English
“Cometome,mylittlegentleman,”saidourhostess,liftingBrunointoherlap,”andtellmeeverything.”
“Ica’n’t,”saidBruno.“Therewouldn’tbetime.Besides,Idon’tknoweverything.”
Thegoodwomanlookedalittlepuzzled,andturnedtoSylvieforhelp.“Doeshelikeriding?”sheasked.
“Yes,Ithinkso,”Sylviegentlyreplied.“He’sjusthadarideonNero.”
“Ah,Nero’sagranddog,isn’the?Wereyoueveroutsideahorse,mylittleman?”
“Always!”Brunosaidwithgreatdecision.“Neverwasinsideone.Wasoo?”
HereIthoughtitwelltointerpose,andtomentionthebusinessonwhichwehadcome,andsorelievedher,forafewminutes,fromBruno’sperplexingquestions.
“Andthosedearchildrenwilllikeabitofcake,I’llwarrant!”
saidthefarmer’shospitablewife,whenthebusinesswasconcluded,assheopenedhercupboard,andbroughtoutacake.
“Anddon’tyouwastethecrust,littlegentleman!”
sheadded,asshehandedagoodsliceofittoBruno.
“Youknowwhatthepoetry-booksaysaboutwilfulwaste?”
“No,Idon’t,”saidBruno.“Whatdooshesayaboutit,”
“Tellhim,Bessie!”Andthemotherlookeddown,proudlyandlovingly,onarosylittlemaiden,whohadjustcreptshylyintotheroom,andwasleaningagainstherknee.
“What’sthatyourpoetry-booksaysaboutwilfulwaste?”
“Forwilfulwastemakeswoefulwant,”Bessierecited,inanalmostinaudiblewhisper:“andyoumaylivetosay‘HowmuchIwishIhadthecrustthatthenIthrewaway!’”
“Nowtryifyoucansayit,mydear!Forwilful—”
“Forwifful—sumfinoruvver”Brunobegan,readilyenough;andthentherecameadeadpause.“Ca’n’tremembernomore!”
“Well,whatdoyoulearnfromit,then?Youcantellusthat,atanyrate?”
Brunoatealittlemorecake,andconsidered:butthemoraldidnotseemtohimtobeaveryobviousone.
“Alwaysto—”Sylviepromptedhiminawhisper.
“Alwaysto—”Brunosoftlyrepeated:andthen,withsuddeninspiration,“alwaystolookwhereitgoesto!”
“Wherewhatgoesto,darling?”
“Whythecrust,acourse!”saidBruno.“Then,ifIlivedtosay‘HowmuchIwissIhadthecrust‘(andallthat),I’dknowwhereIfrewitto!”
Thisnewinterpretationquitepuzzledthegoodwoman.
Shereturnedtothesubjectof“Bessie”.
“Wouldn’tyouliketoseeBessie’sdoll,mydears!
Bessie,takethelittleladyandgentlemantoseeMatildaJane!”
Bessie’sshynessthawedawayinamoment.“MatildaJanehasjustwokeup,”shestated,confidentially,toSylvie.“Won’tyouhelpmeonwithherfrock?Themstringsissuchabothertotie!”
“Icantiestrings,”weheard,inSylvie’sgentlevoice,asthetwolittlegirlslefttheroomtogether.
Brunoignoredthewholeproceeding,andstrolledtothewindow,quitewiththeairofafashionablegentleman.
Littlegirls,anddolls,werenotatallinhisline.
Andforthwiththefondmotherproceededtotellme(aswhatmotherisnotreadytodo?)
ofallBessie’svirtues(andvicestoo,forthematterofthat)andofthemanyfearfulmaladieswhich,notwithstandingthoseruddycheeksandthatplumplittlefigure,hadnearly,timeandagain,sweptherfromthefaceoftheearth.
Whenthefullstreamoflovingmemorieshadnearlyrunitselfout,Ibegantoquestionherabouttheworkingmenofthatneighbourhood,andspeciallythe“Willie”‘whomwehadheardofathiscottage.
