The Thursday of the great school celebration arrived; and according to
Faith's unexpressed wish, the weather had continued warm. It was the
very luxury of October. A day for all the senses to disport themselves
and revel in luxurious beauty. But the mind of Pattaquasset was upon
the evening's revel, and upon the beauty of white cambric and blue
ribbands. The mind of Faith Derrick was on somewhat else.
"Mother," she said, "do you know there must be a fire up in Mr.
Linden's room as soon as the weather gets cold?"
"Of course, child."
"Well there is nothing in the world up there to put wood in."
"It used to lie on the floor--" said Mrs. Derrick, as if the past might
possibly help the future. "That does make a muss."
"It's not going to lie on the floor now," said Faith. "I am going to
get Mr. Skip to make me a box, a large box, with a top--and I will
cover it with some carpet or dark stuff, if you'll give me some,
mother. It must be dark, because the wood of the room is. I am going to
stuff the top for a seat, and it will look very nice."
"Anything does that you take hold of," said her mother. "Yes, child,
I'll give you all I've got,--you can look for yourself and take what
you like best."
The immediate work of the day was to 'clear ship'--in other words, to
do all the day's work in the former part thereof, so as to leave time
for the unwonted business of the afternoon. Mrs. Derrick even proposed
that Faith should get dressed. But Faith said there was time enough
after dinner; and that meal was gone through with as usual.
With this slight variation in the table talk. Mr. Linden suggested to
Faith the propriety of philosophizing a little, as a preparative for
the dissipation of the evening; and declared that for the purpose, he
would promise to bring his toilette within as narrow bounds as she did
hers.
Faith's face gave answer, in the sort of sparkling of eye and colour
which generally met such a proposition, and which to-day was
particularly bright with the pleasure of surprise.
"But," she said warningly, "I can dress in _very_ few minutes!"
So she did, and yet--and yet, she was dressed from head to foot and to
the very point of the little white ruffle round her throat. Hair,
bright as her hair was, and in the last degree of nice condition and
arrangement, the same perfect presentation of hands and feet and white
ruffles as aforesaid;--that was the most of Faith's dressing; the rest
was a plain white cambric frock, which had its only setting off in her
face and figure. The one touch of colour which it wanted, Faith found
when she went down stairs; for upon the basket where 'Le Philosophe'
commonly reposed, lay a dainty breast-knot of autumn tints,--fringed
gentian with its delicate blue, and oak leaves of the deepest red, and
a late rose or two.
It is a pity there was nobody to see Faith's face; for its tints copied
the roses. Surprise and doubt and pleasure made a pretty confusion. She
held in her hand the dainty bouquet and looked at it, as if the red
leaves could have told her what other hand they were in last; which was
what Faith wanted to know.
A step on the porch--a slight knock at the front door, naturally drew
her thoughts and feet thither, but whatever Faith expected she did not
expect to see Sam Stoutenburgh. One might almost go further and say he
did not expect to see her, for he gazed at her as if she had been an
apparition--only that his face was red instead of white.
"How do you do, Sam," said Faith, coming back a little to everyday
life. "Do you want to see Mr. Linden?"
"O no, Miss Faith!" said Sam--as if it were the last thing in the world
he wanted to see.
"Well Sam--what then?"
But Sam was slow to say what then--or indeed to say anything; and what
would have been his success is to this day unknown, for at that moment
Mr. Linden came down stairs.
"Do you want me, Sam?" he said, approaching the front door.
"No, sir," said Sam (playing both parts of an unwilling witness)--"I--I
thought you were out, Mr. Linden."
"O--" Mr. Linden said. "I beg your pardon!" And he not only went into
the parlour but shut the door after him.
To no purpose! With him went the remnant of Sam Stoutenburgh's courage,
if he had had any to begin with, and after one more glance at Faith he
fairly turned his back and fled--without striking his colours. Faith
went back to the parlour.
"What is the matter with the boy?" she said, "I couldn't get anything
out of him, Mr. Linden."
A somewhat peculiar smile came with the words,
"Couldn't you?"
Faith noticed it, but her thought was elsewhere. She came back to the
table, took up the flowers, and said a little timidly,
"Do you know who put these here, Mr. Linden?"
