Part 5 (1/2)
That night, when she retired to her chamber, Pitapat lingered behind, but presently appeared at her young mistress's room door with a large waiter on her head, laden with meat, pastry, jelly and fruit, which she brought in and placed upon the work stand.
”Why, what on the face of earth do you mean by bringing all that load of victuals into my room to-night? Do you think I am an ostrich or a cormorant, or that I am going to entertain a party of friends?” asked Capitola, in astonishment, turning from the wash stand, where she stood bathing her face.
”'Deed I dunno, Miss, whedder you'se an ostrizant or not, but I knows I don't 'tend for to be 'bused any more 'bout wittels, arter findin' out how cross empty people can be! Dar dey is! You can eat um or leab um alone, Miss Caterpillar!” said little Pitapat, firmly.
Capitola laughed, ”Patty” she said, ”you are worthy to be called my waiting maid!”
”And Lors knows, Miss Caterpillar, if it was de wittels you was a-frettin' arter, you ought to a-told me before! Lors knows dere's wittels enough!”
”Yes, I'm much obliged to you, Patty, but now I am not hungry, and I do not like the smell of food in my bedroom, so take the waiter out and set it on the pa.s.sage table until morning.”
Patty obeyed, and came back smiling and saying:
”Miss Caterpillar, has you hern de news?”
”What news, Pat?”
”How us has got a new neighbor--a bootiful young gal--as bootiful as a picter in a gilt-edged Christmas book--wid a snowy skin, and sky-blue eyes and glistenin' goldy hair, like the princess you was a readin' me about, all in deep mournin' and a weepin' and a weepin' all alone down there in that wicked, lonesome, onlawful ole haunted place, the Hidden House, along of old Colonel Le Noir and old Dorkey Knight, and the ghost as draws people's curtains of a night, just for all de worl' like dat same princess in de ogre's castle!”
”What on earth is all this rigmarole about? Are you dreaming or romancing?”
”I'm a-telling on you de bressed trufe! Dere's a young lady a-livin' at de Hidden House!”
”Eh? Is that really true, Patty?”
”True as preaching, miss.”
”Then, I am very glad of it! I shall certainly ride over and call on the stranger,” said Capitola, gaily.
”Oh, Miss Cap! Oh, miss, don't you do no sich thing! Ole Ma.r.s.e kill me!
I heerd him t'reaten all de men and maids how if dey telled you anything 'bout de new neighbor, how he'd skin dem alive!”
”Won't he skin you?” asked Cap.
”No, miss, not 'less you 'form ag'in me, 'case he 'didn't tell me not to tell you, 'case you see he didn't think how I knowed! But, leastways, I know from what I heard, ole ma.r.s.e wouldn't have you to know nothin' about it, no, not for de whole worl'.”
”He does not want me to call at the Hidden House! That's it! Now why doesn't he wish me to call there? I shall have to go in order to find out, and so I will,” thought Cap.
CHAPTER III.
CAP'S VISIT TO THE HIDDEN HOUSE
And such a night ”she” took the road in As ne'er poor sinner was abroad in.
The wind blew as 'twad blawn its last The rattling showers rose on the blast; The speedy gleams the darkness swallowed Loud, deep and long the thunder bellowed; That night a child might understand The de'il had business on his hand.
--BURNS.