The Long Vacation Part 13

"Only they are kept down by their mothers, I suppose. Is that the reason they don't do anything but potter after essay societies and Sunday-schools like our little girls at Vale Leston? Why, I asked Gillian, as you call her, what they were doing about the Penitents'

Home, and she said her mother and Aunt Jane went to look after it, but never talked about it."

"You know they are all very young."

"Young indeed! How is one ever to be of any use if mothers and people are always fussing about one's being young?"

"One won't always be so--"

"They would think so, like the woman of a hundred years old, who said on her daughter's death at eighty, 'Ah, poor girl, I knew I never should rear her!' How shall I get to see the Infirmary here?"

"Miss Mohun would take you."

"Can't I go without a fidgety old maid after me?"

"I'll tell you what I wish you would do, Emmie. Write an account of one of your hospital visits, or of the match-girls, for the Mouse-trap. Do!

You know Gerald has written something for it."

"He! Why he has too much sense to write for your voluntary schools. Or it would be too clever and incisive for you. Ah! I see it was so by your face! What did he send you? Have you got it still?"

"We have really a parody of his which is going in--The Girton Girl.

Now, Emmie, won't you? You have told me such funny things about your match-girls."

"I do not mean to let them be turned into ridicule by your prim, decorous swells. Why, I unfortunately told Fernan Brown one story--about their mocking old Miss Bruce with putting on imitation spectacles--and it has served him for a cheval de bataille ever since! Oh, my dear Anna, he gets more hateful than ever. I wish you would come back and divert his attention."

"Thank you."

"Don't you think we could change? You could go and let Marilda fuss with you, now that Uncle Clem and Aunt Cherry are so well, and I could look after Adrian, and go to the Infirmary, and the penitents, and all that these people neglect; maybe I would write for the Mouse-trap, if Gerald does when he comes home."

Anna did not like the proposal, but she pitied Emilia, and cared for her enough to carry the scheme to her aunt. But Geraldine shook her head.

The one thing she did not wish was to have Emmie riding, walking, singing, and expanding into philanthropy with Gerald, and besides, she knew that Emilia would never have patience to read to her uncle, or help Adrian in his preparation.

"Do you really wish this, my dear?" she asked.

"N--no, not at all; but Emmie does. Could you not try her?"

"Annie dear, if you wish to have a fortnight or more in town--"

"Oh no, no, auntie, indeed!"

"We could get on now without you. Or we would keep Emmie till the room is wanted; but I had far rather be alone than have the responsibility of Emmie."

"No, no, indeed; I don't think Adrian would be good long with her. I had much rather stay--only Emmie did wish, and she hates the--"

"Oh, my dear, you need not tell me; I only know that I cannot have her after next week; the room will be wanted for Gerald."

"She could sleep with me."

"No, Annie, I must disappoint you. There is not room for her, and her flights when Gerald comes would never do for your uncle. You know it yourself."

Anna could not but own the wisdom of the decision, and Emmie, after grumbling at Aunt Cherry, took herself off. She had visited the Infirmary and the Convalescent Home, and even persuaded Mrs. Hablot to show her the Union Workhouse, but she never sent her contribution to the Mouse-trap.

CHAPTER IX. -- OUT BEYOND

Do the work that's nearest, Though it's dull at whiles, Helping, when we meet them, Lame dogs over stiles.

See in every hedgerow Marks of angels' feet; Epics in each pebble Underneath our feet.--C. KINGSLEY.

"Drawing? Well done, Cherie! That's a jolly little beggar; quite masterly, as old Renville would say," exclaimed Gerald Underwood, looking at a charming water-colour of a little fisher-boy, which Mrs.

Grinstead was just completing.

"'The Faithful Henchman,' it ought to be called," said Anna. "That little being has attached himself to Fergus Merrifield, and follows him and Adrian everywhere on what they are pleased to call their scientific expeditions."

"The science of larks?"

"Oh dear, no. Fergus is wild after fossils, and has made Adrian the same, and he really knows an immense deal. They are always after fossils and stones when they are out of school."

"The precious darling!"

"Miss Mohun says Fergus is quite to be trusted not to take him into dangerous places."

"An unlooked-for blessing. Ha!" as he turned over his aunt's portfolio, "that's a stunner! You should work it up for the Academy."

"This kind of thing is better for the purpose," Mrs. Grinstead said.

"Throw away such work upon a twopenny halfpenny bazaar! Heaven forefend!"

"Don't be tiresome, Gerald," entreated Anna. "You are going to do all sorts of things for it, and we shall have no end of fun."

"For the sake of stopping the course of the current," returned Gerald, proceeding to demonstrate in true nineteenth-century style the hopelessness of subjecting education to what he was pleased to call clericalism. "You'll never reach the ma.s.ses while you insist on using an Apostle spoon."

"Ma.s.ses are made up of atoms," replied his aunt.

"And we shall be lost if you don't help," added Anna.

"I would help readily enough if it were free dinners, or anything to equalize the existence of the cla.s.ses, instead of feeding the artificial wants of the one at the expense of the toil and wretchedness of the other."

He proceeded to mention some of the miseries that he had learnt through the Oxford House--dilating on them with much enthusiasm--till presently his uncle came in, and ere long a parlour-maid announced luncheon, just as there was a rush into the house. Adrian was caught by his sister, and submitted, without more than a "Bother!" to be made respectable, and only communicating in spasmodic gasps facts about Merrifield and hockey.

"Where's Marshall?" asked Gerald at the first opportunity, on the maid leaving the room.

"Marshall could not stand it," said his aunt. "He can't exist without London, and doing the honours of a studio."

"Left you!"