Volume Ii Part 3 (2/2)
”eating is immaterial, with those perfect little things right opposite to me. They weren't like any you ever saw, Fleda ?
the sugar-bowl was just a little, plain, oval box, with the lid on a hinge, and not a bit of chasing, only the arms on the cover ? like nothing I ever saw but a old-fas.h.i.+oned silver tea-caddy; and the cream-jug, a little, straight, up-and-down thing to match. Mamma said they were clumsy, but they bewitched me!”
”I think everything bewitched you,” said Fleda, smiling.
”Can't your head stand a sugar-dish and milk-cup?”
”My dear Fleda, I never had your superiority to the ordinary weaknesses of human nature ? I can stand _one_ sugar-bowl, but I confess myself overcome by a dozen. How we have all wanted to see you, Fleda! and papa ? you have captivated papa! ? and he says ?”
”Never mind; don't tell me what he says,” said Fleda.
”There! ? that's your modesty that everybody rave about: I wish I could catch it. Fleda, where did you get that little Bible? While I was waiting for you I tried to soothe my restless antic.i.p.ations with examining all the things in all the rooms. Where did you get it?”
”It was given me a long while ago,” said Fleda.
”But it is real gold on the outside ? the clasps and all. Do you know it? it is not washed.”
”I know it,” said Fleda, smiling; ”and it is better than gold inside.”
”Wasn't that mamma's favourite, Mr. Olmney, that parted from you at the gate?” said Constance, after a minute's silence.
”Yes.”
”Is he a favourite of yours, too?”
”You must define what you mean by a favourite,” said Fleda, gravely.
”Well, how do you like him?”
”I believe everybody likes him,” said Fleda, colouring, and vexed at herself that she could not help it. The bright eyes opposite her took note of the fact with a sufficiently wide- awake glance.
”He's very good!” said Constance, hugging herself, and taking a fresh supply of b.u.t.ter; ”but don't let him know I have been to see you, or he'll tell you all sorts of evil things about me, for fear you should innocently be contaminated. Don't you like to be taken care of?”
”Very much,” said Fleda, smiling, ”by people that know how.”
”I can't bear it!” said Constance, apparently with great sincerity; ”I think it is the most impertinent thing in the world people can do; I can't endure it, except from ? ! Oh, my dear Fleda, it is perfect luxury to have him put a shawl round your shoulders!”
”Fleda,” said Earl Dougla.s.s, putting his head in from the kitchen, and before he said any more, bobbing it frankly at Miss Evelyn, half in acknowledgment of her presence, and half, as it seemed, in apology for his own; ”Fleda, will you let Barby pack up somethin' 'nother for the men's lunch? ? my wife would ha' done it, as she had ought to, if she wa'n't down with the teethache, and Catherine's away on a jig to Kenton, and the men wont do so much work on nothin', and I can't say nothin' to 'em if they don't; and I'd like to get that 'ere clover-field down afore night: it's goin' to be a fine spell o' weather. I was a-goin' to try to get along without it, but I believe we can't.”
”Very well,” said Fleda. ”But, Mr. Dougla.s.s, you'll try the experiment of curing it in c.o.c.ks?”
”Well, I don't know,” said Earl, in a tone of very discontented acquiescence; ”I don't see how anythin' should be as sweet as the sun for dryin' hay; I know folks says it is, and I've heerd 'em say it is, and they'll stand to it, and you can't beat 'em off the notion it is, but somehow or 'nother I can't seem to come into it. I know the sun makes sweet hay, and I think the sun was meant to make hay, and I don't want to see no sweeter hay than the sun makes; it's as good hay as you need to have.”
”But you wouldn't mind trying it for once, Mr. Dougla.s.s, just for me?”
”I'll do just what you please,” said he, with a little exculpatory shake of his head; ” 'tain't my concern ? it's no concern of mine; the gain or the loss 'll be your'n, and it's fair you should have the gain or the loss, whichever on 'em you choose to have. I'll put it in c.o.c.ks: how much heft should be in 'em?”
”About a hundred pounds; and you don't want to cut any more than you can put up to-night, Mr. Dougla.s.s. We'll try it.”
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