Yr Ynys Unyg Part 15

But we renewed our conversation, and, though I used my best arguments, and had Madame on my side, and though the battle waxed hot and loud, and was oft renewed between us, I never could get Schillie to allow that it was of the slightest use our thus exerting ourselves. This surprised me a good deal, for she had so much plain good sense, and was so naturally clever, and gifted with such brains for invention and concoction, that I expected to find her the champion of my plans, instead of the damper she proved. The hot and relaxing climate might have had some effect on her const.i.tution, or the good hope she always carried about with her that we were not to remain here for ever, might make her reluctant to take trouble for nothing.

But it proved always in the end, the more busy and interested we were in our occupations the quicker time went, and less of it was spent in those vain regrets and idle wishes that left wounds on the heart which nothing could heal.

In justice, I must say, when fairly roused, none worked so hard or so well and the little workpeople had to look sharply about them when she was in superintendence.

She was in a cross mood one day, when she discovered me writing.

_Schillie._--"What can you be doing, June?"

_Mother_ (hesitating a little).--"I am writing a journal."

_Schillie._--"Now, pray, tell me for what purpose."

_Mother._--"It will be interesting to us to recur to some day; or it will serve to enlighten our own descendants, should we never leave this place."

_Schillie._--"Well, I could not think you would be so absurd. Who wants to recall this horrible time; or what possible interest can you put into the details of such a life as ours."

_Mother._--"I grant it's very difficult, but you are at liberty to look at it."

_Schillie_ (reading).--"Ha! a thunderstorm (very interesting). Another (truly pathetic). Felix ill (the dear pet, how sorry his grandchildren will be to hear it). Gatty in mischief (when is she ever out of it?) Schillie worked the most of all (and what has she got to do besides?) Very merry tea (what a fib, when we have had no tea this month). Sybil so amiable (yes, quite mawkishly so). Our dear captain (good me! what a monody). The good Smart (perfect epitaphs over them all, pity they are not in rhyme). Well, June, of all the nonsense I ever read your journal seems the crown thereof."

_Mother._--"I don't pretend to write anything amusing, for how can I with so few incidents; only I wished to keep a sort of journal."

_Schillie._--"It seems to me nothing but about the children, how they were naughty and how they got good again. Why don't you write the geological structure of the island, the botanical history, and a whole account of the birds and beasts."

_Mother._--"That I leave for your abler head and pen."

_Schillie._--"Then it will never be done. I hate the place so much, I would not record a single thing about it."

_Mother._--"If that is the case, leave my poor journal alone. I grant it is everything you say, dull, stupid, and monotonous, nevertheless, I have a fancy to keep it."

_Schillie._--"Then, pray, indulge your fancy, and, in addition to keeping your journal, keep it locked up, for it is quite enough to endure all the children's twaddle, without writing it down."

My spinning-wheel answered remarkably well; but all my spinning was of little avail, as we had no idea of weaving. Schillie promised if she was not bothered by having to build more houses, she would try her hand at inventing a weaving machine the next rainy season. Luckily my yarn or thread was as coa.r.s.e as needs be, and answered very well for crocheting and knitting. In both these arts we became wonderfully skilful; sewed crochet boots and shoes, while others knitted petticoats and jackets, so that we were in no particular fear that when our present clothes failed we should become a tribe of white savages. The children grew like the vegetation, and Gatty stalked over the ground like a young Patagonian.

We had no lack of food, though we had neither beef or mutton, but poultry, birds, fish, eggs, and turtle, with innumerable vegetables and fruits, were surely enough for our simple party. In the midst of our many avocations, sighs and tears would arise for those we loved; neither could the the affection we bore each other, and the peaceful, useful, and happy lives we led, obliterate from our minds all we had lost. It was no uncommon thing, especially on Sunday, for us to collect round a favourite tree, and talk of and picture to ourselves what was pa.s.sing at each home. In remembering the simple stedfast faith of my Father, the hopeful, sweet, loving nature of my Mother, I could not but think that through their virtues we might hope for a restoration to home. As the sins of the parents are visited on the children, so are their virtues means of showering blessings to the third and fourth generation. Was it possible that we were to be finally severed from the world for ever? all the comforts of civilized life fresh in our minds and thoughts. And here I sometimes paused, thinking to myself should we be restored in a few years, in what sort of state and condition should I deliver up each of my precious charges to their parents. I could not disguise from myself that their present mode of life was not suited for the highly-bred and polished youth of the nineteenth century. Madame, I must say, whatever employment they were about, from cutting down a tree to was.h.i.+ng and peeling potatoes, never failed to inculcate a ladylike way of doing either employment, and spared no pains to make them as accomplished and graceful as our limited means afforded her.

