OVER THE WAY
"Deacon," said Mrs. Weight, "Mis' Tree is sick!"
"Now, reelly!" said the deacon. "Is that so?"
"It is so. She sent for Doctor Strong this morning. I saw Direxia go
out, and she was gone just the len'th of time to go to the girls' and
back. Pretty soon he came, riding like mad on that wheel thing of his.
He stayed 'most an hour, and came out with a face a yard long. I expect
it's her last sickness, don't you?"
"Mebbe so!" said the deacon, dubiously. "Mis' Tree has had a long life;
she'd oughter be prepared; I trust she is. She has always loved the
world's things, but I trust she is. Ain't this ruther a slim dinner,
Viny? I was looking for a boiled dinner to-day, kind of."
"Fried apples and pork was good enough for my father," replied his
wife, "and I guess they'll do for you, Ephraim Weight. Doctor Strong
says you eat too much every day of your life, and that's why you run to
flesh so. Not that I think much of what he says. I asked him how he
accounted for me being so fleshy, and not the value of a great spoonful
passing my lips some days; he made answer he couldn't say. I think less
of that young man's knowledge every time I see him. 'Pears to me if I
was the Blyth girls, I should be real unwilling to have my aunt pass
away with no better care than she's likely to get from him. Billy,
where's your push-piece? I don't want to see you push with your fingers
again. It's real vulgar."
"I've eat it!" said Billy. "Mother, there's the young lady from Miss
Blythses going in to Mis' Tree's."
"I want to know--so she is! She's got a bag with her. She's going to
stay. Well, I expect that settles it. I should think Phoebe and Vesta
would feel kind o' bad, being passed over in that way, but it's
pleasant to have young folks about a dying bed--Annie Lizzie, I'll slap
you if you don't stop kicking under the table--and Nathaniel was always
his aunt's favourite. Most likely she's left her property to him, or to
this girl. I expect it'll be a handsome provision. Mis' Tree has lived
handsome and close all her days. As you say, deacon, I hope she's
prepared, but I never see any signs of active piety in her myself."
There was a pause, while all the family--except Annie Lizzie, who
profited by the interlude to take two doughnuts beyond her usual
allowance--gazed eagerly at the house opposite.
"She's questioning Direxia. She's shaking her head. Mebbe it's all over
by now; I expect it is. I declare, there's a kind of solemn look comes
over a house--you can't name it, but it's there. Deacon, I think you'd
ought to step over. Elder Haskell is away, you know, and you senior
deacon; I do certainly think you'd ought to step over and offer prayer,
or do whatever's needful. They'll want you to break it to the girls,
like as not; it's terrible to have no man in a family. All them lone
women, and everything to see to; I declare, my heart warms to 'em, if
Phoebe _is_ cranky. Ain't you going, Deacon?"
The deacon hesitated. "I--ain't sure that I'd better, Viny!" he said.
"I feel no assurance that Mis' Tree has passed away, and she is not one
that welcomes inquiry as a rule. I've no objection to asking at the
door--"
"Now, Deacon, if that isn't you all over! you are always so afraid of
putting yourself forward. Where would you have been this day, I should
like to know, if it hadn't been for me shoving behind? I tell you, when
folks comes to their last end they suffer a great change. If you let
that woman die--though it's my firm belief she's dead a'ready--without
at least trying to bring her state before her, you'll have to answer
for it; I won't be responsible. Here's your hat; now you go right over.
There's no knowing--"
"There's Doctor Strong going in now!" pleaded the deacon. "Most likely
he will see to--"
"Ephraim Weight! look me in the eye! We've lived opposite neighbours to
Mis' Tree twenty years, and do you think I'm going to have it said that
when her time came to die we stood back and let strangers, and next
door to heathen, do for her? If you don't go over. I shall. Mebbe I'd
better go, anyway. Wait till I get my bunnit--"
It ended with the deacon's going alone. Slowly and unwillingly he
plodded across the street, and shuffled up the walk; timidly and
half-heartedly he lifted the shining knocker and let it fall. Direxia
Hawkes opened the door, and he passed in.
* * * * *
"Well?" said Mrs. Weight.
The deacon had not made a long stay at the opposite house. Returning
faster than he came, his large white cheeks were slightly flushed; his
pale blue eyes wore a startled look. He suffered his wife to take his
hat and stick from him, and opened his mouth once or twice, but said
nothing.
"Well?" said Mrs. Weight again. "Is she dead, Deacon? Ephraim, what has
happened to you? have you lost the use of your speech? Oh! what will
become of me, with these four innocent--"
"Woman, be still!" said Ephraim Weight; and his wife was still, gaping
in utter bewilderment at this turning of her mammoth but patient worm.
"Mrs. Tree is not dead!" resumed the deacon. "I don't see as she's any
more likely to die than I am. I don't see as there's any living thing
the matter with her--except the devil!"
