CHAPTER XXII.
"Prithee, forgive me!"
"Papa, can't I see Gracie?" Lulu asked when he came in with her dinner.
"Certainly, if you are ready to obey."
The child's lip quivered. "I'm so tired of that bread and milk," she said."Can't I have something else? I'm sure you and everybody in the house havea great many good things."
"We have, and it is a great grief to me that I cannot share them with mylittle Lulu. I have very little enjoyment in them because of that."
"Papa, I'm sorry I've been so naughty, so impertinent to you. I don't meanever to be so again; and I'll be a good girl every way after this, ifyou'll let me out."
"Then come with me to your mamma," he said, holding out his hand.
"I can't ask pardon of her," she said, turning away with a sob.
"You must, Lucilla," he said in a tone that made her tremble. "You neednot think to conquer your father. I shall keep you here on this plainfare and in solitary confinement until you are entirely penitent andsubmissive."
He waited a moment, but receiving no reply, went out and locked the door.
"She is still stubborn," he said to Violet, whom he found alone in theirroom across the hall, sighing deeply as he spoke; "and the closeconfinement is telling upon her; she grows pale and thin. Oh, how my heartbleeds for her, my dear child! But I must be firm. This is an importantcrisis in her life, and her future character--therefore her happiness fortime and eternity--will depend greatly upon how this struggle ends."
The next day was the Sabbath, and on returning from church, he went toLulu's room.
Little had passed between them since the talk of yesterday when he carriedin her dinner. He found her now sitting in a listless attitude, and shedid not look up on his entrance.
He lifted her from her chair, sat down in it himself, and took her on hisknee.
"Has this holy day brought no good thoughts or feelings to my littlegirl?" he asked, gently smoothing the hair back from her forehead.
"You know I couldn't go to church, papa," she said, without looking athim.
"No; I know you could have gone, had you chosen to be a good, obedientchild."
"Papa, how can you go on trying to make me tell a lie when you have alwaystaught me it was such a wicked, wicked thing to do?"
"I try to make you tell a lie! what can you mean, daughter?" he asked ingreat surprise.
"Yes, papa, you are trying to make me ask Mamma Vi's pardon after I havesaid I wouldn't."
"Ah, my child, that was a wicked promise because it was rebellion againstyour father's authority, which God commands you to respect. Therefore thesin was in making it, and it is your duty to break it."
Then he made her repeat the fifth commandment, and called her attention toits promise of long life and prosperity, as far as it shall be for God'sglory and their own good, to all such as keep it.
"I want you to inherit that blessing, my child," he said, "and to escapethe curses pronounced against those who refuse obedience to theirparents."
Opening the Bible, he read to her, "The eye that mocketh at his father anddespiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out,and the young eagles shall eat it."
She gave him a frightened look, then, with a slight shudder, hid her faceon his breast, but did not speak.
"Lulu," he said, again softly stroking her hair, "about nine years ago Icame home from a long voyage to find a dear little dark-eyed babydaughter, and as I took her in my arms, oh how my heart went out in loveto her and gratitude to God for giving her to me! I loved her dearly then.I have loved her ever since with unabated affection, and never doubted herlove to me until now."
"Papa, I do love you," she said, hastily brushing away a tear. "I've saidI was sorry for being naughty to you and didn't mean to do so any more."
"And yet are continuing to be naughty and disobedient all the time. It isquite possible, Lulu, that you may some day be fatherless; if that timeshould come, do you think you will look back with pleasure to these daysof rebellion?"
At that she cried quite bitterly, but her father waited in vain for a wordof reply.
He put her on her knees on the floor, knelt beside her, and with his handon her head prayed earnestly, tenderly that the Lord would cast out herwicked temper, forgive her sins, give her a new heart, and make her hisown dear child.
Rising, he took her in his arms again for a moment, she still sobbing, butsaying not a word, then putting her gently aside, he left the room.
To her surprise her dinner of bread and milk was presently brought up byAgnes, who set it down and went out without exchanging a word with her.
The same thing occurred at supper-time.
Lulu began to be filled with curiosity not unmingled with apprehension,but was too proud to question the girl.
All through the afternoon and evening her thoughts dwelt much upon whather father had said to her, and the words and tender tones of his prayerrang in her ears and melted her heart. Beside she had become thoroughlyconvinced that what he had said he would do, so that there was no hope ofrelease until won by obedience.
She was disappointed that he did not come with her supper nor afterward,for she had almost resolved to submit. She cried herself to sleep thatnight, feeling such a love for her father as she had never known before,and an intense longing for his kiss of forgiveness.
She became not willing only, but eager to do his bidding that she mightreceive it.
In the morning she dressed herself with neatness and care and impatientlyawaited his coming. She was sure it must be long past the usual hour whenat last the door opened and Violet came in with the waiter of bread andmilk.
