Six to Sixteen: A Story for Girls
CHAPTER VII.
MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER--THE DUCHESS'S CARRIAGE--MRS. O'CONNOR IS CURIOUS.
I was much discomfited. My position was not a dignified one at the best,and in childhood such small shames seem too terrible ever to beoutlived. My great-grandmother laughed heartily, and Mrs. Buller, whosesense of humour was small, looked annoyed.
"What in the world are you doing here, Margery?" she said.
I had little or no moral courage, and I had not been trained in highprinciples. If I could have thought of a plausible lie, I fear I shouldhave told it in my dilemma. As it was, I could not; I only put my handto my burning cheek, and said:
"Let me see!"
I must certainly have presented a very comical appearance, but thelittle old lady's smiles died away, and her eyes filled with tears.
"It is strange, is it not," she said to Aunt Theresa, "that, after all,I should laugh at this meeting?"
Then, sitting down on a box by the door, she held out her hands to me,saying:
"Come, little Margery, there is no sin in practising one's good mannersbefore the mirror. Come and kiss me, dear child; I am your father'sfather's mother. Is not that to be an old woman? I am yourgreat-grandmother."
My great-grandmother's voice was very soft, her cheek was soft, hercloak was soft. I buried my face in the fur, and cried quietly to myselfwith shame and excitement; she stroking my head, and saying:
"_Pauvre petite!_--thou an orphan, and I doubly childless! It is thus wemeet at last to join our hands across the graves of two generations ofthose we love!"
"It was a dreadful thing!" said Mrs. Buller, rummaging in her pocket fora clean handkerchief. "I'm sure I never should forget it, if I lived athousand years. I never seemed able to realize that they were gone; itwas all so sudden."
The old lady made no answer, and we all wept in silence.
Aunt Theresa was the first to recover herself, and she insisted on ourcoming down-stairs. A young regimental surgeon and his wife dropped into lunch, for which my great-grandmother stayed. We were sitting in thedrawing-room afterwards, when "Mrs. Vandaleur's carriage" was announced.As my great-grandmother took leave of me, she took off a watch and chainand hung them on my neck. It was a small French watch with an enamelledback of dark blue, on which was the word "Souvenir" in small pearls.
"I gave it to your grandfather long years ago, my child, and he gave itback to me--before he sailed. I would only part with it to his son'schild. Farewell, _petite_! Be good, dear child--try to be good. Adieu,Mrs. Buller, and a thousand thanks! Major Buller, I am at your service."
Major Buller took the hand she held out to him and led the old lady tothe front door, whither we all followed them.
Mrs. Vandaleur's carriage was before the steps. It was a very quaintlittle box on two wheels, in by no means good repair. It was drawn by apony, white, old, and shaggy. At the pony's head stood a small boy indecent, but not smart, plain clothes.
"Put the mat over the wheel to save my dress, Adolphe," said the oldlady; and as the little boy obeyed her order she stepped nimbly intothe carriage, assisted by the Major. "The silk is old," she observedcomplacently; "but it is my best, of course, or it would not have beenworn to-day," and she gave a graceful little bow towards Aunt Theresa;"and I hope that, with care, it will serve as such for the rest of mylife, which cannot be very long."
"If it wears as well as you do, Madam," said Major Buller, tucking herin, "it may; not otherwise."
The Surgeon was leaning over the other side of the little cart, andseemed also to be making polite speeches. It recalled the way that menused to hang upon my mother's carriage. The old lady smiled, and madegracious little replies, and meanwhile deliberately took off her kidgloves, folded, and put them into her pocket. She then drew on a pair ofold worsted ones.
"Economy, economy," she said, smiling, and giving a hand on each side ofher to the two gentlemen. "May I trouble you for the reins? Many thanks.Farewell, gentlemen! I cannot pretend to fear that my horse will catchcold--his coat is too thick; but you may. Adieu, Mrs. Buller, once more.Farewell, little one, I wish you good-morning, Madam. Adolphe, seatyourself; make your bow, Adolphe. Adieu, dear friends!"
She gave a flick with the whip, which the pony resented by shaking hishead; after which he seemed, so to speak, to snatch up the little cart,my great-grandmother, and Adolphe, and to run off with them at a goodround pace.
"What an extraordinary turn-out!" said the Surgeon's wife. (She was anIrish attorney's daughter, with the commonest of faces, and the mostunprecedented of bonnets. She and her husband had lately "set up" awaggonette, the expense of which just made it difficult for them to liveupon their means, and the varnish of which added a care to life.) "Fancydriving down High Street in that!" she continued; "and just wheneverybody is going out, too!"
"Uncommon sensible little affair, I think," said the Surgeon. "Suits theold lady capitally."
"Mrs. Vandaleur," said Major Buller, "can afford to be independent ofappearances to an extent that would not perhaps be safe for most of us."
"You're right there, Buller," said the Surgeon. "Wonderfully queenly sheis! That fur cloak looks like an ermine robe on her."
"I don't think you'd like to see me in it!" tittered his wife.
"I don't say I should," returned the Surgeon, rather smartly.
"My dear," said Mrs. Buller, "you must make up your mind to be jealousof the Duchess. All gentlemen are mad about her."
"The Duchess!" said Mrs. O'Connor, in a tone of respect. "I thought yousaid----"
"Oh, she is not really a duchess, my dear; it's only a nickname. I'lltell you all about it some day. It's a long story."
Discovering that Mrs. Vandaleur was a family connection, and not achance visitor from the neighbourhood, Mrs. O'Connor apologized for herremarks, and tried to extract the Duchess's history from Aunt Theresathen and there. But Mrs. Buller would only promise to tell it "anothertime."
"I'm dying with curiosity," said Mrs. O'Connor, as she took leave, "Ishall run in to-morrow afternoon on purpose to hear all about it. Canyou do with me, dear Mrs. Buller?"
"Pray come," said Aunt Theresa warmly, with an amiable disregard of twoengagements and some arrears of domestic business.
I was in the drawing-room next day when Mrs. O'Connor arrived.
"May I come in, dear Mrs. Buller?" she said, "I won't stay two minutes;but I _must_ hear about the Duchess. Now, _are_ you busy?"
"Not at all," said Aunt Theresa, who was in the midst of making up hertradesmen's books. "Pray sit down, and take off your bonnet."
"It's hardly worth while, for I _can't_ stay," said Mrs. O'Connor,taking her bonnet off, and setting it down so as not to crush theflowers.
As Mrs. O'Connor stayed two hours and a half, and as Aunt Theresagranted my request to be allowed to hear her narrative, I learnt a gooddeal of the history of my great-grandmother.