Emily saw that Bob was on the point of crying, "My God!" She blessed
him for refraining.
But afterwards he said to her: "Well, you wouldn't think it, to look
at her, but there's something in that woman, Emily; she's a great
woman! I didn't suppose anybody in the world could get that girl up
in the morning. Don't you think the kid's sort of different?"
"Improved, you mean?"
"Well, yes, I guess so."
"She's found somebody who needs her help. She always was a
tender-hearted child, and she's sorry for Miss Curtis. She just
about runs her flat for her."
"Well, I hope she'll stick around awhile. She'll do the kid good."
Emily was on the point of retorting, "She does you good yourself!"
for Bob's somewhat tentative forebearance was in part due to the
stranger's presence. When there had been young girls at the table,
Bob could "roast" Martha and them all together in one breath. And
Martha, who had established herself as a protector and commander of a
woman like Miss Curtis, couldn't act like a baby before her when she
was with her father. Emily was beginning to see that Miss Curtis,
pretending to be so docile, managed Martha by means of the slightest
little hints of ridicule. By one smile she could take all the wind
out of Martha's naughty sails.
Emily was moved by the grave and tender manner in which Martha took
charge of the child, to relieve the aunt. She had told her on the
way down that there was in her mother's house a rainbow room prepared
for little girls, so that the child went into it eagerly, and
accepted it as gravely as Martha gave it to her. Its builder and
maker opened all its drawers and cupboards, displayed the electric
stove and the fudge-making dishes.
Miss Curtis was on the point of expressing surprise that she hadn't
seen the room before.
"Oh, we keep it locked; we never show it to anybody. It's too awful.
Mother let me have it done over to suit myself, and I can't endure
the sight of it!"
"Well, I don't know; I think it's--rather--a nice room--after you've
looked at it a little."
Emily was there. She felt Martha was annoyed for the moment by her
presence.