At this second outburst Mrs. Weight collapsed, and sat down, her hands
on her knees, staring at her husband. The children whimpered and crept
behind her ample back. "Pa" was transformed.
"I went to that house," Deacon Weight went on, "against my judgment,
Viny; you know I did. I felt no call to go, quite the reverse, but you
were so--
"I found Mis' Tree sitting up straight in her chair in the parlour. She
had her nightcap on, and her feet in a footmuff, but that was all the
sign of sickness I could see. She looked up at me as wicked as ever I
saw her. 'Here's the deacon,' she says! 'he's heard I'm sick--Viny saw
you come, doctor,--and he has come to pray over me. I'm past praying
for, Deacon. Have some orange cordial!'
"There was glasses on the tray, and a decanter of that cordial Direxia
makes; it's too strong for a temperance household. Doctor Strong and
that young Blyth girl were sitting on two stools, and they was all
three playing cards! I suppose I looked none too well pleased, for Mis'
Tree said, 'I can't have you turning my cordial sour, Ephraim Weight.
Remember when you stole oranges out of the schooner, and Cap'n Tree
horsed you up and spanked you? here's your health, Ephraim!'
"She--she looked at me for a minute, sharp and quick--I was seeking for
some word that might bring her to a sense of her state, and what was
fitting at her age--and then she begun to laugh. 'You thought I was
dead!' says she. 'You thought I was dead, I see it in your face; and
Viny sent you to view the remains. You go home, and tell her I'll bury
ye both, and do it handsome. Go 'long with ye! scat!'
"That was the expression she used, to a senior deacon of the
congregation she sits in. I believe Satan has a strong hold on that old
woman. I--I think I will go to my room, wife."
* * * * *
"Do you think there is really anything the matter with Aunt Tree?"
asked Vesta. She had followed the young doctor out into the prim little
garden, and was picking some late roses as she spoke.
"I can't make out anything," said Geoffrey. "She says she has a pain,
and tells me to find out where it is, if I know anything; and then she
laughs in my face, and refuses to answer questions. I think Mr. Tree
must have had a lively time of it; she's perfectly delightful, though.
Her pulse and temperature are all right; she looks well; of course at
that age the slightest breath blows out the flame, but I cannot make
out that anything is actually wrong. I suspect--"
"What?" said Vesta.
"I suspect she simply wanted you to come and stay with her, and made
this an excuse."
"But I would have come; there was no need of any excuse. I would have
come in a minute if she had asked me; I am so very much stronger, and I
love to stay here."
"You won't stay long, though, will you? it can't be necessary, not in
the least necessary. She is really perfectly well, and we--your aunts,
that is--the house will be too forlorn without you."
Vesta laughed; she had a delightful laugh.
"You have charming manners!" she said. "I can't help knowing that you
will really be glad to be rid of me, all but Aunt Vesta; dear Aunt
Vesta."
"You don't know!" said Geoffrey. "It won't be the same place without
you."
"Yes, I do know; Aunt Phoebe told me. You said the three of you made
the perfect triangle, and you wouldn't let in the Czar of Russia or the
Pope of Rome to spoil it."
"Oh! but that was before--that was when things were entirely
different!" said Geoffrey. "I--to tell the truth, I think I was about
twelve years old when I first came to the house. I am growing up a
little, Miss Blyth, I truly am. And you are not in the least like the
Czar or the Pope either, and--I wish you would come back. Mayn't I have
a rose, please?"
"Oh! all you want, I am sure," said Vesta, heartily. "But they are not
really so pretty as those at home."
"I thought perhaps you would give me one of those in your hand," said
Geoffrey, half-timidly. "Thank you! I don't suppose--"
He was about to suggest her pinning it on his coat, but caught sight of
Mrs. Weight at the opposite window, and refrained.
"Do you know any Spanish?" he asked, abruptly.
"Spanish? no!" said Vesta, looking at him wide-eyed.
"Not even names of flowers?"
"No! how should I? Why do you ask?"
"Oh--nothing! I was thinking of learning it one of these days, but I
don't believe I shall. Come and walk a little way, won't you? You look
tired. I can't--you must not stay here if you are going to get tired,
you know. Old people are very exacting sometimes."
"Oh, I shall not get tired. You can't think how much better I am. No, I
must go back now, Doctor Strong. Aunt Tree might want something."
"Physician's orders!" said Geoffrey, peremptorily. "Dose of one-half
mile, to be taken immediately. Won't you please come, Miss Blyth? I--I
want to tell you about a very interesting case."
Mrs. Weight peered over the window-blind. She was carrying a cup of tea
to the deacon, who was feeling poorly, but had paused at sight of the
young couple. "If that girl thinks of making up to that young man," she
said, "she's got hold of the wrong cob, I can tell her. Mira Pettis
made him a napkin-holder, worked 'Bonappety' on it in cross-stitch on
blue satin, and he give it to the girls' cat for a collar. I see the
cat with it on. I don't want to see no clearer than that how he treats
young ladies. I wish't Doctor Stedman was home."