CHAPTER XX
DANCE OF THE RAINBOW FAIRIES
GEORGINA, intent on washing the frying-pan and cleaning the last vestigeof burnt egg from the top of the stove, did not hear Mrs. Saggs come inat the front door with Aunt Elspeth's dinner on a tray. Nor did she hearthe murmur of voices that went on while it was being eaten. The bedroomwas in the front of the house, and the rasping noise she was making asshe scratched away with the edge of an iron spoon, kept her from hearinganything else. So when the door into the kitchen suddenly opened it gaveher such a start that she dropped the dishcloth into the woodbox.
Mrs. Saggs sniffed suspiciously. There was something reproachful in themere tilt of her nose which Georgina felt and resented.
"I thought I smelled something burning."
"I s'pect you did," Georgina answered calmly. "But it's all over now. Iwas getting my dinner early, so's I could sit with Aunt Elspethafterward."
Mrs. Saggs had both hands full, as she was carrying her tray, so shecould not open the stove to look in; but she walked over towards it andpeered at it from a closer viewpoint, continuing to sniff. But there wasnothing for her to discover, no clue to the smell. Everything whichGeorgina had used was washed and back in place now. The sharp eyes madea survey of the kitchen, watching Georgina narrowly as the child, havingrinsed the dishcloth after its fall, leaned out of the back door to hangit on a bush in the sun, as Uncle Darcy always did.
"You've been taught to be real neat, haven't you?" she said in anapproving tone which made Georgina like her better. Then her glance fellon a work-basket which had been left sitting on top of the flour barrel.In it was a piece of half-finished mending. The sharp eyes softened.
"I declare!" she exclaimed. "It's downright pitiful the way that old mantries to do for himself and his poor old wife. It's surprising, though,how well he gets along with the housework and taking care of her andall."
She glanced again at the needle left sticking in the clumsy unfinishedseam, and recognized the garment.
"Well, I wish you'd look at that! Even trying to patch her poor oldnightgown for her! Can you beat that? Here, child, give it to me. Myhands are full with this tray, so just stick it under my arm. I'll mendit this afternoon while I'm setting talking to the company."
She tightened her grip on the bundle which Georgina thrust under herarm, and looked down at it.
"Them pitiful old stiff fingers of his'n!" she exclaimed. "They suremake a botch of sewing, but they don't ever make a botch of being kind.Well, I'm off now. Guess you'd better run in and set with Mis' Darcy fora spell, for she's waked up real natural and knowing now, and seems tocrave company."
Georgina went, but paused on the way, seeing the familiar rooms in a newlight, since Mrs. Saggs' remarks had given her new and illuminatinginsight. Everywhere she looked there was something as eloquent as thatbit of unfinished mending to bear witness that Uncle Darcy was far morethan just a weather-beaten old man with a smile and word of cheer foreverybody. Ringing the Towncrier's bell and fishing and blueberrying andtelling yarns and helping everybody bear their trouble was the leastpart of his doings. That was only what the world saw. That was all shehad seen herself until this moment.
Now she was suddenly aware of his bigness of soul which made him capableof an infinite tenderness and capacity to serve. His devotion to AuntElspeth spread an encircling care around her as a great oak throws thearms of its shade, till her comfort was his constant thought, herhappiness his greatest desire.
"Them pitiful, old, stiff fingers of his'n!" How could Mrs. Saggs speakof them so? They were heroic, effectual fingers. Theirs was somethingfar greater than the Midas touch--they transmuted the smallest serviceinto Love's gold.
Georgina, with her long stretching up to books that were "over herhead," understood this without being able to put it into words. Norcould she put into words the longing which seized her like a dull ache,for _Barby_ to be loved and cared for like that, to be as constantly andsupremely considered. She couldn't understand how Aunt Elspeth, old andwrinkled and childish, could be the object of such wonderful devotion,and Barby, her adorable, winsome Barby, call forth less.
"Not one letter in four long months," she thought bitterly.
"Dan'l," called Aunt Elspeth feebly from the next room, and Georginawent in to assure her that Uncle Darcy was _not_ out in the boat andwould not be brought home drowned. He was attending to some importantbusiness and would be back bye and bye. In the meantime, she was goingto hang her prism in the window where the sun could touch it and let therainbow fairies dance over the bed.
The gay flashes of color, darting like elfin wings here and there asGeorgina twisted the ribbon, pleased Aunt Elspeth as if she were achild. She lifted a thin, shriveled hand to catch at them and gave aweak little laugh each time they eluded her grasp. It was such a thinhand, almost transparent, with thick, purplish veins standing out on it.Georgina glanced at her own and wondered if Aunt Elspeth's ever couldhave been dimpled and soft like hers. It did not seem possible that thisfrail old woman with the snowy-white hair and sunken cheeks could everhave been a rosy child like herself. As if in answer to her thought,Aunt Elspeth spoke, groping again with weak, ineffectual passes afterthe rainbows.
"I can't catch them. They bob around so. That's the way I used to be,always on the move. They called me 'Bouncing Bet!'"
