XXI
ON THE RIGI-KULM
For all that grand old Rigi's summit claimed them, it was some timebefore Mr. King's party left the little parlour. Herr Bauricke surelydidn't want to until he had gotten it settled just what he did meanabout Polly's music. That she showed great promise, that some faults inthe way she had been taught were there, but it was by no means too lateto mend them, that she had spirit and expression and love for the art.
"Ah, dat is eet, after all." Herr Bauricke clasped his long fingers andbeamed at her, and then swept the entire party. "Lofe, ah, how one mustlofe eet! Eef not, shame, shame!" His countenance darkened frightfully,and he fairly glared at them, as he unclasped his hands and swung oneover his head, while his black beard vibrated with each word.
"Goodness me!" exclaimed Tom Selwyn, "it takes a musical man to slingaround. I say, Jasper, I'd like to do a bit of boxing or cricketingwith him." But Jasper didn't hear or see anything but Herr Bauricke andPolly; and, indeed, the whole room was given up to the "musical man"and his words.
At last Polly drew a long breath; Grandpapa was taking her hand. "Letus all go out and explore a bit," and off they went, the entire party.And the "musical man," as Tom still continued to call him in private,proved to be as expert in the use of his feet as his fingers, for heled them here, there, and everywhere that promised the least chance ofa good view.
But Polly saw only the glorious future when, on the morrow, HerrBauricke would really show her on the piano how best to study and towork! And the rosy glow of sunset wasn't one-half as bright as all herdreams.
"Polly," said Phronsie, pulling her hand gently, as she peered up intoher face, "are you looking at it?"
"What, Pet? Oh, yes," said Polly, starting out of her revery with alittle laugh, "you mean the sunset?"
"Yes," said Phronsie, "I do mean that. Are you looking at it, Polly?Because if you are not looking, I wish you would, Polly."
"Well, I suppose I am looking at it, Phronsie," said Polly, withanother little laugh, "but perhaps not in just the right way, for yousee, Phronsie, I can't seem to see anything but just the splendid thingthat is coming to-morrow. Oh, Phronsie Pepper, just think of that."
"I know," said Phronsie, with a little gurgle of delight at Polly'shappiness, "and I am so glad, Polly."
"Of course you are," declared Polly, warmly, "just as glad as can be,Phronsie," and she threw her arm around her. "And now I'm going to lookat the sunset in the right way, I hope. Isn't it beautiful, child?"
"Polly," declared Phronsie, suddenly wriggling away from Polly's arm,to stand in front of her with a beaming face, "I think it's just asbeautiful as it can be up top here. I can see right in between that redcloud and that little pink teenty one. And I wish I could just go in,Polly."
"Wouldn't it be nice?" echoed Polly, enthusiastically.
"What?" asked Adela, hurrying up from a point of rocks below, where shehad been sketching.
"Oh, to go in between those clouds there and see it all," said Polly.
"Dear me!" exclaimed Adela, "I shouldn't like it. I'd much rather staydown here, and sketch it."
"We could go sailing off, oh, ever so far," said Polly, swinging herarms to suit the action to the words. "And you'd be stuck to your rockhere, Adela; while, Phronsie, you and I would sit on the edge of acloud, and let our feet hang over; and oh, Adela, you could sketch usthen as we went sailing by."
"How that would look!" exclaimed Adela, with such a face that Pollyburst out into a merry laugh, and Phronsie, joining with her littlecrow of delight and clapping her hands at the idea of such fun, broughtpretty much the whole party around them.
"What's up?" cried Tom to Jasper, on the way to the girls with somefear, for he didn't dare even yet to talk much to Polly. As for Adela,he let her severely alone.
"Don't know," said Jasper, "but we'll soon find out," and they did, byPhronsie's flying away from Polly and skipping down over the rocks tomeet them.
"Oh, Jasper, Polly's telling how we would sail on that beautifulcloud," announced Phronsie, her yellow hair flying from her face as shesped along, heedless of her steps.
"Take care or you'll fall," warned Jasper. "See, your mother is lookingworried." And, truth to tell, Mrs. Fisher, on a point of rocks a littleway off with the others, was getting a bit alarmed as she saw theprogress of her baby.