The look changed. "I think I do," he said.
Her look did not change, except to a softened reflection of the one
with which she had first viewed them. She viewed them still, bending
over them doubtfully; then glancing up at him she shook her head and
said,
"You are dressed before me, after all, Mr. Linden!"
And ran away. She was back again in three minutes, with the flowers
upon her breast; and if there had been but one adornment in the world
that would have fitted her just then, the giver of the flowers had
found it. Faith had altered nothing, she had only put them in the right
place; and the effect was curious in its beauty. That effect of her
flowers was probably the only one unknown to Faith herself, though it
was with a face blushing with pleasure that she came in and sat gravely
down to be a philosopher.
She gave her teacher little trouble, and promised to give him less. She
had excellent capacity, that was plain; with the eager desire for
learning which makes the most of it; both the power and the will were
there to appropriate and use every word of Mr. Linden's somewhat
lawless but curiously skilful manner of instructing her. And the
simplicity of her attention was perfect. She did not forget her
flowers, probably, during this particular page of philosophizing, for a
little tinge on her cheek never ceased to speak of pleasure all through
the time; but that was the sole sign of distraction, if distraction
there were. Less grave, but more intent, than Mr. Linden himself, the
information that Mr. Skip had driven the little wagon round before the
door, came to her ears all too soon.
The drive to the Judge's was not very long; it might have been three
quarters of a mile; so even at the old horse's rate of travelling they
were soon there.
Judge Harrison's house was large and old-fashioned, yet had much more
style about it than any other house in Pattaquasset pretended to; and
the same was true of its arrangements and furniture. It was comfortable
and ample; so was everything in it; with besides that touch of ease and
fitness and adaptation which shews always--or generally--that people
have lived where there is a freedom from fixed standards. It was so
here; for Judge Harrison's family during the life-time of his wife had
always spent their winters and often part of their summers away from
Pattaquasset--in one of the great cities, New York generally, or at
some watering-place. There was also however an amount of good sense and
kind temper in the family which made no difference, of intention,
between them and the rest of Pattaquasset when they were there; so that
they were extremely popular.
Mr. Skip and old Crab were in very good time; there were not more than
half assembled of all the good company asked and expected this
afternoon. These were all over, in the house and out of the house;
observing and speculating. The house was surrounded with pleasant
grounds, spreading on two sides in open smooth lawns of considerable
extent, and behind the house and the lawns stretching back in a half
open shrubbery. On one of the lawns long tables already shewed their
note of preparation; on the other there was a somewhat ominous array of
benches and chairs; and among them all, round and about everything,
scattered the people.
Mrs. Derrick and Faith went upstairs to the unrobing room, where the
latter was immediately taken into consultation by Miss Harrison on some
matters which promised to keep them both busy for some time. Mr. Linden
meanwhile received a very cordial welcome from Judge Harrison, who was
cordiality itself.
"Well, Mr. Linden! we've got a good day! Good for the boys and good for
us. We've ventured to depart a little from your--instructions! but--I
hope--in such a way as not to compromise you. My son and daughter have
managed it. I'll introduce him to you"--said the old gentleman looking
about,--"but he's somewhere just now."
"I should like to know first, Judge Harrison, what my instructions
were," said Mr. Linden, as his eyes likewise made search for the
missing doctor.
"O," said the Judge, "all right! I understood your feelings exactly. I
used that word because the right one didn't come. I have to do that
often. I've heard of the 'pen of a ready writer'--I'm sure I'd rather
have the tongue of a ready speaker; but it don't matter for me now. My
friends take me as they find me, and so will you, I have little fear.
Julius!--Here's my son, Dr. Harrison, Mr. Linden."
Dr. Harrison must have a word of introduction to the reader, though he
was one of those who need very little in actual life. He was a handsome
man, young but not very young, and came up at his father's call and
honoured the introduction to his father's guest, with that easy grace
and address which besides being more or less born with a man, tell that
much attrition with the world has been at work to take away all his
outward roughnesses of nature. He was handsomely dressed too, though
not at all in a way to challenge observation. His coat would have
startled nobody in Pattaquasset, though it might have told another that
its wearer had probably seen France, had probably seen England, and had
in short lived much in that kind of society which recognizes the fact
of many kinds of coats in the world. His greeting of Mr. Linden was
both simple and graceful.
