Say and Seal Volume I Part 58

'Where there is no s.p.a.ce For the glow-worm to lye; Where there is no s.p.a.ce For receipt of a fly; Where the midge dares not venture, Lest herself fast she lay; If love come he will enter, And soon find out his way!'

So, Miss Faith, you may expect to see me appear some time in the shape of a midge!--Endecott will tell you I am not much better than that now."

So far Faith got in reading the letter, and it was a long while before she got any further; that message to herself she went over again and again. It was incomprehensible, it was like one of Mr. Linden's own puzzles for that. It was so strange, and at the same time it was such a beautiful thing, that Mr. Linden's sister should have heard of _her_ and in such fas.h.i.+on as to make her wish to send a message! Faith's head stooped lower and lower over the paper, from her mother and the lamp.

It was such a beautiful message too--the gracious and graceful wording of it Faith felt in every syllable; and the lines of the old ballad were some of the prettiest she had ever seen. But that Faith should have _love_ sent her from Italy--and from that person in Italy of all others!--that Mr. Linden's sister should wish to see _her_ and threaten to do it in the shape of a midge!--and what ever _could_ Mr. Linden have told her to excite the wish? And what of this lady's precious things had Faith taken care of?--'such care' of! "Mother!"--Faith began once by way of taking counsel, but thought better of it, and went on pondering by herself. One thing was undoubted--this message in this letter was a matter of great pleasure and honour! as Faith felt it in the bottom of her heart; but in the midst of it all, she hardly knew whence, came a little twinge of something like pain. She felt it--yes, she felt it, even in the midst of the message; but if Faith herself could not trace it out, of course it can be expected of n.o.body else.

CHAPTER XXII.

Phil Davids, taking his morning walk through the pleasant roads of Pattaqua.s.set, engaged in his out-of-school amus.e.m.e.nts of hunting cats and frightening children, was suddenly arrested in the midst of an alarming face ('got up' for the benefit of Robbie Waters) by the approach of Sam Stoutenburgh. In general this young gentleman let Phil alone, 'severely,' but on the present occasion he stopped and laid hold of his shoulder.

"Phil Davids! I've a warrant against you."

"Hands off, Sam! and let a man alone, will you! What do you mean by that?" said Phil gruffly.

"Yes--I'll let him alone--when I find him, if he's like you," said Sam with great coolness and some little contempt. "But if you're tired of your own face, Phil, why don't you make up a handsome one, while you're about it? Keep out of his way, Robbie! can't you?"

"Guess you don't know what folks says o' yourn! Do you?" said Phil, wriggling his shoulder from under Sam's hand, "_I_ do!"

"I guess I know as much as is good for me," replied the undaunted Sam.

"But that's none of your business just now. Mr. Linden wants to see you, Phil--and it aint often anybody does that, so you'd better make the most of the chance." With which pleasing sentiment, Sam released Phil, and taking a sharp run after Robbie. Waters enticed him into a long confidential conversation about his new Sunday school teacher. In the midst of which Phil's voice came again.

"'Twon't hurt you Sam--jest listen once. They say, Sam Stoutenburgh would have been a Lady apple, if he hadn't grown to be such a Swar, and all the while _he_ thinks he's a Seek-no-further. That's what folks says. How d'ye like it?"

"Firstrate!" said Sam--"glad I missed the Lady apples, anyhow,--and as for 'tother, never thought myself one yet--don't like 'em well enough.

When you get through paying me compliments, Phil Davids, you'd better go and see Mr. Linden."

"Guess I will!" said Phil swaggering off,--"when I want to see him; and that aint to-day, by a long jump."

"He said you were to come--" Sam called after him. "If I wasn't a Stoutenburgh sweeting, Phil Davids, I'd teach you to talk of him so! If I only was!--" Sam added sotto voce, "wouldn't I pack myself up in a basket! Robbie, what sort of flowers did Miss Faith have in her bonnet?" At which interesting point the two turned a corner out of Phil's sight.

But Phil pursued his way; decently regardless of threats or invitations, and having a wholesome opinion of his own that in holiday time Mr. Linden had nothing to say to him. In no possible time had he anything to say to Mr. Linden that he could help. So it happened, that coming in soon after Mr. Linden had dismissed his breakfast, Faith found Mr. Linden alone. She brought to his side a basket of very fine-looking pears.

"Mr. Davids has sent you these, Mr. Linden."

"He is very kind," said Mr. Linden. "That is more than I asked for. He hasn't sent Phil in the basket too, has he?--as the easiest way of getting him here."

