Magnum Bonum; Or, Mother Carey's Brood - Charlotte Yonge 15 стр.

Then you wont help me to advise her to be more guarded, and not shock them?

I will not tease the poor little thing, when she has enough to torment her already. If you had known her husband, and watched her last winter, you would be only too thankful to see her a little more like herself.

Mary was silent, finding that she should only argue round and round if they went on, and feeling that Clara thought her old-maidish, and could not enter into her sense that, the balance-weight being gone, gusts of wind ought to be avoided. She sat wondering whether she herself was prim and old-maidish, or whether she was right in feeling it a duty to expostulate and deliver her testimony.

There was no doing it on this day. Carey was always surrounded by children and guests, and in an eager state of activity; but though again they all went home in the cool of the evening, an attempt to sing in the second-class carriage, which they filled entirely, was quashed immediatelyno one knew how, and nothing worse happened than that a very dusty set, carrying odd botanical, entomological, and artistic wares, trailed through the streets of Kenminster, just as Mrs. Coffinkey, escorted by her maid, was walking primly home from drinking tea at the vicarage.

Still Marys reflections only strengthened her resolution. On the next day, which was Sunday, she ascended to the Folly, at about four oclock in the afternoon, and found the family, including the parrot, spread out upon the lawn under the shade of the acacia, the mother reading to them.

Oh, please dont stop, mother, cried Babie; while the more courteous Armine exclaimed

Miss Ogilvie, dont you like to hear about Bevis and Jocelin Joliffe?

You dont mind waiting while we finish the chapter, added their mother; then we break up our sitting.

Pray go on with the chapter, said Mary, rather coolly, for she was a good deal taken aback at finding them reading Woodstock on a Sunday; but afterwards, I do want to speak to you.

Oh! dont want to speak to me. The Colonel has been speaking to me, she said, with a cowering, shuddering sort of action, irresistibly comic.

And he ate up half our day, bemoaned more than one of the boys.

Miss Ogilvie sat down a little way off, not wishing to listen to Woodstock on a Sunday, and trying to work out the difficult Sabbatarian question in her mind.

There! said Caroline, closing the book, amid exclamations of I know who Lewis Kerneguy was. Wasnt Roger Wildrake jolly? O, mother, didnt he cut off Trusty Tomkins head? Do let us have a wee bit more, mother; Miss Ogilvie wont mind.

But Carey saw that she did mind, and answered

Not now; there wont be time to feed all the creatures, or to get nurses Sunday nosegays, if you dont begin. Then, coming up to her guest, she said, Now is your time, Mary; we shall have the Rays and Mr. Hughes in presently; but you see we are too worldly and profane for the Kencroft boys on Sunday; and so they make experiments in smoking, with company less desirable, I must say, than Sir Harry Lees. Am I very bad to read what keeps mine round me?

Is it an old fashion with you?

Well, no; but then we had what was better than a thousand stories! And this is only a feeble attempt to keep up a little watery reflection of the old sunshine.

It was a watery reflection indeed!

And could it not be with something that would be

Dull and goody? put in Carey. No, no, my dear, that would be utterly futile. You cant catch my birds without salt. Can we, Polly?

To which the popinjay responded, We are all Mother Careys chickens.

I did mean saltvery real salt, said Mary, rather sadly.

I have not got the recipe; said Carey. Indeed I do try to do what must be done. My boys can hold their own in Bible and Catechism questions! Ask your brother if they cant. And Army is a dear little fellow, with a bit of the angel, or of his father, in him; but when weve done our church, I see no good in decorous boredom; and if I did, what would become of the boys?

I dont agree to the necessity of boredom, said Mary; but let that pass. There are things I wanted to say.

I knew it was coming. The Colonel has been at me already, levelling his thunders at my devoted head. Wont that do?

Not if you heed him so little.

My dear, if I heeded, I should be annihilated. When he says My good little sister, I know he means You little idiot; so if I did not think of something else, what might not be the consequence? Why, he said I was not behaving decently!

No more you are.

And that I had no proper feeling, continued she, laughing almost hysterically.

No one can wonder at his being pained. It ought never to have happened.

Are you gone over to Mrs. Grundy? However, theres this comfort, youll not mention Mrs. Coffinkeys sister-in-law.