"I am very happy to see you," he said as he shook hands. "I should
certainly have come to see you before, but I am more a stranger in
Pattaquasset than anybody. I have hardly been at home since I returned;
business has drawn me to other quarters--and I am only fortunate enough
to be in time for this occasion. It's a good time for me," said he
looking round,--"I can renew my old acquaintance with everybody at
once--I think all Pattaquasset is here."
"Not grown out of your remembrance, has it?" said Mr. Linden. "How long
have you been away?"
"Well--it's had time to grow out of everything! especially out of my
memory. I have not been here for five years--and then only for a few
days--and before that at College; so I may say I have hardly been here
since my boyhood. I don't know anybody but the old ones. I shall apply
to you, if you will allow me," said he, drawing himself and Mr. Linden
a little more apart from the centre of reception. "Who, for instance,
is that very--well-dressed--young lady just entering the
hall?--good-looking too."
The doctor's face was very quiet--so were his words; but his eye was
upon Miss Cecilia Deacon, who in a low-necked blue silk, with an amber
necklace and jet bracelets, was paying her respects to the Judge and
his daughter. With equal quietness Mr. Linden made answer.
"By the way," said the doctor suddenly, "I believe we owe this pleasant
occasion--very pleasant I think it is going to be--to you."
"Accidentally and innocently, I assure you."
"Yes--of course,"--said Dr. Harrison, with the air of one who needed no
information as to Mr. Linden's view of the subject, nor explanation as
to its grounds. "But," said he speaking somewhat low,--"my father has
the interests of the school--and indeed of all Pattaquasset--truly at
heart, and my sister has entered into all his feelings. I am a kind of
alien. I hope not to be so.--But, as I was saying, my father and sister
putting their heads together, have thought it would have a good effect
upon the boys and upon certain interests of the community through them
and their parents too, to give some little honours to the best students
among them--or to the cleverest boys--which, as you and I know, are not
precisely synonymous terms. Would you think well of such an expedient?
My father is very anxious to do nothing which shall not quite meet your
judgment and wish in the matter."
"I shall leave it in Judge Harrison's hands," said Mr. Linden after a
moment's silence: "I should be very sorry to gainsay his wishes in any
respect. And some of the boys deserve any honours that can be given
them."
"Do they?" said the doctor. "Can you indicate them to me?"
"No," said Mr. Linden smiling. "I shall leave you to find out."
"Leave _me_"--said the other. "How did you know what office they had
charged upon me? Well--I am making as long a speech as if I were a
member of Congress. By the way, Mr. Linden, can you imagine what could
induce a man to be that particular member of the body politic? it
occupies the place of the feet, I think; such members do little but run
to and fro--though I remember I just seemed to give them the place of
the tongue--unjustly. They don't do the real talk of the world."
"The real _talk?_" said Mr. Linden. "Indeed I think they do their
share."
"Of talk?" said the doctor with an acute look at his neighbour.
"Well--as I was saying--my sister has provided I believe some red and
blue, or red and something, favours of ribband--to be given to the boys
who shall merit them. Now to find out that, which you won't tell me, I
am to do, under your pleasure, some more talking--to them in public--to
see in short how well they can talk to me. Do you like that?"
"Better than they will, perhaps--as merit is sometimes modest."
"I assure you I would happily yield the duty into your hands--who would
do it so much better--but I suppose you would say as somebody
else--'Let my friend tell my tale.'--Who is that?" said the doctor
slowly and softly,--"like the riding pole of a fence--as little to
spare--and as rigid--isn't he?--and as long! Don't I remember him?"
"You ought--that is Mr. Simlins."
"Yes"--said the doctor musingly--"I remember him! I incurred his
displeasure once, in some boyish way, and if I recollect he is a man
that pays his debts. And that unfortunate--next--looks like the
perspective of a woman."
But this lady Mr. Linden did not know. She was little, in form and
feature, and had besides a certain _pinched-in_ look of
diminutiveness--that seemed to belong to mind as well as body, temper,
and life--and had procured her the doctor's peculiar term of
description.