“Hewasagoodfellowonce,”saidmykindhostess:“butit’sthedrinkhasruinedhim!
NotthatI’drobthemofthedrink—it’sgoodforthemostofthem—butthere’ssomeasistooweaktostandagin’temptations:it’sathousandpities,forthem,astheyeverbuilttheGoldenLionatthecornerthere!”
“TheGoldenLion?”Irepeated.
“It’sthenewPublic,”myhostessexplained.
“Anditstandsrightintheway,andhandyfortheworkmen,astheycomebackfromthebrickfields,asitmightbeto-day,withtheirweek’swages.Adealofmoneygetswastedthatway.Andsomeof‘emgetsdrunk.”
“Ifonlytheycouldhaveitintheirownhouses—”Imused,hardlyknowingIhadsaidthewordsoutloud.
“That’sit!”sheeagerlyexclaimed.
Itwasevidentlyasolution,oftheproblem,thatshehadalreadythoughtout.
“Ifonlyyoucouldmanage,so’seachmantohavehisownlittlebarrelinhisownhouse—there’dhardlybeadrunkenmaninthelengthandbreadthoftheland!”
AndthenItoldhertheoldstory—aboutacertaincottagerwhoboughthimselfalittlebarrelofbeer,andinstalledhiswifeasbar-keeper:andhow,everytimehewantedhismugofbeer,heregularlypaidheroverthecounterforit:andhowsheneverwouldlethimgoon“tick”,andwasaperfectlyinflexiblebar-keeperinneverlettinghimhavemorethanhisproperallowance:andhow,everytimethebarrelneededrefilling,shehadplentytodoitwith,andsomethingoverforhermoney-box:andhow,attheendoftheyear,henotonlyfoundhimselfinfirst-ratehealthandspirits,withthatundefinablebutquiteunmistakableairwhichalwaysdistinguishesthesobermanfromtheonewhotakes“adroptoomuch”,buthadquiteaboxfullofmoney,allsavedoutofhisownpence!
“Ifonlythey’dalldolikethat!”saidthegoodwoman,wipinghereyes,whichwereoverflowingwithkindlysympathy.“Drinkhadn’tneedtobethecurseitistosome—”
“Onlyacurse”,Isaid,“whenitisusedwrongly.
AnyofGod’sgiftsmaybeturnedintoacurse,unlessweuseitwisely.Butwemustbegettinghome.Wouldyoucallthelittlegirls?
MatildaJanehasseenenoughofcompany,foroneday,I’msure!”
“I’llfind‘eminaminute,”saidmyhostess,assherosetoleavetheroom.“Maybethatyounggentlemansawwhichwaytheywent?”
“Wherearethey,Bruno?”Isaid.
“Theyain’tinthefield,”wasBruno’sratherevasivereply,“‘causethere’snothingbutpigsthere,andSylvieisn’tapig.
Nowdon’tinterruptmeanymore,‘causeI’mtellingastorytothisfly;anditwo’n’tattend!”
“They’reamongtheapples,I’llwarrant‘em!”saidtheFarmer’swife.
SoweleftBrunotofinishhisstory,andwentoutintotheorchard,wherewesooncameuponthechildren,walkingsedatelysidebyside,Sylviecarryingthedoll,whilelittleBesscarefullyshadeditsface,withalargecabbage-leafforaparasol.
Assoonastheycaughtsightofus,littleBessdroppedhercabbage-leafandcamerunningtomeetus,Sylviefollowingmoreslowly,asherpreciouschargeevidentlyneededgreatcareandattention.
“I’mitsMamma,andSylvie’stheHead-Nurse,”Bessieexplained:“andSylvie’staughtmeeversuchaprettysong,formetosingtoMatildaJane!”
“Let’shearitoncemore,Sylvie,”Isaid,delightedatgettingthechanceIhadlongwishedfor,ofhearinghersing.ButSylvieturnedshyandfrightenedinamoment.