Sybil was naturally so feminine and elegant that no rough work could spoil her. Serena had a bounding springing freedom of action that befitted a graceful young savage, and was too healthful and pretty to make any act one not suiting to her; while that dear young leviathan, Gatty, could have been graceful nowhere, though beaming with health and strength; how she did grow, and how she found out she was stronger than the little Mother, and how she teased her in consequence, enticing her upon little shelves of rock, under pretence of having discovered a new plant, and then keeping her there, though I might be calling for my lost companion until I was hoa.r.s.e. Mischievous Gatty, and yet good and loving as she was mischievous. Serena managed her admirably, and could make her do whatever she liked; and it was pretty to see the sylph-like girl holding the great strong powerful Gatty in awe, lecturing her in a gentle, grave, simple way, with a sweet low voice, that murmured like a stream. Sybil might talk of duty, and "you ought" and "you ought not,"

until her fair face was flushed with talking, but she either found herself showered over with insects, or laid gently on the greensward, or swung up into a branch of a tree, from which she feared to jump down. No mercy had Gatty upon the gentle soft Sybil. The only one among the children who did not seem happy was Oscar. He had no boy of his own age to a.s.sociate with in boyish pastimes; he was brought prematurely forward, from being the eldest male of our company; he had been pa.s.sionately attached to his home, and he could bear no allusion to it, or the probability of not seeing it again, without being seriously unhappy for the day. Fond as they were of each other, his brother was too young to enter into the feelings that were unnaturally old, because forced on him.

If Schillie and Gatty devoted themselves to him for a day, he seemed more happy, but he loved to mope about by himself with his gun; and while he grew tall and strong, his face was pale, and his brow thoughtful beyond his years. Many were my anxious thoughts about him, and I lamented a thousand times having suffered Smart to leave, for he would at all events have been some sort of companion to him. Of all our party, he certainly was the only one who invariably remained grave and quiet, whatever might be the pleasantries in which we indulged.

Madame talked for an hour upon the dreadful fact of having no new music for the girls, and used the same phrases and words concerning there being no shop to buy a new cap as she did to the anxieties we had endured and the fears that others must be enduring for us.

Her horror at having no chemist near to make up her tonic mixture equalled the horror she felt at what had become of our companions, or seeing the girls do anything inconsistent to her notions as befitting young ladies caused her as dreadful a shock as the thunder. She was afflicted with fits of dying perpetually, which we remedied the best way we could, generally finding out that a long confidential talk about her sorrows, making her will, and confiding her last wishes to us, restored her as soon as any other recipe. But she was so good, and so fond of the children, that Madame had but to speak to have us all her messengers; even Schillie succ.u.mbed to her when the dying fit came on, matter of fact as she was, and scolding me as she did for giving in to it. I had exhausted all my efforts at consolation in one fit, and sent in Schillie to take my place.

"Well, Madame," began Schillie, in a great, stout, hearty, anti-invalidish voice, "better, of course, you are, I see."

_Madame_ (in a faint whisper).--"Ah, my dear Madam, my dear kind friend, I may say now I am going to leave you."

_The great Voice._--"I am proud to be your friend always, Madame, but it's all nonsense talking of leaving us. Why you look as well and rosy----"

_Madame_ (a little hysterical).--"Fever, dear Mrs. E., all fever; my poor frame cannot support this long."

_The Voice._--"Fever, is it? Let me count your pulse. Very good pulse, rather weak I should say. Take a gla.s.s of port wine and you will be all right."

_Madame._--"Dear friend, your robust frame knows not what it is to suffer. Ah, the agonies I endure, the insupportable suffering!"

_Schillie_ (a little softer).--"Rheumatism, I dare say; I have it sometimes in my knees, and it is very aggravating."

_Madame._--"Alas, alas, would that it were; but I must not lose my precious moments, I must try to speak while I am able."

_Schillie._--"Don't hurry, don't hurry, dear Madame. I have nothing to do at present, I can wait as long as you like."

_Madame._--"Dear Mrs. E., thanks, but it is I, it is my time that is so short."

_Schillie._--"Oh, come, come, that's all nonsense. I see no symptoms of dying about you. Indeed you look better than I have seen you for ages."

_Madame._--"It's all deception. My time has come, dear friend, and to you I wish to confide my last wishes."

_Schillie._--"But I never can keep a secret. Don't confide anything to me."

_Madame._--"They are not secrets. I only wish to confide my beloved little ones to your care after I am gone."

_Schillie._--"But I hate children, Madame. June will take care of them."

_Madame._--"Ah, I know she will; but she is so fond, so tender a Mother, she sees no faults in them. There is my darling Sybil, she is certainly, if a human being can be, faultless."

_Schillie._--"She is a very good soul in her way, Madame, but shockingly untidy."

_Madame._--"But her lovely smile, her sweet engaging manners. My Serena is something like her, but, being so much with Gertrude, she is a little less ladylike in manners than I could wish. Could you, dear Mrs. E., just hint to her when I am gone----"

_Schillie._--"Oh, good lack! no, Madame, I can hint nothing. I'll tell her you thought her unladylike if you wish; but I think both she and Gatty are first-rate Girls. They are afraid of nothing, and your pattern, Sybil, jumps at a spider."

_Madame._--"Dear angel! I must go on. My lovely Zoe will certainly have a poke if she is not watched."

_Schillie._--"I'll poke her up always, Madame, I promise you, for your sake."

_Madame._--"Thank you, thank you, and my pretty Winifred. Have you not observed how she turns in her right foot?"

_Schillie._--"No indeed, Madame, I never observed either right or left foot, but I'll look out, if I remember, for the future."

_Madame._--"Thanks, dear friend, I think that is all about my darlings, save Lilly's eyes."

_Schillie._--"They are very good eyes, Madame, and neither poke or turn in, which would be a squint I suppose."

_Madame._--"They are lovely eyes, of heaven's own blue, but she ruins them by reading no much."

_Schillie._--"Well, I'll stop her reading. Anything more Madame?"