"The next thing is," said Dr. Harrison, as his eye slowly roved over
the assembled and assembling people--"who is to give the favours? My
sister of course does not wish to be forward in the business and _I_
don't--and you don't. _I _say, the prettiest girl here."
"I think the hands that prepared the favours should dispense them,"
said Mr. Linden.
"But she won't do it--and ladies have sometimes the power of saying
no--they're generally persuadable!--Who's that?" said the doctor with a
change of tone, touching Mr. Linden's arm,--"the one in white with a
red bouquet de corsage--she's charming! She's the one!"
"That is Miss Derrick."
"She'll do,"--said the doctor softly to his companion, as Faith paused
for a quick greeting of the Judge and then passed on out of
sight;--"she's charming--Do you suppose she knew what she was about
when she put those red leaves and roses together? I didn't know there
was that kind of thing in Pattaquasset."
"Yes, they look very well," said Mr. Linden coolly.
"Julius!" said Mrs. Somers, laying hold of the elbow of the suggestive
coat, "what do you mean by keeping Mr. Linden and yourself back here.
That's the way with you young men--stand off and gaze at a safe
distance, and then make believe you're fire proof."
"Don't make believe anything, aunt Ellen," said the young man lightly.
"Prove me. You can take me up to the cannon's mouth--or any other!--and
see if I am afraid of it."
"I shall prove you before I take you anywhere," said Mrs. Somers. "You
needn't talk to me in that style. But it's a little hard upon the boys
to keep Mr. Linden here out of sight,--half of them don't know whether
they're on their head or their heels till they see him, I can tell from
their faces."
"Mr. Linden," said the doctor with a gesture of invitation to his
companion,--"shall we go? Does it depend upon your face which of the
positions mentioned is to be assumed?"
The two gentlemen accordingly threaded their way to the scene of
action; passing, among others, Squire Deacon and Mr. Simlins whom Mr.
Linden greeted together. Mr. Simlins' answer was a mighty grasp of the
hand. Squire Deacon's deserved little attention, and got it.
The party were now on the lawn, at one side of which the boys had
clustered and were standing in expectation.
"I think, Mr. Linden," said the doctor, "if you will explain to the
boys what is to become of them in the next hour, I will go and see
about the fair distributor of the favours--and then I suppose we shall
be ready."
It was well Dr. Harrison chose such a messenger,--no one else could
have brought quietness out of those few dismayed minutes when the boys
first learned what was 'to become of them'; and the Judge would have
felt remorseful about his secret, had he seen the swift wings on which
Pleasure took her departure from the little group. It took all Mr.
Linden's skill, not to enforce submission, but to bring pleasure back;
perhaps nothing less than his half laughing half serious face and
words, could have kept some of the boys from running away altogether.
And while some tried to beg off, and some made manful efforts not to
feel afraid, others made desperate efforts to remember; and some of the
little ones could be reassured by nothing but the actual holding of Mr.
Linden's hand in theirs. So they stood, grouped in and out the trees at
the further edge of the lawn, till their teacher disengaged himself and
came back to the house, leaving the parting directions--to say what
they knew, and not try to say what they knew not.
Meanwhile Dr. Harrison had found his sister, and after a little
consulting the two had pressed their father into the service; and then
the three sought Faith. She was discovered at last on the other lawn,
by one of the tables, Miss Harrison having dismayfully recollected that
she had asked Faith to help her dress them, and then had left her all
alone to do it. But Faith was not all alone; for Mr Simlins stood there
like a good-natured ogre, watching her handling and disposing of the
green leaves and late flowers with which she was surrounded, and now
and then giving a most extraordinary suggestion as to the same.
"Faith," said Miss Harrison after she had introduced her brother,--"I
want you to give these favours to the boys. Somebody must do it, and I
can't--and you must!"
"You see, my dear," said Judge Harrison, "Sophy and Julius want their
fête to go off as prettily as possible; and so they want you to do this
for them because you're the prettiest girl here."
"Then I can't do it, sir," said Faith. She blushed very prettily, to be
sure, but she spoke very quietly.