Im sure the Colonel didnt!

Ellen does though, with tragic effect.

You are not like yourself, Carey.

No, indeed Im not! I was a happy creature a little while ago; or was it a very long, long time ago? Then I had everybody to help me and make much of me! And now Ive got into a great dull mist, and am always knocking my head against something or somebody; and when I try to keep up the old friendships and kindnessespoor little fragments as they areeverybody falls upon me, even you, Mary.

Pardon me, dearest. Some friendships and kindnesses that were once admirable, may be less suitable to your present circumstances.

As if I didnt know that! said Carey, with an angry, hurt little laugh; and so I waited to be chaperoned up to the eyes between Clara Acton and the Duck in the very house with me. Now, Mary, I put it to you. Has one word passed that could do harm? Isnt it much more innocent than all the Coffinkey gossip? I have no doubt Mrs. Coffinkeys sister-in-law looks up from her black-bordered pocket-handkerchief to hear how Mrs. Brownlows sister-in-law went to the cricket-match. Do you know, Robert really thought I had been there? I only wonder how many I scored. I dare say Mrs. Coffinkeys sister-in-law knows.

It just shows how careful you should be.

And I wonder what would become of the children if I shut myself up with a pile of pocket-handkerchiefs bordered an inch deep. What right have they to meddle with my ways, and my friends, and my boys?

Not the Coffinkeys, certainly, said Mary; but indeed, Carey, I myself was uncomfortable at that singing in the lanes at eleven at night.

It wasnt eleven, said Carey, perversely.

Only 10.50eh?

But what was the possible harm in it?

None at all in itself, only remember the harm it may do to the children for you to be heedless of peoples opinion, and to get a reputation for flightiness and doing odd things.

I couldnt be like the Coffinkey pattern any more than I could be tied down to a rope walk.

But you need not do things that your better sense must tell you may be misconstrued. Surely there was a wish that you should live near the Colonel and be guided by him.

Little knowing that his guidance would consist in being set at me by Ellen and the Coffinkeys!

Nonsense, said Mary, vexed enough to resume their old school-girl manners. You know I am not set on by anybody, and I tell you that if you do not pull up in time, and give no foundation for ill-natured comments, your children will never get over it in peoples estimation. And as for themselves, a little steadiness and regularity would be much better for their whole dispositions.

It is holiday time, said Carey, in a tone of apology.

If it is only in holiday time

The country has always seemed like holiday. You see we used to goall of usto some seaside place, and be quite free there, keeping no particular hours, and being so intensely happy. I havent yet got over the feeling that it is only for a time, and we shall go back into the dear old home and its regular ways. Then clasping her hands over her side as though to squeeze something back, she broke out, O Mary, Mary, you mustnt scold me! You mustnt bid me tie myself to regular hours till this summer is over. If you knew the intolerable stab when I recollect that he is gonegonegone for ever, you would understand that theres nothing for it but jumping up and doing the first thing that comes to hand. Walking it down is best. Oh! what will become of me when the mornings get dark, and I cant get up and rush into those woods? Yesas Mary made some affectionate gestureI know I have gone on in a wild way, but who would not be wild who had lost him? And then they goad me, and think me incapable of proper feeling, and she laughed that horrid little laugh. So I am, I suppose; but feeling wont go as other people think proper. Let me alone, Mary, I wont damage the children. They are Joes children, and I know what he wanted and wished for them better than Robert or anybody else. But I must go my own way, and do what I can bear, and as I can, oror I think my heart would break quite, and that would be worse for them than anything.

Mary had tears in her eyes, drawn forth by the vehement passion of grief apparent in the whole tone of her poor little friend. She had no doubts of Careys love, sorrow, or ability, but she did seriously doubt of her wisdom and judgment, and thought her undisciplined. However, she could say no more, for Nita Ray and Janet were advancing on them.

The next day Caroline was in bed with one of her worst headaches. Mary felt that she had been a cruel and prim old duenna, and meekly bore Claras reproachful glances.