Faith rather startled, and pa.s.sing over that asked Mr. Linden how he did. Which point, having learned all he wanted upon the other, Mr.

Linden was also ready for. Faith then leaving the basket by the couch side, went to the fire and hearth, and put them more thoroughly to rights than Cindy's delicacy of touch, or of eye, had enabled her to do; and going on round the room, care fully performed the same service for everything in it generally. This work however was suddenly stopped in the midst, and coming to the head of the couch, rather behind Mr.

Linden, Faith spoke in a low and ill-a.s.sured tone.

"Mr. Linden--will you let me be by this morning when Dr. Harrison dresses your arm?"

There was a moment's silence, and then raising himself up and turning a little so as to see her, Mr. Linden answered, gravely though smiling,

"No, Miss Faith!"

She coloured very much and drew back.

"I asked--" she said presently, speaking with a good deal of difficulty,--"because he spoke of being away--and then there would be no one to do it--and mother is afraid--"

And there Faith stopped, more abashed than anybody had ever seen her in her life before. He held out his hand, and took hers, and held it fast.

"I know--" he said,--"you need not tell me. When is the doctor going away?"

"I don't know," she said almost under breath--"he said perhaps--or I thought--I understood him to mean in a few days."

"Miss Faith!"--and the tone was half expostulating, half scolding, half caressing. "Come here and sit down by me," he said, gently drawing her round to the low chair at his side, "I want to talk to you. Do you need to be told why I said no?"

She sat down, but sunk her head a little and put up her other hand to s.h.i.+eld the side of her face which was next him. The answer did not come at once--when it did, it was a low spoken "no." Her hand was held closer, but except that and the moved change of his voice, Mr. Linden took no notice of her fear.

"I would not let Pet do it--" he said gently, "if I could help it. My child, do you know what a disagreeable business it is? I could trust you for not fainting at the time, but I should ill like to hear of your fainting afterwards. And then if you chanced to hurt me--which the doctor often does--you would be unhappy for the rest of the day,--which the doctor by no means is. That is all--I would a great deal rather have your hands about me than his, but a thing that would give you pain would give me very doubtful relief. I had rather go with my arm undressed."

He had gone on talking--partly to give her time to recover; but the silent look that was bent upon that s.h.i.+elded face was a little anxious.

She dropped the hand that s.h.i.+elded it presently, and shewed it flushed and wistful, yet with a tiny bit of smile beginning to work at the corners of the mouth.

"Then Mr. Linden," she said almost in the same tone and without turning her face,--"if you have no _other_ objection--please let me come!"

"But that one is strong enough. You may send Cinderella up to take a lesson."

"You said that was all?" she repeated.

"That is the only real objection--I would not raise even that in a case of greater need. But I suppose unskilful hands could hardly do me much mischief now. So if you will send Cinderella," he added with a smile, "she may enlarge her world of ideas a little."

"Mr. Linden,"--said Faith looking at him now fearlessly--"I am going to come myself."

"You are!" he said, looking at her--and then his eyes went from her to the fire, and back again to her face. "Then if you faint away, Miss Faith, and I jump up to take care of you (which I shall certainly do) I may faint myself--at which stage of the proceedings Dr. Harrison will have his hands full."

"I shall not faint--before nor after," she said, shaking her head.

"I should not like to count too much upon your unfeeling disposition,"

said Mr. Linden, in whose face different currents of thought seemed to meet and mingle. "And then you see, my senses may be guilty of as great a breach of politeness as the warder in a German story I was reading yesterday."

"What was that?"

"It fell out," said Mr. Linden, "that a lady of surpa.s.sing beauty arrived at a certain castle; and next day, the lord of the castle brought before her his warder, bound in chains for a great breach of politeness; he having failed to give his lord notice of the lady's approach! The warder thus defended himself: he had indeed seen the lady, but his dazzled eyes mistook her for another sun! So," added Mr.

Linden smiling, "if my eyes should mistake you for a sunbeam or a maple leaf, I might forget myself, and not keep my patience so perfectly as I ought under the hands of such a chirurgeon."

"What is going to try your patience, Mr. Linden?--I?"--said Faith, now indubitably in a puzzle.

"Do you really want to do this for me?" he said in a different tone, looking at her with that same grave, kind look which she had seen before.

"I think I can--and I should like to do it, Mr. Linden, if you are perfectly willing," Faith answered.

"I am willing, since you wish it,--and now you must get the doctor's leave--or rather I must get it for you; but in the mean time, Miss Faith, we may go on with some of our studies, if you are at leisure."