"Faith! you will do it for me?" said Miss Harrison.
"I can't, Sophy."
"Nobody would do it so well as you--half!"
"But I can't do it at all." And Faith went on leafing her dishes.
"I dare put in no petition of my own," said the doctor then; "but I
will venture to ask on the part of Mr. Linden, that you will do him and
the school such a service."
Faith's dark eyes opened slightly. "Did he ask you, sir?"
"I cannot answer that," said the doctor, a little taken aback. "I have
presumed on what I am sure are his wishes."
He did not know what to make of her smile, nor of the simplicity with
which Faith answered, in spite of her varying colour,
"You have been mistaken, sir."
The doctor gave it up and said he was very sorry.
"Then who _shall_ do it?" said Miss Harrison. "Miss Essie de Staff?"
"She'll do," said the Judge. And the doctor, raising his eyebrows a
little, and dropping his concern, offered his arm to Faith to go to the
scene of action. So it happened that as Mr. Linden entered the hall
from one side door, he met the whole party coming in from the other,
the doctor carrying the basket of blue and red favours which he had
taken to present to Faith. But he stood still to let them pass, taking
the full effect of the favours, the doctor, the red leaves and their
white-robed wearer; and then followed in his turn.
All the inhabitants of the house and grounds were now fast gathering on
the other lawn. Miss Sophy and her father separated different ways, the
former taking the basket to commit it to Miss de Staff; and the doctor
being obliged to go to his place in the performance, left his charge
where he might. But nobody minded his neighbour now; Faith did not; the
boys were drawn up in a large semicircle, and the doctor taking his
place in front of them, all in full view of the assembled townsmen of
Pattaquasset, proceeded to his duty of examiner.
He did it well. He was evidently, to those who could see it, thoroughly
at home himself in all the subjects upon which he touched and made the
boys touch; so thoroughly, that he knew skilfully _where_ to touch, and
what to expect of them. He shewed himself a generous examiner too; he
keenly enough caught the weak and strong points in the various minds he
was dealing with, and gracefully enough brought the good to light, and
only shewed the other so much as was needful for his purposes. He did
not catch, nor entrap, nor press hardly; the boys had fair play but
they had favour too.
The boys, on their part, were not slow to discover his good qualities;
and it was certainly a comfort to them to know that they were acquitted
or condemned on right grounds. Beyond that, there were curious traits
of character brought to light, for those who had eyes to read them.
The two head boys--Reuben Taylor and Sam Stoutenburgh, though but
little apart in their scholarship were widely different in the
manifestation thereof. Sam Stoutenburgh's rather off-hand, dashing
replies, generally hit the mark; but the steady, quiet clearheadedness
of Reuben not only placed him in advance, but gave indications which no
one could read who had not the key to his character. He coloured
sometimes, but it was from modesty; while part of Sam Stoutenburgh's
blushes came from his curls. Little Johnny Fax, by dint of fixing his
eyes upon Mr. Linden's far-off form (he had been petitioned to stand in
sight) went bravely through his short part of the performance; and
proved that he knew what he knew, if he didn't know much; and of the
rest there need nothing be said.
Among the lookers-on there were also indications. To those who did not
know him, Mr. Linden's face looked as unmoved as the pillar against
which he leaned,--yet the varying play of light and shade upon the one
was well repeated in the other. Squire Stoutenburgh nodded and smiled,
to himself and his neighbours, and made little aside
observations--"_That_ told, sir!"--"Always was a good
boy!--studious."--"Yes--Reuben Taylor does well--very well, considering
who his father is."
That father the while, stood alone--even beyond the outskirts of the
gay party. With Miss Cilly's blue dress he had nothing in common--as
little with Faith's spotless white. Dark, weatherbeaten, dressed for
his boat and the clam banks, he stood there on the green turf as if in
a trance. Unable to follow one question or answer, his eager eye caught
every word of Reuben's voice; his intent gaze read first the assurance
that it would be right, then the assurance that it was. The whole world
might have swept by him in a pageant--and he would scarcely have turned
to look!
There was one other listener perhaps, whose interest was as rapt as
his; that was Faith. But her interest was of more manifold character.
