IX
EVANGELINE GIVES MARY SOME MAGIC COUNTERS
Sister Agatha felt afraid that Mary would be too excited to go to sleepthat night, but as soon as her head touched the pillow she shut hereyes, although she dreamed of all manner of strange things. When sheawoke the next morning Sister Agatha was already dressed, and as theblinds had been drawn up, Mary slipped out of bed and limped to thewindow.
Although her foot was a great deal better, she still walked as if shewas lame, and she soon grew tired. She limped to the window, and if thesea had looked beautiful yesterday, it looked far more beautiful withthe morning sun shining on it. When Mary was dressed, Sister Agatha tookher downstairs to a smaller room, with open glass doors instead ofwindows, and when she stepped through them she found herself in a lovelygarden. Some men who were digging in it touched their caps to Mary, andshe said--
'Good morning,' and felt that she was quite an important little person.Then Sister Agatha called her into the room again, and they sat down tobreakfast. 'I wish I could go to the sea,' said Mary.
'So you shall,' answered Sister Agatha, 'but not this morning. I amgoing to show you the park this morning.'
'This afternoon, then?'
'This afternoon there will be the Maypole,' said Sister Agatha.
'What's a Maypole?' asked Mary.
'I knew you would say that,' said Sister Agatha; 'but I am afraid youmust wait until you see it.'
'Where's Evangeline?' cried Mary presently. 'I wish she could havebreakfast with us!'
'The idea of such a thing,' was the answer. 'Evangeline has a great dealto do and a lot of friends to entertain.'
'Does the prince live here?' asked Mary.
'He lives next door,' said Sister Agatha; 'only next door is a quarterof a mile away.'
'How funny!' exclaimed Mary.
'And some day,' said Sister Agatha, 'he will go to live a long way off,and Evangeline will go with him--that will be very soon now.'
'Will she take me?' asked Mary, looking a little anxious.
'No,' said Sister Agatha quietly; 'I don't think she will want either ofus, dear.'
'Shall I stay here?' asked Mary.
'No, you certainly can't stay here.'
'Then what shall I do?' cried Mary, putting out her lower lip, andlooking as if she were going to cry.
Sister Agatha passed her right hand over the little girl's brown hair,and stared rather sadly into her face: 'I am sure I don't know what willhappen,' she answered. 'But come, we will put on our clothes and go intothe garden.'
When once they were out of the house, there were a great many things tosee. There were the chickens to begin with, dozens of them, and they allcame round Mary cackling so loudly that she could hardly hear herselfspeak. Then she went into a field where there were a lot of sheep withtiny frisking lambs, and into another field where six brown calves stoodclose together by the gate, and would not move to let Sister Agatha passthrough. On the way home they went into a house built of glass. It feltvery hot, and there were ever so many bunches of grapes hanging from theroof. And in the afternoon there was the Maypole. Mary stood in front ofthe house a little way from Evangeline and the prince and the otherpeople, but they all seemed to be laughing and talking too much to lookat Mary.
She felt disappointed that Evangeline took no notice of her, and sheheld Sister Agatha's hand more tightly. It was true that Sister Agathawas not quite so pretty as Evangeline nor so young, and she always worethe same dress, but still she was very nice for all that. Mary hadalways felt she belonged to Evangeline, because it was Evangeline whotook her away from William Street. Besides, Sister Agatha seemed morelike an ordinary person, only nicer and kinder than any one Mary hadever known, but Evangeline was not an ordinary person at all.
The Maypole stood before the door with a crown of flowers at the top,and a lot of prettily dressed children around it. Each child held acoloured ribbon in one hand, and they all sang as they danced round theMaypole winding and unwinding the ribbons. Mary thought it was all verynice, only she would have liked to hold one of the ribbons too, thoughit was true she did not know much about dancing, even if her foot hadbeen quite well.
But the most delightful thing Mary had ever seen was the sea. It hadbeen surprising when she looked at it from the window, but when SisterAgatha took her on to the beach, and her feet sank into the soft sand,and there were so many nice wet things to pick up, Mary began to laughand to clap her hands for joy.
She liked to see the waves curling towards her, then to watch whilstthey changed from green to the purest white, and just when she thoughtthey were going to wet her shoes, they ran away again with a noise thatmade Mary think they were laughing at her, as if they were only playingand quite enjoying the game.
