Six Plays by Lady Florence Henrietta Fisher Darwin Part 73

VASHTI. And what should I be journeying down to-morrow for, Jane Browning?

DORRY. Why, Granny, 'tis Dad's wedding day to-morrow, and 'tis a white frock with lace to it as I'm going to wear, and beads what Miss Sims gived me, and the shoes what was new except for being worn to church three times. Shall I fetch them all and show to you, Granny?

JANE. Yes, run along and get them, Dorry; very likely 'twill give her thoughts a turn, looking at the things, seeing as she be in one of her nasty moods to-day when you can't get a word what isn't foolishness out of her. [DORRY runs upstairs.

VASHTI. [Leaning forward.] Was her telling of a marriage?

JANE. Why, yes, Vashti Reed. And you know all about it, only you don't trouble for to recollect nothing but what you dreams of yourself in the night. 'Tis our Steve what's going to marry Annie Sims to-morrow.

VASHTI. Steve Browning?

JANE. I haven't patience with th' old gipsy! Yes--Steve. And 'tis a twelvemonth or more as you'd knowed of it.

VASHTI. Our Steve, what's husband to my May?

JANE. 'Tis a fine thing to fetch up May this evening, that 'tis.

May, what went out trolloping along the roads 'stead of she biding at home to mind the house and child! 'Tis how you did breed she up, Vashti Reed, what led her to act as her did. And if you'd have bred her different, 'twould have been all the same; for what's in the blood is bound to out and show; and when you picks a weed and sets it in the room, 'tain't no flower as you must look for.

VASHTI. 'Tis summat like a twelve year since her went. But in the blinking of an eye the latch might be raised, and she come through the door again. G.o.d bless the head an feet of she!

JANE. There you are, Vashti, talking so foolish. A bad herb like she, was bound for to meet her doom. And 'twas in the river up London way where the body of her was catched, floating, and the same petticoat to it as I've seed on May a score of times. Don't you recollect how 'twas parson as brought the news to we?

VASHTI. 'Taint with no parsons as I do hold, nor with what may come from the mouths of they, neither.

JANE. And Steve, I knowed what was in his mind when parson was gone out. 'Twas not much as he did say, being a man what hasn't many words to his tongue. But he took and fetched down his big coat what do hang up yonder, and told I to put a bit of black to the sleeve of it. Leastways, he didn't speak the words, but I seed what he was after, and I took and sewed a bit on, and he's wore it ever since till yesterday--And that's eleven year ago it be--so there.

VASHTI. Her be moving about upon the earth, her be. And I seems to feel the tread of she at night time, and by day as well. Her bain't shrouded, nor boxed, nor no churchyard sod above the limbs of she-- you take my words--and there shall come a day when the latch shall rise and her be standing among us and a-calling on her child and husband what's forgotten she.

JANE. For goodness sake, Vashti, have done speaking about such things to-night. If Steve was to hear you, why I shouldn't wonder if he was to put you out of the door and into the snow--and 'tis most unfitting for to talk so afore the child.

VASHTI. [Calling out loudly.] Come back to I, May--you come back to I--there bain't no one what thinks on the name of you, or what wants you but your old mother. You come back to I!

JANE. I'll thank you for to shut your mouth, old Vashti! 'Tain't nothing to be proud on as you've got, and 'twould be better if you was to be less free in your hollering. Look, here's Dorry coming.

[DORRY comes into the kitchen; she is wearing her new white frock.

DORRY. See, Granny, I've been and put it on for to show you better.

See the lace? Isn't it nice? And the beads, too. I didn't stop for to put on my shoes, nor my new stockings. Nor my hat, what's got a great long feather all round of it.

JANE. You bad, naughty girl, Dorry, you'll crease and tumble that frock so as it's not fit to be seen to-morrow! Whatever did you go to put it on for?

DORRY. So as that Gran should see something pretty, and so as she should come out of her trouble. Gran's always got some trouble in her mind, han't you, Granny?

VASHTI. A twelve year gone by, my child.

JANE. I'll give it you if you starts off again.

VASHTI. A twelve year gone by -

DORRY. A twelve year gone by, what then, Granny?

VASHTI. 'Tis more'n eleven years since her wented out of the door, my child--your poor mammy. Out of the door, out of the door! And likely as not 'twill be feet first as her shall be brought in again.

DORRY. Granny, was my poor mammy, what's dead, nice looking like Miss Sims as is going for to marry Dad, to-morrow?

VASHTI. 'Twas grand as a tree in full leaf and the wind a-moving all the green of it as was your mammy, my dear.

DORRY. And did she have fine things to her, nice gowns and things, like Miss Sims, Granny?

JANE. 'Twas the looks of her and the love of finery and pleasuring what was her undoing, as 'twill be the undoing of you, too, Dorry, if you don't take care. 'Tis she as you favours, and none of your father's people, more's the pity, and 'tis more thoughtful and serious as you'll have to grow if you don't want to come to harm.

You take and go right up, and off with that frock, do you hear me?

DORRY. O, I wanted to be let to go to the dancing now I'd got it on, I did.

JANE. Dancing, there you are! Dancing and finery, 'tis all as you do think on, and 'tis plain to see what's got working in the inside of you, Dorry. 'Tis the drop of bad blood as you has got from she what bore you. But I might as well speak to that door for all you cares. Only, hark you here, you'll be sorry one of these days as you han't minded me better. And then 'twill be too late.

[STEVE comes down the stairs, pushes open the door and enters.

STEVE. Well, Mother, what's up now? Gran, you here? Why, Dorry, what be you a-crying for?

DORRY. I wants to be let to go to the dancing, Dad--now that I've got my frock on and all.--O, I wants to be let to go.

STEVE. Well, Mother--what do you say? 'Twouldn't hurt for she to look in about half an hour, and Annie and me we could bring her back betimes.

DORRY. O, Dad, I wants to go if 'twas only for a minute.

STEVE. There, there--you shall go and we'll say no more about it.

JANE. I never knowed you give in to her so foolish like this afore, Steve.

STEVE. Well, Mother, 'tain't every day as a man's married, that 'tain't.

VASHTI. And so you're to be wed come to-morrow, Steve? They tells me as you're to be wed.

STEVE. That's right enough, Gran.

VASHTI. [Rising.] And there be no resting in me to-day, Steve.

There be summat as burns quick in the bones of my body and that will not let me bide.--And 'tis steps as I hears on the roadside and in the fields--and 'tis a bad taste as is in my victuals, and I must be moving, and peering about, and a-taking cold water into my mouth for to do away with the thing on my tongue, which is as the smell of death--So 'tis.

JANE. Now she's off again! Come, sit you down, Vashti Reed, and I'll give you summat as'll very likely warm you and keep you quiet in your chair a while. Just you wait till I gets the water boiling.

[She begins to stir up the fire and sets a kettle on it.

DORRY. [From the window.] Here's Miss Sims coming up the path, and Rosie too. O, they're wrapped up all over 'cause 'tis snowing. I'll open, I'll open.

[She runs to the door and unlatches it. ANNIE and ROSE SIMS come in, shaking the snow from them and unb.u.t.toning their cloaks, which STEVE takes from them and hangs on the door.