Volume Ii Part 109 (2/2)
The day had worn on and faded, and Faith was still busy in a hunt for some of her wedding presents which she wanted to have on the tea-table.
But Mr. Linden for some time had missed her; and entering upon a tour of search, found her in a large closet near the kitchen, with a great deal chest on one side and a trunk on the other. Between them, on her knees, Faith was laying out package after package, and pile after pile of naperies lay on the floor around her; in the very height of rummaging, though with cheeks evidently paled since the morning. Mr.
Linden took an expressive view of the subject.
”Mignonette, I want my tea.”
”Yes!” said Faith eagerly, looking up and then at her work again, ”just so soon as I find some things--”
”I don't want 'things,' I want tea.”
”Yes; but you can't have tea without things.”
”I will be content with six napkins and ten tablecloths--just for to-night, as we are in confusion.”
”And no spoons?” said Faith. ”Here they are.”
”Yes; here they are,” said Mr. Linden, ”and here is everything else.
Just look at the state of the floor, for me to walk over.”
”Not at all,” said Faith; ”please keep out. I will have tea ready very soon, Endy.”
”You shall not have anything ready,” and Faith found herself lifted from her kneeling position, and placed in a not uncomfortable nest of things, ”Now, Mrs. Linden, whatever of those packages your hands may touch, shall lie on the floor all night. But as you see, my hands have a different effect.” And swiftly and surely the ”things” began to find corner room in the closet.
”Endy,” said Faith, catching his hands, ”please don't! Just go away, and leave me here for three minutes.”
”Not for one. I'll turn them all out again in the morning, after the most approved fas.h.i.+on.”
Faith sat down, the swift colour in her cheeks testifying to a little rebellion. It was swift to go, however, as it had been to come; and she sat still, looking on at Mr. Linden's work, with a little soberness of brow. That broke too, when she met his eye, in a very frank and deep smile.
”Well?” he said, laughing and leaning back against the closet door.
”Will you let me go and get tea now?” she said, with the same look.--”You pretty child! No, I want Best to get tea--and you to be quiet.”
”I'll come and be quiet in three minutes, Endy, after I get rid of the dust,” she said, winningly.
”Genuine minutes? If Ariel 'put a girdle round the earth' in forty, you should be able to put one round your waist in three--I suppose that is included in a feminine 'getting rid of the dust.'”
Faith's face promised faithfulness, as she ran off towards the kitchen; where in less than three minutes she and Best had proved the (sometimes) excellence of women's business faculties. Meantime a strange man lifted the latch of the kitchen door, and carefully closing it after him, remained upon the scene of action.
”How d'ye do?” he said. ”Is the new man come?”--”Everybody's new here,”
said Faith. ”Whom do you mean?”--”Couldn't tell ye the first word! But I've been after him better'n three times, if he ain't,” the man spoke as if it was ”worse” instead of better.
”Whom do you mean?” said Faith more gravely; ”the minister?”--”Now that's what I call hitting the nail,” said her visitor. ”Well if he's here, just tell him to come up the mounting, will ye?”--”When?”
”Moon sets close on to nine, and its lighter afore that.”
”Where is the place?” said Faith, now very serious indeed; ”and what do you want the minister for?”--”I don't want him, bless you!” said the man. ”If I did, I shouldn't be standin' here. It's an old soul up our way. He's got to go up to the bridge and over the bridge and 'tother side of the bridge, and so on till he comes to it. And the bridge is slippy.” With which summing up, the man turned to the door, rattling the latch in a sort of preparatory way, to give Faith a chance for remarks.
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