CHAPTER X. ELLENS MAGNUM BONUMS

Whether it were from the effects of the warnings, or from that of native good sense, from that time forward Mrs. Joseph Brownlow sobered down, and became less distressing to her sister-in-law. Mary carried off her brother to Wales, and the Acton and Ray party dispersed, while Dr. and Mrs. Lucas came for a week, giving much relief to Mrs. Brownlow, who could discuss the family affairs with them in a manner she deemed unbecoming with Mrs. Acton or Miss Ogilvie. Had Caroline heard the consultation, she would have acquitted Ellen of malice; and indeed her Serene Highness was much too good to gossip about so near a connection, and had only confided her wonder and perplexity at the strange phenomenon to her favourite first cousin, who unfortunately was not equally discreet.

With the end of the holidays finished also the trying series of first anniversaries, and their first excitements of sorrow, so that it became possible to be more calm and quiet.

Moreover, two correctives came of themselves to Caroline. The first was Janets inordinate correspondence with Nita Ray, and the discovery that the girl held herself engaged to stay with the sisters in November.

Without asking me! she exclaimed, aghast.

I thought you heard us talking, said Janet, so carelessly, that her mother put on her dignity.

I certainly had no conception of an invitation being given and accepted without reference to me.

Come, now, Mother Carey, said this modern daughter; dont be cross! We really didnt know you werent attending.

If I had I should have said it was impossible, as I say now. You can never have thought over the matter!

Havent I? When I am doing no good here, only wasting time?

That is my fault. We will set to work at once steadily.

But my classes and my lectures!

You are not so far on but that our reading together will teach you quite as much as lectures.

Janet looked both sulky and scornful, and her mother continued

It is not as if we had not modern books, and I think I know how to read them so as to be useful to you.

I dont like getting behindhand with the world.

You cant keep up even with the world without a sound foundation. Besides, even if it were more desirable, the Rays cannot afford to keep you, nor I to board you there.

I am to pay them by helping Miss Ray in her copying.

Poor Miss Ray! exclaimed Carey, laughing. Does she know your handwriting?

You do not know what I can do, said Janet, with dignity.

Yes, I hope to see it for myself, for you must put this notion of going to London out of your head. I am sure Miss Ray did not give the invitationno, nor second it. Did she, Janet?

Janet blushed a little, and muttered something about Miss Ray being afraid of stuck-up people.

I thought so! She is a good, sensible person, whom grandmamma esteemed very much; but she has never been able to keep her sister in order; and as to trusting you to their care, or letting you live in their set, neither papa nor grandmamma would ever have thought of it.

You only say so because her Serene Highness turns up her nose at everything artistic and original.

Janet, you forget yourself, Caroline exclaimed, in a tone which quelled the girl, who went muttering away; and no more was ever heard of the Ray proposal, which no doubt the elder sister at least had never regarded as anything but an airy castle.

However, Caroline was convinced that the warnings against the intimacy had not been so uncalled for as she had believed; for she found, when she tried to tighten the reins, that her daughter was restive, and had come to think herself a free agent, as good as grown up. Spirit was not, however, lacking to Caroline, and when she had roused herself, she made Janet understand that she was not to be disregarded or disobeyed. Regular hours were instituted, and the difficulty of getting broken into them again was sufficient proof to her that she had done wrong in neglecting them. Armine yawned portentously, and declared that he could not learn except at his own times; and Babie was absolutely naughty more than once, when her mother suffered doubly in punishing her from the knowledge of whose fault it was. However, they were good little things, and it was not hard to re-establish discipline with them. After a little breaking in, Babie gave it to her dolls as her deliberate opinion that Wegulawity settles ones mind. One knows when to do what.

Janet could not well complain of the regularity in itself, though she did cavil at the actual arrangements, and they were altered all round to please her, and she showed a certain contempt for her teacher in the studies she resumed with her mother; but after the dictionary, encyclopaedia and other authorities, including Mr. Ogilvie, proved almost uniformly to be against her whenever there was a difference of opinion, she had sense enough to perceive that she could still learn something at home.

Moreover, after one or two of these references, Mr. Ogilvie offered to look over her Latin and Greek exercises, and hear her construe on his Saturday half-holidays, declaring that it would be quite a refreshment. Caroline was shocked at the sacrifice, but she could not bear to affront her daughter, so she consented; but as she thought Janet was not old enough to need a chaperon, and as her boys did want her, she was hardly ever present at the lessons.