The Gold of Chickaree Part 58

'We will begin with one of those trunks to-morrow. I have a presentiment, that if you do not fill it, I shall.'

Hazel shook her head.

'I fancy I have enough extravagance now on hand to last me some time,' she said. 'Unless you prefer that I should come down?or come up!?gradually, and not with a jump.'

'Neither come down nor come up. Only go forward keeping the harmony we have chosen to walk in. I am so ignorant of all but men's dress! or perhaps I could speak more intelligibly. But in general, seek your old ends, of beauty and fitness?only looking to see that things more precious are not pushed out of the way by them, or for them.'

CHAPTER XXVI.

AN ACCOUNT AT THE BANK.

'd.u.c.h.ess,' said Rollo the next morning at breakfast, 'which cabinet maker is to have the honour of your patronage?'

'I suppose it is not fair to do people good against their will,' said Hazel. 'If Prim would like the common one?and the money?

best, she must have that. But I shall let her know _she_ chose it.'

'You would not like to be suspected of having practised economy?'

'Not unjustly.'

'How is that an unjust suspicion, which is founded on fact?'

'I am not practising economy a bit. Prim wants a secretary?and you say she would like that best.'

'Excuse me! I said she would like that and the hundred and fifty dollars best; and you will practise economy to give them to her.

Nicht?'

'Not at all. Only self-denial. I never did buy ugly things, and I don't like it.'

'Self-denial is almost as good as economy, and one step towards it.

But I would remark, that economy and ugly things have no necessary connection.'

'No,' said Hazel?'_my_ alternative would be dest.i.tution.'

'Economy has no connection whatever with dest.i.tution.'

'O there you are mistaken,' said the girl arching her brows. 'But for dest.i.tution, it need not exist. But I wish I could think of the right explosive materials to put in Prim's trunk! She wants waking up, Olaf,?and you have just stroked her down for a nap.'

Dane's eyes snapped at the speaker across the table; and then he asked in a quiet business tone, 'what sort of lethargy Prim had fallen into?'

'I said nothing about lethargy. I must get a ream of paper initialed in blue and gold, and another in crimson, to help line the secretary.

And three journal books in green bevelled antique, and fifty note- books in yellow Turkey morocco. And?how many gold pens does Prim wear out in a year?'

'You made a profound remark just now on the origin of economy; I should like to have your definition of the thing. Would you favour me?'

'Mind,' said Hazel, laughing a little, 'it is an unproved definition, the word itself being but lately introduced; but at present it seems to me, the doing without what you want yourself, to give it to somebody who wants it more.'

A line of white made itself visible between Rollo's lips, and the curves of his mouth were unsteady. When they were reduced to order again, he asked,

'What more shall we do for New Year in the Hollow?'

Certain cloaks and dresses for women and children, it may be remarked, had already been sent up. Wych Hazel considered.

'Would it be possible?but we shall not be at home to give them a night Festival. There went no books nor pictures into the Christmas work?'

'Books?I am afraid?they are not ready for. Pictures?pictures are harmonizing; I am going to get you some; I would like to put a picture in every house. What sort? I have thought about it and failed to decide.'

'Do I want harmonizing in that sense?' Hazel asked with a laugh.

'You want all sorts of things. Go on.'

'Well?for the pictures?I would not get them all alike. It destroys one's sense of possession.'

'True. But the more the variety, the greater the difficulty.'

'What are your nations?'

'Swedes and Germans, a few Irish, a sprinkling of Americans and English.'

'Good pictures of animals, I should think,' said Hazel, going deep into the matter; 'and of s.h.i.+ps,?and of children. Englishmen would like King Alfred burning the cakes, and Canute at the sea, and I suppose the queen in her royal robes, and the battle of Trafalgar.

Then there are bits of the Rhine, and Cathedrals, and Martin Luther, and a Madonna or two, for your Vaterland people,?and mountains and ice and reindeer?' Hazel broke off with a blush.

'How I run on!'

'We will have them all, for future use,' said Rollo smiling. 'The time will come, but I believe it is not yet. The people are hardly ready. It wouldn't be good economy. You do not understand that subject, I know, but you will excuse me for alluding to it. Now for business.'

Drawing Wych Hazel away from the breakfast table to another table which stood in the room, he opened a bank cheque book which lay there.

'Do you know what this is?'

'I see.'

'This is for your use and behoof. And this other little book contains?or will contain?your account with the bank. They will keep the account, and all you have to do is to send it to the bank every quarter to be written up. There, in your cheque book, opposite each cheque, you register the amount drawn by that cheque; so as to know where you are. Verstanden?'

'Yes,' said Wych Hazel, 'I have watched Mr. Falkirk often over his.'

'The capital which is represented by ten thousand a year,' Dane went on with business quietness, 'I have settled, absolutely and without reserve, upon you. That amount will be yearly paid in to your account, to be drawn out at your pleasure.'

'Why do you let me have more than I used to have?' she said quickly.

Rollo's lips played a little as he answered,?'I think it is good for your health to be d.u.c.h.ess in your own right somewhere.'

'What makes you say that?'

'Conviction.'

'Ah hus.h.!.+?I am talking business. Did Mr. Falkirk talk to you about it?'