'There's another ship!' cried Mary. 'I wonder where it's going to?' shesaid, looking up into Sister Agatha's face.
'A long, long way,' was the answer. 'To a place where the people aredifferent from us. They are all black, and they don't wear clothes.'
'What do they do when it's cold?' asked Mary.
'It's never cold in those countries,' said Sister Agatha. 'It is alwaysvery hot--far hotter than it is here.'
'Oh, then that's fairy-land, too!' Mary exclaimed.
'Yes, every place is full of wonders, you know,' answered Sister Agatha.
'All except William Street,' said Mary, and Sister Agatha took her handand they walked slowly back to the house. The next day happened to bewet, and during the afternoon Evangeline came to see Mary for the firsttime since she left London. But when Mary had made up her mind for anice chat, or perhaps for a story, Sister Agatha gave her a picture-bookand told her to sit down.
'We have very serious matters to discuss,' she said, 'so you must keepstill and not speak a word.'
Mary opened the book, but her attention soon turned from the pictures toEvangeline, who was sitting at a round table with a pencil in her handmaking figures. Presently Evangeline took a purse from her pocket, andemptied it on to the table.
'I know what those are!' exclaimed Mary, unable to keep silent anylonger. 'They're the magic counters! I wish I might have one,' she said.
'What should you do with it?' asked Evangeline.
'I should give it to some one when I wanted anything done very much,'said Mary.
'You may have one if you like,' answered Evangeline, and Mary eagerlyheld forth her hand. That evening Sister Agatha gave her a purse to keepher treasure in, but Mary was always taking it out to look at it and tomake sure it was safe.
She had never had anything in her life that she liked so much. It wasnot only that it was bright and pretty to look at, but it made her feelso much safer. If she wanted anything done--anything very important--shecould give some one the magic counter, and he would be sure to do it.Not that there seemed anything that Mary wanted done very particularly,only to see a little more of Evangeline. As it was, she saw hardlyanybody but Sister Agatha, of whom she grew fonder each day. The factwas, they were all busily preparing for a great and important event, andsometimes even Sister Agatha was too busy to give much time to Mary.
Mary would have liked to see more of Evangeline, but there was anotherperson whom she did not wish to see at all, and that was Mrs. Coppert.She had made up her mind to keep her magic counter lest Mrs. Coppertshould ever try to take her back to William Street, then she would useit to send Mrs. Coppert away again.
But although Mary had quite decided to keep the counter for the benefitof Mrs. Coppert, she was tempted to change her mind one day. It was inthe afternoon; she was sitting by the window that opened on to thegarden, and being quite by herself she felt rather lonely. Then she sawEvangeline pass the window.
'Please come in!' Mary cried. 'I'm all alone!' and, stepping into thegarden, she caught hold of Evangeline's dress.
'I'm afraid I haven't time to come in just now,' answered Evangeline,standing outside the window.
'Do come in and tell me a story!' pleaded Mary.
'I will try to
tell you a story to-morrow,' said Evangeline.
'No, to-day!' said Mary, and, as Evangeline shook her head, Marysuddenly recollected her magic counter. She felt she wanted so much tohear a story that she could not even save the magic counter for Mrs.Coppert. So she put her hand in her pocket, and took out her purse, butunfortunately she could not open it.
'I want you to open it,' said Mary, holding out the purse to Evangeline.When the purse was opened Mary took it back, and she made up her mindthat she would not quite shut it another time. Then she managed to takeout the flat, round, yellow thing, which she placed in Evangeline'shand.
'What is this for?' asked Evangeline, looking a good deal surprised.
'It's one of the magic counters, you know,' said Mary, 'and I want youto tell me a story--a fairy story, please.'
Now as this was the first time she had used the magic counter, Mary felta little anxious to see how it would act, and at all events she hopedEvangeline would give it back to her again, although she did not feel atall sure about it. She was greatly relieved to see Evangeline smile andlook at the watch which she wore on her wrist.
'You can put this back in your purse again,' said Evangeline, andentering the room she sat down and drew Mary to her side.
'You'll tell me the story all the same,' answered Mary, as she put themagic counter back into her purse.
'Oh yes, I must, you see!' cried Evangeline with a laugh; 'only it willhave to be rather a short one. You said nothing about the length.'
'Not too short,' said Mary, 'and about fairies, please;' and then shenestled snugly against Evangeline as she began the tale.