There was the natural feeling for and with the boys; and there was
sympathy for their instructor and concern for his honour, which latter
grew presently to be a very gratified concern. Then also Dr. Harrison's
examination was a matter of curious novelty; and back of all that, lay
in Faith's mind a deep, searching, pressing interest in the subject
matters of it. What of all that, _she_ knew,--how little,--and how much
the boys;--how vastly much Dr. Harrison; what far-reaching fields of
knowledge there were in some people's minds. Where was Faith's mind
going? Yet she was almost as outwardly quiet as Mr. Linden himself. All
her shew of feeling was in the intent eye, the grave face, and a little
deepening and deepening tinge in her cheeks.
The questioning and answering was over--the boys were all in their
ranks--there was a little hush and stir of expectancy,--and Dr.
Harrison gave his hand to a very bright lady with a basket and led her
to a position by his side, filling the eye of the whole assembly. Faith
looked over to her with a tiny giving way of the lips which meant a
great self-gratulation that she was not in the lady's place. There she
stood, very much at home apparently,--Miss Essie de Staff, as fifty
mouths said at once. She was rather a little lady, not very young, nor
old; dressed in a gay-coloured plaid silk, with a jaunty little black
apron with pockets, black hair in curls behind her ears, and a glitter
of jewelry. It was not false jewelry, nor ill put on, and this was Miss
Essie de Staff. She belonged to the second great family of
Pattaquasset; she too had been abroad and had seen life like the
Harrisons; but somehow she had seen it in a different way; and while
the de Staffs had the shew, the Harrisons always had the reality of
precedence in the town.
And Dr. Harrison, raising slightly again his voice, which was a
melodious one, said,
"The ladies of Pattaquasset intend to honour with a blue ribband the
five elder boys who have spoken best; and with a favour of red ribband
the five little boys who have done the same on their part. Miss Essie
de Staff will do us the honour to bestow them.--Reuben Taylor, will you
come forward--here, if you please."
The 'favours' made a little stir among the group; and Reuben, who had
been too much absorbed in the examination for its own sake to think
much of the question of precedence, came forward at first with
hesitation--then steadily and firmly.
Miss Essie stepped a little forward to meet him, gave her basket to
Doctor Harrison, and taking a blue favour from it she smilingly
attached the same securely to the left breast of Reuben's coat.
"Don't leave your place," said the doctor to him in a low tone;--"I
mean," he added smiling,--"go back to it and stay there.--Sam
Stoutenburgh!"--
The doctor spoke like a man a little amused at himself for the part he
was playing, but he did it well, nevertheless. And Reuben, who would
fain have put himself and his blue ribband out of sight behind the
rest, went back to his place, while Sam stepped briskly forward and
received the decoration in turn. Very different his air from
Reuben's,--very different Reuben's grave and grateful bend of the head
from the way in which Sam's hand covered at once his heart and the blue
ribband. The four boys next in degree to Reuben were severally invested
with their blue stars.
"Johnny Fax!"--said Dr. Harrison. "Miss Essie, you are laying us under
nameless obligations.--Johnny, come and get your ribband."
Johnny came--looking first at Dr. Harrison and then at Miss Essie, as
if a little uncertain what they were going to do with him; but
apparently the fluttering red favour pleased his fancy, for he smiled a
little, and then looked quite away over Miss Essie's shoulder as she
bent towards him. For which neglect of the lady's face his youth and
inexperience must account. But when the favour was on, Johnny's eyes
came back, and he said simply,
"Thank you, ma'am. Shall I keep it always?"
"By all means!" said Miss Essie. "Never part with it."
The five little fellows were made splendid; and then there was a pause.
Miss Essie stepped back and was lost. Doctor Harrison made a sign with
his hand, and two servants came on the lawn bringing between them a
table covered with a red cloth. It was set down before Dr. Harrison and
his sister came beside him.
