XII.
_AN ALARM._
NOR did she feel lighter-hearted in the morning, especially when Nelliebegan to lament the too plain fact that there must be a good many micein the house, and that they seemed to have come so suddenly. Firstdiscovered but two days ago in the store-room, and never seen or heardbefore since the family had occupied this house, they now appeared tobe running wild, all over. It was very singular, certainly.
So thought Nellie, adding that mamma would now "have no peace of herlife," so long as the mice were free, and she should ask papa to buy alot of mouse-traps and set them in every room.
Carrie knew only too well how this had come about; but now that mammadid know that there were mice in the house, she did not feel as if shecould confess that it was through her fault that they had been broughtupstairs. It seemed so horribly unkind, such a dreadful thing to havedone to mamma now.
So, although she was not cross and fretful as she had been last night,she went about listlessly, and with a subdued and melancholy mannerthat was worthy of Daisy herself when she was at the very lowest depthsof despondency, but with far better reason than Daisy usually had.
Even when Ruth, who felt a little grudge against her for her naughtyconduct of the last few days, snubbed her and pulled her about rathermore than was necessary when she was dressing her, Carrie bore itmeekly, not having spirit to answer back, and so softening the nurse byher silent submission that she gave her a kindly pat on the shoulder,saying that she saw she was "tired of being naughty and was going to begood to-day." Which small encouragement Carrie received as she left thenursery with as great a want of interest or animation as she had shownfor every thing that morning; and Ruth, shaking her head, privatelyconfided to baby her opinion that that child was "going to be sick, orshe never in the world would be so good."
When Mr. Ransom came down to breakfast, he said that Mamma would notbe down right away; but sent word that Nellie might "pour out" for herthis morning. She had had a restless, wakeful night, having been madenervous and uncomfortable by the knowledge that a mouse was around, andcould not compose herself to sleep after the little excitement in thechildren's room.
Were Carrie's troubles never coming to an end?
"Pouring out" was not new to Nellie, for she had made tea and coffeefor her father and brothers many a morning before when mamma was notwell enough to come downstairs; but still it was an important business,and one to which she felt obliged to bend every energy, till allwere served according to their liking. Then she felt at leisure forconversation, and for observing what was going on about the table.
"Are you not going to eat your breakfast, Carrie?" she asked, seeingthat her sister sat idly playing with her spoon, as if she had noappetite.
"I'm not hungry," answered Carrie, not altogether pleased at havingnotice drawn upon her.
"Did the mouse frighten your appetite away, Carrie?" asked Mr. Ransom,looking at her.
"No, papa,--I--I think not. I'm not afraid of mice," said Carrie.
"But he frightened us very much before we knew what it was," saidNellie; "and afterwards we thought he was in the bed, papa."
"What was it? Tell us all about it," said Johnny. "A mouse! Won't mammabe in a taking, though?"
"Poor mamma!" said Nellie; and then she related the whole story,seeming to think her own experience and Carrie's rather a good joke,though she was sadly troubled about mamma's nervousness over the matter.
"That's worse than white mice," said Daisy, who had listened with wideopen eyes, in such intense interest that she quite forgot to eat herbreakfast.
"But that's awful for mamma," said Bob. "What will she do?"
"It is a great pity," said Mr. Ransom. "I had hoped mamma would not betroubled in that way."
"They seem to be appearing all over the house at once," said Nellie,"and only since day before yesterday when I found the first in thestore-room."
"Did you find one in the store-room too?" asked Johnny.
"Ever so many in a box; but Catherine killed them," said Nellie, neverdoubting, of course, that she was stating the truth.
Carrie raised her downcast eyes in terror; but, to her relief, theservant in waiting had left the breakfast-room for one moment, andthere was no contradiction of Nellie's words.
"Why, Cad?" said Johnny, "what ails you? you seem to take the mousealmost as hard as mamma would. You needn't be afraid for your bird, ifthat's it; for he was only after the seed."
Mr. Ransom looked at Carrie again.
"Don't be troubled, little daughter," he said. "Johnny is right: themice will not hurt your birds. But you are quite upset with being sodisturbed last night, are you not? Come here to papa."
Dreading questions which she would not care to answer, and wishing thatshe could creep under the table, run out of the room, or hide herselfanywhere, Carrie was about to obey; but, before she could rise from herchair, there was heard a commotion overhead, a smothered scream inMrs. Ransom's voice, a running and scuffling, and then Ruth calling toher master to "come quick."
Mr. Ransom sprang from his chair, and rushed upstairs, followed byevery one of his boys and girls, fearing they knew not what, save thatsomething dreadful had happened.
Something dreadful, indeed, all the children thought, when, runninginto mamma's room, she was seen, pale, with closed eyes and quitesenseless, lying back in the arms of Ruth; while the baby, resentingbeing placed suddenly face downwards upon the bed, was shrieking withall its little might.
The younger children, not unnaturally, thought that she was dead, andwere terrified half out of their senses; but Nellie had seen mamma ina fainting fit before, and, though frightened, knew that she wouldbe better by and by. So she gave the best help she could by takingup the screaming baby and hushing its cries, and encouraging hersisters--although her own lips were trembling and eyes filling withtears--with hopeful words.
"What happened? What caused this?" asked Mr. Ransom, when he had laidhis wife upon the couch, and was engaged with the assistance of theservant women in restoring her.
"Indeed, sir, and it was just a mouse, nasty thing!" said Ruth. "I camein with the baby to ask Mrs. Ransom for some ribbon for its sleeves,and she went to the bureau drawer for them, and as she opened it whatdid a mouse do but jump right out on her. 'Twas enough to scare a bodythat wasn't afraid of mice; but, for her, it's no wonder it's halfkilled her, poor dear! We're just getting overrun with mice. There!she's coming to now. That's all right, dear lady!"
Carrie heard, saw mamma's eyes slowly unclosing and looking up at papa;but oh! how white and very ill she looked still. She heard and ran,anxious to shut out sight and hearing,--ran out of the room upstairsto the garret, and, squeezing herself behind the old furniture in theplace where she had hidden the mice, sobbed and cried as if her heartwould break.
What if mamma was not dead, as she had thought at first: she might bedying still, must be very ill to look like that, and she had done it.It was all her fault.