“No,pleasenot!”shesaid,inanearnest“aside”tome.“Bessieknowsitquiteperfectnow.Bessiecansingit!”
“Aye,aye!LetBessiesingit!”saidtheproudmother.“Bessiehasabonnyvoiceofherown,”(thisagainwasan“aside”tome)“thoughIsayitasshouldn’t!”
Bessiewasonlytoohappytoacceptthe“encore”.
SotheplumplittleMammasatdownatourfeet,withherhideousdaughterrecliningstifflyacrossherlap(itwasoneofakindthatwo’n’tsitdown,underanyamountofpersuasion),and,withafacesimplybeamingwithdelight,beganthelullaby,inashoutthatoughttohavefrightenedthepoorbabyintofits.
TheHead-Nursecroucheddownbehindher,keepingherselfrespectfullyinthebackground,withherhandsontheshouldersofherlittlemistress,soastobereadytoactasPrompter,ifrequired,andtosupply“eachgapinfaithlessmemoryvoid”.
Theshout,withwhichshebegan,provedtobeonlyamomentaryeffort.
Afteraveryfewnotes,Bessietoneddown,andsangoninasmallbutverysweetvoice.
Atfirsthergreatblackeyeswerefixedonhermother,butsoonhergazewanderedupwards,amongtheapples,andsheseemedtohavequiteforgottenthatshehadanyotheraudiencethanherBaby,andherHead-Nurse,whoonceortwicesupplied,almostinaudibly,therightnote,whenthesingerwasgettingalittle“flat”.
“MatildaJane,youneverlook
Atanytoyorpicture-book:
Ishowyouprettythingsinvain—
Youmustbeblind,MatildaJane
“Iaskyouriddles,tellyoutales,
Butallourconversationfails:
Youneveranswermeagain—
Ifearyou’redumb,MatildaJane!
“Matilda,darling,whenIcall,
Youneverseemtohearatall:
Ishoutwithallmymightandmain—
butyou’resodeaf,MatildaJane!
“MatildaJane,youneedn’tmind:
For,thoughyou’redeaf,anddumb,andblind,
There’ssomeonelovesyou,itisplain—
Andthatisme,MatildaJane!”
Shesangthreeoftheversesinaratherperfunctorystyle,butthelaststanzaevidentlyexcitedthelittlemaiden.
Hervoicerose,everclearerandlouder:shehadaraptlookonherface,asifsuddenlyinspired,and,asshesangthelastfewwords,sheclaspedtoherhearttheinattentiveMatildaJane.
“Kissitnow!”promptedtheHead-Nurse.AndinamomentthesimperingmeaninglessfaceoftheBabywascoveredwithashowerofpassionatekisses.
“Whatabonnysong!”criedtheFarmer’swife.“Whomadethewords,dearie?”
“I—IthinkI’lllookforBruno,”Sylviesaiddemurely,andleftushastily.Thecuriouschildseemedalwaysafraidofbeingpraised,orevennoticed.
“Sylvieplannedthewords,”Bessieinformedus,proudofhersuperiorinformation:“andBrunoplannedthemusic—andIsangit!”(thislastcircumstance,bytheway,wedidnotneedtobetold).
SowefollowedSylvie,andallenteredtheparlourtogether.
Brunowasstillstandingatthewindow,withhiselbowsonthesill.
Hehad,apparently,finishedthestorythathewastellingtothefly,andhadfoundanewoccupation.“Don’timperrupt!”hesaidaswecamein.“I’mcountingthePigsinthefield!”
“Howmanyarethere?”Ienquired.
“Aboutathousandandfour,”saidBruno.
“Youmean‘aboutathousand’,”Sylviecorrectedhim.“There’snogoodsaying’andfour:youca’n’tbesureaboutthefour!”
“Andyou’reaswrongasever!”Brunoexclaimedtriumphantly.“It’sjustthefourIcanbesureabout;‘causethey’rehere,grubblingunderthewindow!It’sthethousandIisn’tprufficklysureabout!”
