Six to Sixteen: A Story for Girls
CHAPTER XVII.
ELEANOR'S HEALTH--HOLY LIVING--THE PRAYER OF THE SON OF SIRACH.
Matilda went home, and Eleanor and I remained at Bush House.
I fancy that when we no longer had to repress ourselves for poorMatilda's sake, Eleanor was more sensible of her own aches and pains.She also became rather irritable, and had more than one squabble withMadame about this time.
Eleanor had brought several religious books with her--books of prayersand other devotional works. They were all new to Matilda and me, and webegan to use them, and to imitate Eleanor in various little devoutcustoms.
On Sunday Eleanor used to read Jeremy Taylor's _Holy Living and Dying_;but as we never were allowed to be alone, she was obliged to bring itdown-stairs. Unfortunately, the result of this was that Miss Mulberry,having taken it away to "look it over," pronounced it "not at all properreading for young ladies," and it was confiscated. After this Eleanorreserved her devotional reading for bed-time, when, if she had gotfairly through her lessons for next day, I was wont to read the Bibleand other "good books" to her in a tone modulated so as not to reachMadame's watchful ear.
Once she caught us.
The books of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus from the Apocrypha were favouritereading with Eleanor, who seemed in the grandly poetical praises ofwisdom to find some encouragement under the difficulties through whichwe struggled towards a very moderate degree of learning. I warmlysympathized with her; partly because much of what I read was beautifulto read, even when I did not quite understand it; and partly becauseEleanor had inspired me also with some of her own fervour against "thegreat war of ignorance."
But, as I said, Madame caught us at last.
Eleanor was lying, yet dressed, upon her bed, the window was open, andI, sitting cross-legged on the floor, was giving forth the prayer of theSon of Sirach, with (as I flattered myself) no little impressiveness. Asthe chapter went on my voice indiscreetly rose:
"When I was yet young, or ever I went astray, I desired wisdom openly inmy prayer.
"I prayed for her before the temple, and will seek her out even to theend.
"Even from the flower till the grape was ripe hath my heart delighted inher: my foot went the right way, from my youth up I sought after her.
"I bowed down mine ear a little, and received her, and gat muchlearning.
* * * * *
"Draw near unto me, ye unlearned, and dwell in the house of learning.
* * * * *
"Put your neck under the yoke, and let your soul receive instruction:she is hard at hand to find.
"Behold with your eyes, how that I have had but little labour, and havegotten unto me much rest.
"Get learning----"
"Eh, mesdemoiselles! This is going to bed, is it? Ah! Give me that book,then."
I handed over in much confusion the thin S.P.C.K. copy of theApocrypha, bound in mottled calf, from which I had been reading; andordering us to go to bed at once, Madame took her departure.
Madame could read English well, though she spoke it imperfectly. Thenext day she did not speak of the volume, and we supposed her to beexamining it. Then Eleanor became anxious to get it back, and tried bothargument and entreaty, for some time, in vain. At last Madame said:
"What is it, mademoiselle, that you so much wish to read in this volumeof the holy writings?"
"Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus are what I like best," said Eleanor.
"Eh bien!" said Madame, nodding her head like a porcelain Chinaman, andwith a very knowing glance. "I will restore the volume, mademoiselle."
She did restore it accordingly, with the historical narratives cut out,and many nods and grimaces expressive of her good wishes that we mightbe satisfied with it now.
In private, Eleanor stamped with indignation (whether or no her thickboots had fostered this habit I can't say, but Eleanor was apt to stampon occasion). We had our dear chapters again, however, and I promisedEleanor a new and fine copy of the mutilated favourite as a birthdaypresent.
Eleanor was very good to me. She helped me with my lessons, andencouraged me to work. For herself, she laboured harder and harder.
I used to think that she was only anxious to get all the good she couldout of the school, as she did not seem to have many so-called"advantages" at home, by her own account. But I afterwards found thatshe did just the same everywhere, strained her dark eyes over books, andabsorbed information whenever and wherever she had a chance.
"I can't say you're fond of reading," said Emma one day, watchingEleanor as she sat buried in a book, "for I'm fond of reading myself,and we're not at all alike. I call you greedy!"
And Eleanor laughed, and quoted a verse from one of our favouritechapters: "They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink meshall yet be thirsty."