"Tell me about that time," urged Georgina. Back among early memoriesAunt Elspeth's mind walked with firm, unfailing tread. It was only amongthose of later years that she hesitated and groped her way as if lost infog. By the time the clock had struck the hours twice more Georgina feltthat she knew intimately a mischievous girl whom her family calledBouncing Bet for her wild ways, but who bore no trace of a resemblanceto the feeble old creature who recounted her pranks.
And the blue-eyed romp who could sail a boat like a boy or swim like amackerel grew up into a slender slip of a lass with a shy grace whichmade one think of a wild-flower. At least that is what the olddaguerreotype showed Georgina when Aunt Elspeth sent her rummagingthrough a trunk to find it. It was taken in a white dress standingbeside a young sailor in his uniform. No wonder Uncle Darcy looked proudin the picture. But Georgina never would have known it was Uncle Darcyif she hadn't been told. He had changed, too.
The picture made Georgina think of one of Barby's songs, and presentlywhen Aunt Elspeth was tired of talking she sang it to her:
"_Hand in hand when our life was May. Hand in hand when our hair is gray. Sorrow and sun for everyone As the years roll on. Hand in hand when the long night tide Gently covers us side by side---- Ah, lad, though we know not when, Love will be with us forever then. Always the same, Darby my own, Always the same to your old wife Joan!_"
After that there were other songs which Aunt Elspeth asked for, "Oh,wert thou in the cauld blast," and "Robin Adair." Then came a longtiresome pause when Georgina didn't know what to do next, and AuntElspeth turned her head restlessly on the pillow and seemed uneasy.
Georgina wished with all her heart she was out of the stuffy littlebedroom. If she had gone with the others, she would be speeding alongthe smooth, white road now, coming home from Brewster, with the wind andsunshine of all the wide, free outdoors around her.
Aunt Elspeth drew a long, tired sigh.
"Maybe you'd like me to read to you," ventured Georgina. She hesitatedover making such an offer, because there were so few books in the house.Nothing but the almanac looked interesting. Aunt Elspeth assented, andpointed out a worn little volume of devotions on top of the bureau,saying:
"That's what Dan'l reads me on Sundays."
Georgina opened it. Evidently it had been compiled for the use ofsea-faring people, for it was full of the promises that sailor-folk bestunderstand; none of the shepherd psalms or talk of green pastures andhelp-giving hills. It was all about mighty waters and paths through thedeep. She settled herself comfortably in the low rocking-chair besidethe bed, tossed back her curls and was about to begin, when
one of therainbow lights from the prism danced across the page. She waited,smiling, until it glimmered away. Then she read the verses on which ithad shone.
"_All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me, yet the Lord willcommand His loving kindness in the daytime, and in the night His songshall be with me._"
The sweet little voice soothed the troubled spirit that listened likemusic.
"_When thou passeth through the waters I will be with thee, and throughthe rivers: they shall not overflow thee.... Thus saith the Lord whichmaketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters._"
Aunt Elspeth reached out a groping hand for Georgina's and took the softlittle fingers in hers. Georgina didn't want to have her hand held,especially in such a stiff, bony clasp. It made her uncomfortable to sitwith her arm stretched up in such a position, but she was too polite towithdraw it, so she read on for several pages.
"_He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. So Hebringeth them into their desired haven._"
Attracted by the sound of heavy breathing, she looked up. Aunt Elspethwas asleep. Georgina laid the book on the table, and slowly, very slowlybegan to raise herself out of the chair, afraid of arousing the sleeperwho still held her hand. As she stood up, the board in the floor underher squeaked. She was afraid to take another step or to try to pull herhand away. She had come to the end of her resources for entertainment,and she was afraid Aunt Elspeth's next awakening might be to a crying,restless mood which she could not control. So she sat down again.
It was very still in the bedroom. A fly buzzed on the outside of thewindow screen, and away off on another street the "accommodation" wasgoing by. She could hear the bells jingling on the horses. As she satthus, not even rocking, but just jiggling the chair a trifle, the wordsshe had read began to come back to her after a while like a refrain:"So He bringeth them into their desired haven. So He bringeth them intotheir desired haven." She whispered them over and over as she oftenwhispered songs, hearing the music which had no tone except in herthought.
And presently, as the whispered song repeated itself, the words began tobring a wonderful sense of peace and security. She did not realize whatit was that was speaking to her through them. It was the faith which hadlived so long in these lowly little rooms. It was the faith which hadupborne Uncle Darcy year after year, helping him to steer onward in theconfidence that the Hand he trusted would fulfil all its promises. Shefelt the subtle influence that goes out from such lives, without knowingwhat it was that touched her. She was conscious of it only as she wasconscious of the nearness of mignonette when its fragrance stole in fromthe flower-bed under the window. They were both unseen but themignonette's fragrance was wonderfully sweet, and the feeling ofconfidence, breathing through the words of the old psalm was wonderfullystrong. Some day she, too, would be brought, and Barby would be broughtinto "their desired haven."
Georgina was tired. It had been a full day, beginning with that diggingin the dunes. Presently she began to nod. Then the rocking chair ceasedto sway. When the clock struck again she did not hear it. She was soundasleep with her hand still clasped in Aunt Elspeth's.