CHAPTER XXXII.
JASMINE BEGINS TO SOAR.
When Primrose went home and told her sisters and Miss Egerton what shehad done, Jasmine's eyes had grown first bright, and then misty.
"To be continual reader to Mrs. Mortlock!" she exclaimed. "Oh,Primrose, it is an act of self-denial to you--it is, isn't it? Own atonce that you were very brave to do it, darling."
"I don't think so," said Primrose; "there may be a certain littleamount of drudgery in it, and perhaps I would rather have orders topaint beautiful roses and lilies on china plates, but you see,Jasmine, this work has been sent to me--I think God sent it, and Imust not refuse it because perhaps I would like something elsebetter."
"That's bravely spoken, Primrose," said Miss Egerton who was sittingby, for she often spent odd half-hours with the girls. "Look ateverything in the same spirit, my love; try to see God's hand in allthe little events, and you will have a brave life and a happy one."
"And a successful, I hope," added Jasmine. "Miss Egerton, how awful itwould be if we girls were to fail!"
"My Prince says," here interrupted Daisy, "that whenever we do a goodthing and a right thing, we bring something fresh and lovely into ourPalace Beautiful. Isn't it nice to think that dear old Primrose hasdone this?"
"The money, too, will be of great help," added Primrose. "Why,Jasmine, we may even be able to save a little."
Thus encouraged, Primrose commenced her duties, and though her throatached--and she certainly found the continual reading of politics,interspersed with very sharp discussions on the part of Mrs. Mortlock,anything but agreeable--she did not give way.
Miss Egerton was pleased to see Primrose so bright, and was glad toknow she was really earning something; and Jasmine and Daisy preparedthe cheeriest welcomes possible for her evening after evening on herreturn.
Jasmine, however, by no means intended Primrose to be the only one whowas to bring assistance to the household purse.
Jasmine knew that they had all come up to London on purpose to beeducated, or to educate themselves, sufficiently to earn theirlivings. She considered that six months' experience of the ups anddowns of London life might bear fruit in her case as well as in hersister's.
Jasmine was supposed to be having her style formed by Miss Egerton'sdaily tuitions, but Miss Egerton's words of encouragement over herpupil's productions were decidedly meagre; and Jasmine, though sheloved her, had long ago confided to Daisy that she considered MissEgerton's manner had a damping effect on enthusiasm.
One bitterly cold March day Jasmine had been sitting for hoursscribbling away at her novel. Daisy petted the cat, looked over somewell-known picture-books, and finally sank back into the recesses ofone of the most comfortable chairs in the room and began to thinkabout the Prince.
"Don't go to sleep, Daisy," called out Jasmine presently. "I'm comingover in a minute to consult you."
Nothing could possibly be more gratifying to Daisy than to know thatJasmine wished to ask her advice. She accordingly roused herself,ceased to think of the Prince, and said, in a very bright littlevoice--
"I'll help you the best I can, Jasmine."
"It's just this," said Jasmine, dashing down her pen on the top ofher manuscript, and causing thereby a great blot--"it's just this,Daisy; I've got to do something, and you have got to help me."
"Oh, I'm sure if I can," said little Daisy, still in that slightlypatronizing voice, for the little maid's head was almost turned bybeing thus appealed to. "Is it to sew on buttons for you, Jasmine? forthough I don't like sewing on buttons, I'll do it, or even--even--I'lldarn your stockings, dear Jasmine."
Jasmine laughed.
"It's nothing of that kind, Eyebright; it's something much, much moreimportant. You know, Daisy, what we came up to London for--why, ofcourse you know why we left all our dear friends, and are living inabout the very dullest part of London--of course you know?"
"Was it?" said Daisy, looking dubious; "was it--I never could quitemake out--because Primrose did not like Mrs. Ellsworthy?"
"Oh, you silly, silly little thing! What a dreadful thing to get intoyour head, Daisy-flower! I did think you knew why we came to town, andgave everything up, and made ourselves so miserable."
"We did make ourselves miserable," sighed Daisy, "and I had to takeMr. Dove for my friend. I like to have him for my friend, though. Whatwas the reason, please, Jasmine?"
"We came to London for the glorious privilege of being independent,"chanted Jasmine, in a majestic voice. "Daisy, I'm going to be it. I'mgoing to fling my shackles to the winds. I'm going to soar."
"It sounds lovely," said Daisy. "You always were a poet, Jasmine, andI suppose poets do talk like that; but how are you going to beindependent, Jasmine?"