"I'll take care," said Phronsie, sobering down at thought of Mamsie'sbeing troubled, and beginning to pick her way carefully. And Jaspergathered up her fingers in his, thinking of the time when she toiled upand down the long stairway, when she first came to what was now herhome, blessed thought! and Polly and he sat down at the foot to watchher.
"And so Polly and you are going to try sailing on that cloud there,"said Jasper, squinting up at the brilliant sky.
"We aren't really going, Jasper," said Phronsie, shaking her head,soberly, "because you see we can't. But Polly's pretending it all; andwe're to sit on the edge and swing our feet. And Adela is going to makea picture of us."
"Whew!" whistled Jasper. "And I say, Polly,"--for now they hadscrambled up to the two girls,--"isn't there room for us on that cloudtoo?" While Tom kicked pebbles, and wished he knew how to talk to girls.
"Perhaps," said Polly, gaily. "Oh, I suppose that those who couldn'tget on our cloud could take the next one."
"I'd rather have your cloud, Polly," said Jasper.
"And Grandpapa must come too," cried Phronsie, in alarm at the verythought of his being left out. "I want him on our cloud, Polly."
"Yes, and Mamsie and Papa-Doctor," finished Polly, ready for anynonsense, she was just bubbling over so with joy at thought of themorrow and what it would bring. "Well, it is good the cloud is big,"squinting up at the radiant sky.
"And, Tom, you are coming on that cloud-boat."
Jasper pulled him forward with a merry laugh, giving him a clap on theback at the same time.
"Eh--oh, I can't--no, thank you," stammered Tom, thus suddenly broughtinto notice. "Excuse me," just as if the invitation had been a _bonafide_ one.
Polly never smiled, but Adela giggled right out. Tom's face flushed,and he rushed off furiously, determined never to chance it againwhereby he'd be mortified before girls--not he!
All the gay time was flown, and the red and pink and purple cloudslooked down upon a sorry, uncomfortable little group. Jasper spokefirst. "I must go after him," and he dashed down the rocks.
"O dear me, I couldn't help it," said Adela, twisting uncomfortably,"it was so silly in him to take it all in earnest."
"He didn't really think we meant it," said Polly, her brown eyes verygrave. Would Jasper really persuade him to forget that laugh? "But heis shy, and he said the first thing that came into his head."
"Boys haven't any right to be shy," said Adela, fussing with her littlesketching block and pencil, "they are so big and strong."
"Why did Tom run away so fast?" asked Phronsie, only half comprehending.
"Never mind, child," said Polly, with a reassuring pat on her head.
"And isn't Jasper coming back?" asked Phronsie, in great distress.
"Yes, oh, I guess so," said Polly. "Well, there, the pretty glow hasall faded; see, Phronsie," pointing up to the leaden clouds that no onewho had failed to see a few moments before could have imagined alivewith colour. "Now we ought to run over to the others, for they'll begoing back to the hotel."
"It's all gone," said Phronsie, sadly, looking up at the darkening sky."Polly, where has the pretty red and pink gone to?"
"Oh, I don't know," said Polly, thinking only of Tom, and what a hardtime Jasper must be having with him. "Take care, Phronsie, don't lookup now--you'll fall! There, take my hand; now come on."
"O dear me, I didn't mean to laugh," Adela was saying to herself as shefell back in the zig-zag path down the rocks. "I wish Ihadn't--I'll--I'll--" What she meant to do wasn't very clear in hermind; what she did do, was to run up to her grandmother's and her room,and toss her sketch-book on the table, and herself on the bed, for ago
od hearty cry.
Polly found her there, when they couldn't find her anywhere else, withmuch searching and running about. Little old Mrs. Gray was worryingdreadfully, so afraid she had been blown from the rocks; for the windhad now risen, and all the travellers were seeking the shelter andwarmth of the hotel corridor and parlours.
"Oh, Adela, how _could_ you?" Polly was going to say. And then shethought that would be the very worst thing in all the world, forAdela's shoulders were shaking, and it would only make her cry worse.And besides, Polly remembered how she had sometimes given way in justthis fashion, and how much worse she would have been, had it not beenfor a wise, good mother. So she ran out in the hall. "I must tell hergrandmother," she said to herself.