"My dear friends," said the doctor raising his voice again, and giving
his sister at the same time the benefit of a slight play of face which
others were not so situated they could see,--"You have all done
yourselves and somebody else, a great deal of credit. I hope you will
thank him;--as we wish to shew our pleasure to you. It was not to be
expected that everybody would be first this time--though on the next
occasion I have no doubt that will prove to be the case; but as we
could not of course in consequence give stars to all, we will do the
best we can. Reuben Taylor--"
Again Reuben came forward; the doctor had pulled off the red cloth, and
a tempting pile of books, large and small and nicely bound, rose up to
view upon the table. And Miss Harrison as Reuben came near, chose out
one of the best and handed it to him, saying softly, "You have done
very well."
Now Miss Sophy Harrison was, as everyone knew and said, thoroughly good
and kind, like her father. She had chosen the books. And the one she
had given Reuben was a very nice copy of the Pilgrim's Progress. She
might have felt herself repaid by the one earnest look his eyes gave
her,--then he bowed silently and retired.
The list would be too long to go through. Every one was pleased this
time; the Harrisons had done the thing well; and it may only be noted
in passing that Johnny Fax's delight and red ribband were crowned and
finished oil with an excellent Robinson Crusoe. Then broke up and
melted off the assembled throng, like--I want a simile,--like the
scattering of a vapoury cloud in the sky. It was everywhere and nowhere
directly--that which before had been a distinct mass.
"Faith," said Miss Cecilia, almost before this process or dispersion
commenced,--"where _did_ you get such a pretty nosegay this time of
year?"
"They grew--" said Faith smiling.
"Did they come out of your own garden."
"We don't keep oak trees in our garden."
"I declare! it's elegant. Faith, give me just one of those red leaves,
won't you? I want it."
"No indeed!" said Faith, starting back and shielding the oak leaves
with her hand, as that of Miss Deacon approached them. "What are you
thinking of?"
"Thinking of!" said Cecilia colouring. "So, Faith, I hear you've set up
for a school teacher?"
"I've one little scholar," said Faith quietly. "That isn't much
'setting up,' Cecilia."
"One scholar!" said Cecilia contemptuously. "Didn't you go over with
all the boys to Neanticut the other day?"
"Yes," said Faith laughing, "indeed I did; but I assure you I didn't go
to teach school."
"Miss Derrick," said Dr. Harrison, offering his arm to Faith,--"my
sister begs the favour of your assistance--instantly and urgently--you
know I presume for what?"
"Yes, I know, Dr. Harrison," said Faith smiling--"I left it
unfinished"--
And the two walked away together.
"Seems to me, Mr. Simlins," said Squire Deacon, watching Faith and her
convoy with a certain saturnine satisfaction; "I say it seems to me,
that the Judge aint making the thing right side upwards. The boys get
all the prizes--without Dr. Harrison thinks _he_ has, and the teacher
don't seem to be much count. Now what a handsomer thing it would have
been to make the boys get _him_ something with their own hard cash,--a
pleasure boat--" added the Squire, "or a Bible--or anything of that
sort. I thought all this philustration was to set _him_ up."
Mr. Simlins gave a kind of grunt.
"It haint pulled him _down_ much," he said,--"as I see. And I suppose
Judge Harrison thinks that drivin' wedges under a church steeple is a
surrogate work--without he saw it was topplin'."
Without getting any too clear a notion of the meaning of these
words--it took a lively imagination to follow Mr. Simlins in some of
his flights, the Squire yet perceived enough to stay his own words a
little; and he passed away the tedium of the next few minutes by
peering round the corner of the house and getting far-off glimpses of
Faith.
"She looks 'most like a spectral illusion," he said admiringly. "The
tablecloths aint bleached a bit whiter 'n her dress."
"She aint no more like a spectre than I'm like a ghost," said Mr.
Simlins. "Washin' and ironin' 'll make a white frock for any woman."
Then stalking up to Mr. Linden accosted him grimly, after his fashion.
"Well Mr. Linden--what d' you think of that farm at Neanticut? don't
you want to take it of me?"
"There are too many fences between me and it," was the smiling reply.
"It's good land," Mr. Simlins went on; "you can't do better than settle
down there. I'd like to have you for a tenant--give you the land easy."
"Let me pay you in nuts?" said Mr. Linden.
But then came up other farmers and heads of families to claim Mr.
Linden's attention; men whose boys were at the school; and who now in
various states of gratification, but all gratified, came one after
another to grasp his hand and thank him for the good he had done and
was doing them.