"I'm going to earn money, little woman. Miss Egerton has kept me inshackles. I've worn them patiently, but now I burst the bonds. Daisy,I have formed a little theory. I believe girls are sent into the worldwith a strong bias in a particular direction. You see, it always didseem to be meant that dear Primrose was to be a companion, orsecretary, of some sort; for Mrs. Ellsworthy wanted her to be Mr.Ellsworthy's secretary, and to write his letters for him. She wouldnot be that, even though it was her bent, and now she's got to acceptsomething far worse; for it really must be dreadful to be 'continualreader' to poor old Mrs. Mortlock. Now, Daisy, what I say isthis--there's no use in wasting time or money looking after thingswhich don't suit us. Primrose was meant to be a secretary or continualreader, and so she has to be one; and I have always been meant tobelong to the rather higher order of novelist or poet, and there's nouse in my being damped any longer by Miss Egerton. I don't mean to beconceited, but I know that I have got the flutterings of a poet'swings in my soul, and soar I must."
Jasmine looked very pretty while she was speaking, and little Daisyadmired her high-flown words, and fully believed in her genius.
"Do soar, Jasmine, darling," she said; "I have not a notion how youare to do it, but do begin at once. It will make these rooms more thanever like a Palace Beautiful if you take to soaring in them."
"I've nearly finished my novel," said Jasmine; "and I've also writtena poem. It is called the 'Flight of the Beautiful,' and is in sevenparts. Each part would take up two or three pages of a magazine.To-morrow, Daisy dear, I am going to take my novel and poem into themarket. I shall offer them to the highest bidders. I won't send themby post, for I always notice in books that, when gifted authors sendtheir contributions by post, they are declined with thanks, becausethey aren't read. I am going to take my own manuscripts to thepublishers, Daisy, and I shall propose to them to read aloud a fewextracts."
"You can't be at all shy if you do that, Jasmine," said Daisy, lookingin a rather awe-struck way at her sister.
"Shy?" echoed Jasmine. "If one feels it, one has only to get over it.Is that the way to conquer difficulties, Daisy?--just to be baffled bya little nervous feeling. No, I really want to fill the purse, and Ialso wish to give the publishers what I am sure they must be alwayslooking for; for I have looked in vain, month after month, in severalmagazines, and nowhere have I seen three or four pages of continualblank verse. I suppose they can't get it, poor things! but they willin my 'Flight of the Beautiful!'"
"_I_ think blank verse a little dull," said Daisy, softly, and halfunder her breath; but, when Jasmine frowned, she added hastily, "Ofcourse you're splendidly brave, dear Jasmine; and who'll go with youto the publisher's when you do go?"
"I've been considering that," said Jasmine; "and I think I'll takePoppy. Poppy is to have a whole holiday on Tuesday next, because herquarter's wages are due, and I'll ask her to come with me. She'd enjoyit--Poppy would--and very likely in the evening I'll be able to tellyou and Primrose that I've made my first success. Oh, how happy andhow proud I shall be!"
A few minutes afterwards Jasmine went out, and Daisy wondered solemnlyif her bent in life was to keep on friendly terms with Mr. Dove.
"I'm very glad I took the Prince's advice," she said to herself. "I'mmuch, much happi
er since I came to the Palace Beautiful, and I don'tthink Mr. Dove minds much, for he has never answered my letter. Ohdear! perhaps I was too much afraid of Mr. Dove. I am so glad thePrince explained to me about being a selfish little girl. And, oh dear!there is the Prince!"
Arthur Noel often came to see Daisy. He came in the evenings at anhour when the elder girls were often away, and then Daisy sat on hisknee, and chatted to him volubly.
This afternoon she told him about both her sisters.
"Is having a bent the same as destiny, Mr. Noel?" she inquiredanxiously. "Jasmine says she has a bent, and she must follow it, andno one can prevent her."
"The bent can be guided, Daisy," said Arthur; but he looked puzzledand seemed uncomfortable at the little girl's news. The Ellsworthy'shad begged of Noel to promote the interests of these girls. He wasonly too anxious to do so, but he found his task by no means an easyone. What wild imprudence would poor little Jasmine commit if she wasnot aided and helped; surely Primrose's work was too uncongenial forher long to continue it. Why did the girls persistently reject thekindnesses of those who would help them? Where was it all to end?Their money could only hold out to a certain date. How fragile Daisylooked, even now; had anybody been cruel to the little one? What wasthe mystery about Mr. Danesfield's letter? and above all things, whydid not Mr. Danesfield reply to a long epistle which Arthur had senthim some weeks ago?