She set it down and turned to the little girl, who stood gazing at her insilent surprise.
"Lulu, dear, your father is very ill," she said in tones quivering withemotion, and then the child noticed that there were traces of tears abouther eyes and on her cheeks, "He was in terrible pain all night, and isvery little better this morning," she went on. "O Lulu, I had a dear, dearfather once, and he was taken ill very much as yours has been and--in afew days. Oh, how I loved him! and while he lived I thought I was a gooddaughter to him, for I don't remember ever being wilfully disobedient, butafter he was gone my heart reproached me with having neglectedopportunities to give him pleasure, and not having always obeyed quite sopromptly and cheerfully as I might, and I would have given worlds to goback and be and do all I ought."
She ended with a burst of tears, covering her face with her hands andsobbing, "O papa, papa! O my husband, my dear, dear husband!"
"O Mamma Vi! I will ask your pardon--I do! won't you please forgive me forbeing so very, very naughty and impertinent? when you have been so goodand kind to me too," sobbed Lulu, dropping on her knees at Violet's feet.
"I do with all my heart," Violet said, lifting her up and kissing her."And shall we not always love each other for your dear father's sake?"
"Oh, yes, yes, indeed! I do love you! I don't know what made me be sowicked and stubborn. Mayn't I go to papa and tell him how sorry I am, andask him to forgive me too?"
"Yes, dear, come; perhaps it may help him to grow better, for I know hehas grieved very much over this," Vi said, taking the child's hand andleading her into the room where the captain lay.
As he saw them come in thus his eye brightened in spite of the severe painhe was enduring.
With one bound, Lulu was at his side, sobbing, "Papa, papa! I'm so sorryfor all my badness, and all your pain. Please, please forgive me. I'vedone it--asked Mamma Vi's pardon, and--and I'll never talk so to heragain, nor ever disobey you any more."
"I hope not, my darling," he said, drawing her down to give her a tenderfatherly kiss of forgiveness. "I am rejoiced that you have given up yourrebellion so that now I can love and pet you to my heart's content--if Godspares me to get up from this bed of pain. I do forgive you gladly, deardaughter."
For several days the captain was very ill, but the best of medical advicewas
at hand, the best of nursing was given him by Elsie and Violet,assisted by Mr. and Mrs. Dinsmore and others, and, by the blessing ofProvidence, upon these means he recovered.
Lulu seemed very unhappy and remorseful until it was quite certain that hewould get well, took little interest in any kind of recreation, and wasoften found hovering about the door of his room, eager to learn how he wasand if possible gain admission to his presence, or permission to dosomething for his relief.
She was a changed child from that time, perfectly respectful, obedient,and affectionate toward both her father and Violet.
When the captain had once begun to mend, the improvement was very rapid,and he was soon able to share in the drives and other recreations of theirparty.
During his illness Grandma Elsie had been very kind to his children,acting a mother's part by them, attending to their wants, comforting andencouraging them with hope of his recovery, and they had grown very fondof her.
At first Lulu shrank from all her new mamma's relatives, and even from Maxand Gracie, ashamed of her misconduct and expecting to receive unpleasantreminders of it.
But she met with nothing of the kind, except that Max, when she first camedownstairs, said. "It does seem strange, Lulu, that when so many men haveto obey papa the instant he speaks, his own little girl should stand outso long and stubbornly against his authority;" and Gracie, with her armsabout her sister's neck, sobbed, "O Lu how could you make dear papa sosorry for so many days?"
"Was he so sorry?" sobbed Lulu.
"Yes, indeed; sometimes he hardly ate anything, and looked so sad that thetears came in my eyes, and in Mamma Vi's too."
"Oh, I hope that wasn't what made him sick!" cried Lulu, the tearsstreaming down her face. "I'll never, never behave so to him again."
Lulu was still more remorseful as time went on and everybody was so kindto her, seeming never to remember her naughtiness and disgrace, but givingher a share in all the pleasures devised for themselves which weresuitable to her age.
She was especially touched and subdued by the interest Violet took inseeing her provided with new dresses made and trimmed in the fashion(which, to her extreme vexation, Mrs. Scrimp had always disregarded), andwith many other pretty things.
When she thanked her new mamma, she was told, "Your father pays for themall, dear."
Then she went to him with tears in her eyes, and putting her arms roundhis neck, thanked him for all his goodness, confessing that she did notdeserve it.
"You are very welcome nevertheless, daughter," he said, "and all I ask inreturn is that you will be good and obedient."
Vi wished to return to Lulu the pink coral ornaments, but that he wouldnot allow.
It was a great disappointment to Lulu, for she admired them extremely, butshe showed herself entirely submissive under it.