"Have you found her?" asked Jasper, looking up from the foot of thestaircase.
"Yes," said Polly, "I have."
"All right." And Jasper vanished, and Polly went slowly back, wishingshe could be downstairs with all the dear people, instead of trying tocomfort this dismal girl. The next moment she was kneeling down by theside of the bed, and trying to get hold of one of Adela's hands. ButAdela bounced over to the farther side, and she cried out angrily,"It's all very well for you to say so, because you didn't do it. Andeverybody likes you. O dear me--tee--hee--boo--hoo!"
"But I've often done things just as bad," confessed Polly, "and, Adela,I've cried like this, too. But Mamsie--oh, Adela! she made me see itwas wrong; so I had to stop it, you know."
"How is it wrong?" asked Adela, rolling over, and taking thehandkerchief away from one eye enough to see Polly Pepper's face. "Ican cry, I guess, if I want to, without asking anybody."
"Oh, no, you can't," said Polly, decidedly. "I mean no one can."
"Why not, pray tell?" said Adela, sniffing very hard. "My eyes are myown, and I shall cry, too, whenever I want to."
"Well, I can't just tell you exactly why you can't cry when you wantto," said Polly, afraid she wasn't going to say the right word, "butMamsie could if she were here. I'll go and call her, Adela." And Pollysprang to her feet. "She'll come, I know."
"Oh, no--no," cried Adela, in mortal alarm. "I don't want her--I meanI'd rather have you. You're a girl; and a woman talking at me scaresme."
"Then you mustn't cry if I stay," said Polly, stopping short, andseeing her advantage, "for I surely shall go, Adela," she added firmly,"unless you stop crying."
"O dear me." Adela squirmed all over the bed. "I can't stop--I'vealways cried as much as I wanted to. O dear me--boo-hoo-hoo! Imean--I'll stop, don't go--" sopping up her wet face with a nervoushand. "See, Pol-_ly_!" for Polly had slipped out of the room. Adelaflew off from the bed. "Polly--Polly, Pol-_ly_!" she called, in apiteous little tone.
Polly, halfway down the stairs, looked back. "Oh, you are up," shesaid, with a smile. "Now that's fine; come." And she held out her hand.
"Mercy me, and O my!" cried Adela. "I can't go looking like this; why,I'm a perfect sight, I know, Polly Pepper! and my nose feels all bungedout of shape and as big!"
"Never mind," said Polly, as reassuringly, "just dash some water overit, and it'll be all right. I'll wait here for you."
So Polly stood on her stair while Adela, bemoaning all the way that shedidn't look fit to be seen, and that she was a perfect sight, and shecouldn't go down among them all, stumbled back into her room. Andpretty soon Polly heard a big splash. "O dear me--oh, what shall I do?"
"What _is_ the matter?" cried Polly, deserting her stair, to run in andup to the washstand.
"Just see what I've done," exclaimed Adela, holding out one arm. It wasdripping wet, and the water was running off in a stream and down tomeet a small puddle where the splash had struck on the floor.
"The pitcher slipped--O dear me--ugh--" cried Adela, wriggling all over.
"Stand still," said Polly, "do, Adela, till I wipe your sleeve dry."And she got the towel and began to sop and to pat Adela's arm.
"It never'll feel dry, it's perfectly awful--ugh--Polly Pepper,"declared Adela, twisting away from Polly's fingers; "it's just like awet snake--ugh--O dear me! and it gives me the creeps."
"You'll have to put on another waist, I do think," said Polly, hangingup the towel, aghast to find herself growing angry at all this delay,and with half a mind to run and leave Adela to herself.
"O dear me, and there's this water running all over the floor," criedAdela, stepping gingerly over the pool, and trying to pick off the wetsleeve from her arm at the same time.
"I'll fix it," said Polly, as cheerily as she could, "while you getyour waist on." And she sopped the water up. "There, that's done," sheannounced with satisfaction; "now do hurry, Adela."
"I can't get out of this old, horrid, wet sleeve," said Adela, very redin the face, and pulling and twitching at it.
"Take care, you'll tear it," warned Polly.
"I don't care if I do," said Adela, peevishly. "O dear me, somebody'scoming!" With that she flew into the closet and pulled to the door.
