But why hasnt she told me the game? faltered Miss Polly. Why has she made such a mystery of it, when I asked her?
Nancy hesitated.
Beggin yer pardon, maam, you told her not ter speak of her father; so she couldnt tell ye. twas her fathers game, ye see.
Nancy hesitated.
Beggin yer pardon, maam, you told her not ter speak of her father; so she couldnt tell ye. twas her fathers game, ye see.
Miss Polly bit her lip.
She wanted ter tell ye, first off[190], continued Nancy, a little unsteadily. She wanted somebody ter play it with, ye know. Thats why I begun it, so she could have some one.
And and these others? Miss Pollys voice shook now.
Oh, evrybody, most, knows it now, I guess. Anyhow, I should think they did from the way Im hearin of it evrywhere I go. Of course she told a lot, and they told the rest. Them things go, ye know, when they gets started. An she was always so smilin an pleasant ter evry one, an so so jest glad herself all the time, that they couldnt help knowin it, anyhow. Now, since shes hurt, evrybody feels so bad specially when they heard how bad SHE feels cause she cant find anythin ter be glad about. An so theyve been comin evry day ter tell her how glad shes made THEM, hopin thatll help some[191]. Ye see, shes always wanted evrybody ter play the game with her.
Well, I know somebody wholl play it now, choked Miss Polly, as she turned and sped through the kitchen doorway.
Behind her, Nancy stood staring amazedly.
Well, Ill believe anythin anythin now, she muttered to herself. Ye cant stump me with anythin I wouldnt believe, now o Miss Polly!
A little later, in Pollyannas room, the nurse left Miss Polly and Pollyanna alone together.
And youve had still another caller to-day, my dear, announced Miss Polly, in a voice she vainly tried to steady. Do you remember Mrs. Payson?
Mrs. Payson? Why, I reckon I do! She lives on the way to Mr. Pendletons, and shes got the prettiest little girl baby three years old, and a boy most five. Shes awfully nice, and sos her husband only they dont seem to know how nice each other is. Sometimes they fight I mean, they dont quite agree. Theyre poor, too, they say, and of course they dont ever have barrels, cause he isnt a missionary minister, you know, like well, he isnt.
A faint color stole into Pollyannas cheeks which was duplicated suddenly in those of her aunt.
But she wears real pretty clothes, sometimes, in spite of their being so poor, resumed Pollyanna, in some haste. And shes got perfectly beautiful rings with diamonds and rubies and emeralds in them; but she says shes got one ring too many, and that shes going to throw it away and get a divorce instead. What is a divorce, Aunt Polly? Im afraid it isnt very nice, because she didnt look happy when she talked about it. And she said if she did get it, they wouldnt live there any more, and that Mr. Payson would go way off, and maybe the children, too. But I should think theyd rather keep the ring, even if they did have so many more. Shouldnt you? Aunt Polly, what is a divorce?
But they arent going way off, dear, evaded Aunt Polly, hurriedly. Theyre going to stay right there together.
Oh, Im so glad! Then theyll be there when I go up to see O dear! broke off the little girl, miserably. Aunt Polly, why CANt I remember that my legs dont go any more, and that I wont ever, ever go up to see Mr. Pendleton again?
There, there, dont, choked her aunt. Perhaps youll drive up sometime. But listen! I havent told you, yet, all that Mrs. Payson said. She wanted me to tell you that they they were going to stay together and to play the game, just as you wanted them to.
Pollyanna smiled through tear-wet eyes.
Did they? Did they, really? Oh, I am glad of that!
Yes, she said she hoped youd be. Thats why she told you, to make you GLAD, Pollyanna.
Pollyanna looked up quickly.
Why, Aunt Polly, you you spoke just as if you knew DO you know about the game, Aunt Polly?
Yes, dear. Miss Polly sternly forced her voice to be cheerfully matter-of-fact. Nancy told me. I think its a beautiful game. Im going to play it now with you.
Oh, Aunt Polly YOU? Im so glad! You see, Ive really wanted you most of anybody, all the time.
Aunt Polly caught her breath a little sharply. It was even harder this time to keep her voice steady; but she did it.
Yes, dear; and there are all those others, too. Why, Pollyanna, I think all the town is playing that game now with you even to the minister[192]! I havent had a chance to tell you, yet, but this morning I met Mr. Ford when I was down to the village, and he told me to say to you that just as soon as you could see him, he was coming to tell you that he hadnt stopped being glad over those eight hundred rejoicing texts that you told him about. So you see, dear, its just you that have done it. The whole town is playing the game, and the whole town is wonderfully happier and all because of one little girl who taught the people a new game, and how to play it.