“Butsomeofthemhavegoneintothesty,”Sylviesaid,leaningoverhimtolookoutofthewindow.
“Yes,”saidBruno;“buttheywentsoslowlyandsofewly,Ididn’tcaretocountthem.”
“Wemustbegoing,children,”Isaid.“WishBessiegood-bye.”
Sylvieflungherarmsroundthelittlemaiden’sneck,andkissedher:butBrunostoodaloof,lookingunusuallyshy.(”IneverkissnobodybutSylvie!”heexplainedtomeafterwards.)
TheFarmer’swifeshowedusout:andweweresoononourwaybacktoElveston.
“Andthat’sthenewpublic-housethatweweretalkingabout,Isuppose?”Isaid,aswecameinsightofalonglowbuilding,withthewords“THEGOLDENLION”overthedoor.
“Yes,that’sit,”saidSylvie.“IwonderifherWillie’sinside?Runin,Bruno,andseeifhe’sthere.”
Iinterposed,feelingthatBrunowas,inasortofway,inmycare.
“That’snotaplacetosendachildinto.”
Foralreadytherevellersweregettingnoisy:andawilddiscordofsinging,shouting,andmeaninglesslaughtercametousthroughtheopenwindows.
“Theywo’n’tseehim,youknow,”Sylvieexplained.“Waitaminute,Bruno!”
Sheclaspedthejewel,thatalwayshungroundherneck,betweenthepalmsofherhands,andmutteredafewwordstoherself.
WhattheywereIcouldnotatallmakeout,butsomemysteriouschangeseemedinstantlytopassoverus.
Myfeetseemedtomenolongertopresstheground,andthedream-likefeelingcameuponme,thatIwassuddenlyendowedwiththepoweroffloatingintheair.
Icouldstilljustseethechildren:buttheirformswereshadowyandunsubstantial,andtheirvoicessoundedasiftheycamefromsomedistantplaceandtime,theyweresounreal.
However,IofferednofurtheroppositiontoBruno’sgoingintothehouse.Hewasbackagaininafewmoments.“No,heisn’tcomeyet,”hesaid.
“They’retalkingabouthiminside,andsayinghowdrunkhewaslastweek.”
Whilehewasspeaking,oneofthemenloungedoutthroughthedoor,apipeinonehandandamugofbeerintheother,andcrossedtowherewewerestanding,soastogetabetterviewalongtheroad.
Twoorthreeothersleanedoutthroughtheopenwindow,eachholdinghismugofbeer,withredfacesandsleepyeyes.“Canstseehim,lad?”oneofthemasked.
“Idunnotknow,”themansaid,takingastepforwards,whichbroughtusnearlyfacetoface.
Sylviehastilypulledmeoutofhisway.“Thanks,child,”Isaid.“Ihadforgottenhecouldn’tseeus.
WhatwouldhavehappenedifIhadstayedinhisway?”
“Idon’tknow,”Sylviesaidgravely.“Itwouldn’tmattertous;butyoumaybedifferent.”
Shesaidthisinherusualvoice,butthemantooknosortofnotice,thoughshewasstandingcloseinfrontofhim,andlookingupintohisfaceasshespoke.
“He’scomingnow!”criedBruno,pointingdowntheroad.
“Hebea-coominnoo!”echoedtheman,stretchingouthisarmexactlyoverBruno’shead,andpointingwithhispipe.
“Thenchorusagin!”wasshoutedoutbyoneofthered-facedmeninthewindow:andforthwithadozenvoicesyelled,toaharshdiscordantmelody,therefrain:
“There’shim,an’yo’,an’me,
Roarin’laddies!
Welovesabito’spree,
Roarin’laddieswe,
Roarin’laddies
Roarin’laddies!”
Themanloungedbackagaintothehouse,joininglustilyinthechorusashewent:sothatonlythechildrenandIwereintheroadwhen“Willie”cameup.
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