mrs. Caldwell appeared, she gave the signal, the piano stopped, and the strange beast roared loudly and fled.

But Beth had her human moments. They generally came on in wet weather, which depressed her. She would then stand in the drawing-room window by the hour together, looking out at the miserable street, thinking of the poor people, all cold and wet and hungry. She longed to do something for them, and one day she stopped a little girl who was going with a jug for some beer to the ”s.h.i.+ning Star,” a quiet little public-house on the same side of the street.

”I suppose you are a very ignorant little girl,” said Beth severely.

”Aw?”

”What's your name?”

”Emily Bean.”

”Do you learn lessons?”

”Naw.”

”Dear me, how dreadful!” said Beth. ”You ought to be taught, you know.