"Why, Polly!" exclaimed Mother Fisher, in surprise, "what is thematter? We are all waiting to go in to dinner."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," began Polly, feeling as if nothing would be sodelightful as to have a good cry in Mamsie's arms and tell all thestory.
"Well, you must come right away," said Mrs. Fisher. "Why, where isAdela?" looking around the room.
"I'm here," said Adela, from the closet.
"Come out here, Adela," said Mrs. Fisher. So Adela came out, the wetsleeve still on her arm; but she had gotten out of the rest of thewaist.
"That's too bad," said Mrs. Fisher; and in a minute Adela's wet arm wasfree and nicely dried, and a clean waist being found, it was soon on,and then Mother Fisher took up the hairbrush. "We must have this allnice and smooth," she said. And Adela stood still, liking it all verymuch; and her hair was brushed, much as if she had been Phronsie, andthen Mother Fisher released her with a smile. "There, now you areready," she said.
"She didn't scold a bit," said Adela, going after her with Polly downthe stairs, and forgetting her red eyes and swollen nose.
"Our mother never scolds," declared Polly, with her head very high,"never in all this world, Adela Gray."
And at dinner Tom Selwyn looked across the table, and when he caughtsight of Adela's face, and saw that some one else could feel as badlyas he could, and he guessed the reason, he made up his mind what he wasgoing to do next. And as soon as the meal was over, without givinghimself time to think, he marched up to Adela. "Say, I didn't much mindbecause you laughed, don't you know," and held out his hand.
"I've been crying ever since," said Adela, "and I didn't mean to laugh."
"I know it," said Tom to the first part of her sentence, and looking ather nose. "Well, never mind now, so it's quits, and shake hands."
"I don't know what quits is," said Adela, putting out her hand.
"Oh, it's when things are evened up somehow," said Tom; "not exactlythat, but it will do well enough by way of explaining."
"And I'm never going to laugh again at anybody," said Adela, liftingher red eyes.
"Well, come on, don't you want a game of draughts?" said Tom, awkwardly.
"Draughts?" repeated Adela, very much puzzled. "I don't know it."
"Why, what a whopper!" Tom was going to say, but changed it to, "Why, Isaw you playing it last night with Polly Pepper."
"Why, no, you didn't," said Adela, not very politely, "that wascheckers."
"That's the same thing," said Tom, triumphantly, "only you Americanscall it that funny name."
"Well, I think it's a great deal nicer name than draughts," said Adela;"that's silly."
"Well, checkers; that's senseless," retorted Tom, "and, besides, youAmericans always say 'nice' at everything." Then he looked at her redeyes and poor little nose, and added kindly, "Well, never mind, call itcheckers, then, I don't care; let's have a game," and he rushed for theboard.
Mrs. Selwyn looked from her corner where she had taken a book, andsmiled to see him playing a game with a girl. Then she nodded ove
r toJasper, and he smiled back.
And Adela never once thought how she looked. And she beat Tom twice,and that quite set her up. And then for the next three games he routedher men completely off the board. And, strange to say, she kept hertemper, and even smiled at the disaster.
"That's a good game." Old Mr. King came up as the last one was goingon. "Tom, my boy, you play a fine one."
"And she fights well," said Tom, generously. "She beat me twice."
"You don't say so," exclaimed Mr. King. "Well, that's doing prettywell, Adela, to get ahead of the English lad. But you don't stand muchof a chance this time; Tom's got the game, sure." And so it proved inless time than it takes to write it.
And then everybody said "good night" to everybody else; for the Alpinehorn would sound at the earliest dawn to waken the sleepers to see thesunrise.
"Mamsie," cried Polly, raising her head suddenly as she cuddled intobed, "supposing we shouldn't hear that horn--just supposing it! Oh,can't I stay awake? Do let me, Mamsie."
"Your Grandfather has made arrangements for us all to be called," saidMrs. Fisher, "so we won't have to depend on the horn, and now you mustgo to sleep just as fast as ever you can. Then you'll be as bright as abutton in the morning, Polly."
"Mamsie," said Polly, "I don't think Grandpapa has kept from doinganything he could to make us happy, do you, Mamsie? not a single thing."
"No," said Mother Fisher, "I don't, Polly."