Pollyanna clapped her hands.
Oh, Im so glad, she cried. Then, suddenly, a wonderful light illumined her face. Why, Aunt Polly, there IS something I can be glad about, after all. I can be glad Ive HAD my legs, anyway else I couldnt have done that!
Chapter XXIX
Through an Open Window
One by one the short winter days came and went but they were not short to Pollyanna. They were long, and sometimes full of pain. Very resolutely, these days, however, Pollyanna was turning a cheerful face toward whatever came. Was she not specially bound to play the game, now that Aunt Polly was playing it, too? And Aunt Polly found so many things to be glad about! It was Aunt Polly, too, who discovered the story one day about the two poor little waifs in a snow-storm who found a blown-down door to crawl under, and who wondered what poor folks did that didnt have any door! And it was Aunt Polly who brought home the other story that she had heard about the poor old lady who had only two teeth, but who was so glad that those two teeth hit!
Pollyanna now, like Mrs. Snow, was knitting wonderful things out of bright colored worsteds that trailed their cheery lengths across the white spread, and made Pollyanna again like Mrs. Snow so glad she had her hands and arms, anyway.
Pollyanna saw people now, occasionally, and always there were the loving messages from those she could not see; and always they brought her something new to think about and Pollyanna needed new things to think about.
Once she had seen John Pendleton, and twice she had seen Jimmy Bean. John Pendleton had told her what a fine boy Jimmy was getting to be, and how well he was doing. Jimmy had told her what a first-rate home he had, and what bang-up folks Mr. Pendleton made; and both had said that it was all owing to her.
Which makes me all the gladder, you know, that I HAVE had my legs, Pollyanna confided to her aunt afterwards.
The winter passed, and spring came. The anxious watchers over Pollyannas condition could see little change wrought by the prescribed treatment. There seemed every reason to believe, indeed, that Dr. Meads worst fears would be realized that Pollyanna would never walk again.
Beldingsville, of course, kept itself informed concerning Pollyanna; and of Beldingsville, one man in particular fumed and fretted himself into a fever of anxiety over the daily bulletins which he managed in some way to procure from the bed of suffering. As the days passed, however, and the news came to be no better, but rather worse, something besides anxiety began to show in the mans face: despair, and a very dogged determination, each fighting for the mastery. In the end, the dogged determination won; and it was then that Mr. John Pendleton, somewhat to his surprise, received one Saturday morning a call from Dr. Thomas Chilton.
Pendleton, began the doctor, abruptly, Ive come to you because you, better than any one else in town, know something of my relations with Miss Polly Harrington.
John Pendleton was conscious that he must have started visibly he did know something of the affair between Polly Harrington and Thomas Chilton, but the matter had not been mentioned between them for fifteen years, or more.
Yes, he said, trying to make his voice sound concerned enough for sympathy, and not eager enough for curiosity. In a moment he saw that he need not have worried, however: the doctor was quite too intent on his errand[193] to notice how that errand was received.
Pendleton, I want to see that child. I want to make an examination. I MUST make an examination.
Well cant you?
CANt I! Pendleton, you know very well I havent been inside that door for more than fifteen years. You dont know but I will tell you that the mistress of that house told me that the NEXT time she ASKED me to enter it, I might take it[194] that she was begging my pardon, and that all would be as before which meant that shed marry me. Perhaps you see her summoning me now but I dont!
But couldnt you go without a summons?
The doctor frowned.
Well, hardly. I have some pride, you know.
But if youre so anxious couldnt you swallow your pride and forget the quarrel
Forget the quarrel! interrupted the doctor, savagely. Im not talking of that kind of pride. So far as THAT is concerned, Id go from here there on my knees or on my head if that would do any good. Its PROFESSIONAL pride Im talking about. Its a case of sickness, and Im a doctor. I cant butt in and say, Here, take me!can I?
Chilton, what was the quarrel? demanded Pendleton.
The doctor made an impatient gesture, and got to his feet.
What was it? Whats any lovers quarrel after its over? he snarled, pacing the room angrily. A silly wrangle over the size of the moon or the depth of a river, maybe it might as well be, so far as its having any real significance compared to the years of misery that follow them! Never mind the quarrel! So far as I am concerned, I am willing to say there was no quarrel. Pendleton, I must see that child. It may mean life or death. It will mean I honestly believe nine chances out of ten that Pollyanna Whittier will walk again!
The words were spoken clearly, impressively; and they were spoken just as the one who uttered them had almost reached the open window near John Pendletons chair. Thus it happened that very distinctly they reached the ears of a small boy kneeling beneath the window on the ground outside.