"You're the first man, sir," said one, a broad-shouldered, tall, strong
man, with a stern reserved face,--"you're the first man that has been
able to make that boy of mine--Phil--attend to anything, or go to
school regular. He talks hard sometimes,--but you do what you like with
him, Mr. Linden! I give you my leave. He's smart, and he aint a bad
boy, at heart; but he's wild, and he has his own way and it aint always
a good one. His mother never had any government of him," said the
father, looking towards the identical person whom Dr. Harrison had
characterized as 'the perspective of a woman,' and who certainly had
the air of one whose mind--what she had--was shut up and shut off into
the further extremities of possibility.
Then came up Judge Harrison.
"Well, Mr. Linden, I hope you have been gratified. I have. I declare I
have!--very much. You are doing a great thing for us here, sir; and I
don't doubt it is a gratification to you to know it. I haven't made up
my mind what we shall do to thank _you_--we've been thanking the
boys--but that's, you know,--that's a political expedient. My heart's
in the other thing."
"Squire Deacon was givin' me about the same perspective of the case,"
said Mr. Simlins,--"only he thought he warnt the one to do the
thaukin'."
Mr. Linden's face, through all these various gratulations, had been a
study. One part of his nature answered, eye to eye and hand to hand,
the thanks and pleasure so variously expressed. But back of that lay
something else,--a something which gave even his smile a tinge,--it was
the face of one who
"Patiently, and still expectant,
Looked out through the wooden bars."
Sometimes grave, at others a queer sense of his own position seemed to
touch him; and his manner might then remind one of a swift-winged
bird--who walking about on the grass for business purposes, is
complimented by a company of crickets on his superior powers of
locomotion. And it was with almost a start that he answered Judge
Harrison--
"Thank _me_, sir? I don't think I deserve any thanks."
"I am sure we owe them," said the Judge,--"but that's another view of
the case, I know. Well--it's a good kind of debt to owe--and to pay!--"
And he was lost again among some other of his guests. In the gradual
shifting and melting away of groups, it happened that Mr. Linden found
himself for a moment alone, when the doctor again approached him.
"Did I do your office well?" he said gently, and half putting his arm
through Mr. Linden's as if to lead him to the house.
The answer was laughingly given--
"'What poet would not mourn to see
His brother write as well as he?'"
"Well," said the doctor, answering the tone, "did I hit your boys?--the
right ones?"
"My boys in point of scholarship?--yes, almost as carefully as I
should."
"I am glad you were satisfied," said the doctor;--"and I'm glad it's
over!--What sort of a life do you lead here in Pattaquasset? I don't
know it. How can one get along here?"
He spoke in a careless sort of confidential manner, as perfectly aware
that his companion was able to answer him. They were very slowly
sauntering up to the house.
"One can get along here in various ways--" said Mr. Linden,--"as in
other places. One can (_if_ one can) subside to the general level, or
one can (with the like qualification) rise above it. The paths through
Pattaquasset are in no wise peculiar, yet by no means alike."
"No," said the doctor, with another side look at him--"I suppose as
much. I see you're a philosopher. Do you carry a spirit-level about
with you?"
"Define--" said Mr. Linden, with a smile which certainly belonged to
the last philosopher he had been in company with.
"I see you do," said the doctor. "What's your opinion of philosophy?
that it adds to the happiness of the world in general?"
"You ask broad questions, Dr. Harrison--considering the many kinds of
philosophy, and the unphilosophical state of the world in general."
The doctor laughed a little. "I don't know," said he,--"I sometimes
think the terms have changed sides, and that 'the world in general' has
really the best of it. But do you know what particular path in
Pattaquasset we are treading at this minute?"
"A path where philosophy and happiness are supposed to part company, I
imagine," said Mr. Linden.
"Pre-cisely--" said the doctor. "By the way, if anything in my father's
house or library can be of the least convenience to you while you are
travelling the somewhat unfurnished ways of Pattaquasset, I hope you
will use both as your own.--Yes, I am taking you to the supper
table--or indeed they are plural to-night--Sophy, I have brought Mr.
Linden to you, and I leave you to do what you will with him!"