"What simplicity! what delightful simplicity!" said the other toys."'Tis really charming!"
"Singularly simple," repeated the Butcher, who always stood at the doorof his shop, watching for the customers that so seldom came. "She islike an innocent lamb," he added, his thoughts turning to his trade; "asimple, harmless lamb."
"Elle est tres gentille, la petite Belinde," remarked MademoiselleCerise, the French doll just arrived from Paris. "Elle est une jeunefille fort bien elevee; elle ferme les yeux d'une facon vraimentravissante."
"Here we are again, Simplicity and Self!" said the Clown, turning asomersault and landing by Belinda's side with a broad grin upon hisface.
She made no reply, but instantly closed her eyes. She was not quite surebut that he was laughing at her, so she thought it more prudent not tosee him.
"There! did you notice?" ... "Wasn't it pretty and simple?" said all theToys to one another as they looked at Belinda.
I must, however, make an exception when I say "all" the Toys. There wasone who did not utter a word. This was Jack, the curly-headedSailor-Boy, who was deeply in love with Belinda. He was so unhappy aboutthe matter that he feared to speak of her lest in so doing the thoughtof his sorrow should make him shed unmanly tears in public.
I will tell you the cause of his grief. He could not make her see howmuch he loved her. Whenever he came near her she immediately closed hereyes. So that it did not matter what expression he assumed, it was allwasted on Belinda. He worried himself about it very much.
"Is it," said he to himself, "because she doesn't happen to see, orbecause she doesn't wish to see? How can I make her open her eyes? ShallI speak to her coldly or gently, with mirth or with melancholy, inpoetry or in prose?"
"I will be poetical," he resolved; "I will sing her a song of love. Thatmay induce her to open her eyes."
Now Jack was only a simple Sailor-Lad; he knew little music and lesspoetry. A few sea-songs and one or two little ballads, these were all hehad to trust to, and he could think of none that seemed suitable to theoccasion.
He thought long, and finally remembered the beginning of an old songwhich, with a little alteration, would, he decided, do very well. So, ina rough but tender voice, he thus sang to his lady-love:--
"Of all the girls I love so well, There's none I love like 'Linder; She is the darling of my heart,-- And Linder rhymes with cinder."
"This," he said to himself, "will teach her how deep and how true mylove is for her. _This_ should open her eyes."
But Belinda, quite unmoved, sat with them tightly closed.
"I will try again," he said to himself. And he sang the verse once more,though this time his voice shook so greatly with emotion that he wasobliged to stop in the middle in order to steady it.
After this he sat silent, hoping that Belinda would even now open hereyes.
"Then," said he, "she will see how sad I look, and she will surely betouched."
But disappointment was again his lot. She never opened even half an eye.
"Shiver my timbers!" said the luckless Sailor-Lad, "she'll be the deathof me."
And he went away mournfully whistling "_The Death of Nelson_."
Then he tried to startle her by suddenly shouting within her hearing afew seafaring expressions he knew. "Hard-a-port! Lay aft! Yo, heave ho!"
She half-opened her eyes, but immediately closed them again. "Thoseexpressions sound a little rough," she remarked.
He felt sorely tried.
"None so blind as those who _won't_ see, my lass," he said one day.
"I should have thought," she answered with unaffected surprise, "it wasthose who _can't_ see."
"Have you looked up through the sky-light this afternoon?" he asked."The sunset is glorious."
"Describe it to me. I love descriptions," she said with simpleenthusiasm.
"You had better see it for yourself," he said crossly and turned away.He felt so wretched that really he would have liked to go to sea.
He sighed again,--and looked back at Belinda. Why, her eyes were open!He hurried over to her, pinching with great energy his arm as he went,in order to make himself tearful, and thus, if possible, appear moremiserable than he already did. The tears did come, but just as he got toBelinda she closed her eyes once more.
"The sunset is indeed perfect," she said, "I have been watching it tillmy eyes ache, and I cannot keep them open any longer."
"I look just as if I had a cold in my head. You can see that foryourself, can't you?" he asked, hoping that this question would induceher to glance at him and observe his tears.
"Why, no," she answered, "I can't because my eyes are closed. But if yousay so, I suppose you must be correct."
"Belinda, I love you," said he.
"Thank you very much," answered she. "Isn't it extraordinary weather forthis time of the year? I can hardly believe that we are in the middleof summer."
Poor Jack left in despair, and this time he whistled a funeral march.
But like a true-hearted sailor, he resolved to try again. So the nextday he said to her:
"Belinda, I'm afraid we are going to have heavy weather, there are somany clouds overhead. Look up out of the sky-light and you will see foryourself."
"I would rather not," she said, keeping her eyes tightly closed. "Idon't like seeing clouds; it depresses my spirits."
"You can look out of the sky-light _now_," he said to her later,"without being afraid of seeing the clouds. They have all cleared awayand it is blue again."
"Then I can enjoy my afternoon nap," she remarked simply, "without fearof thunder."
And on this occasion the poor curly-headed Sailor felt too miserableeven to attempt whistling; he went away in dumb despair!
It was just about this time that Mademoiselle Cerise was bought by alady as a present for her little god-daughter.
"But the color of the doll's dress has become faded," said the lady."She must have a new one before I take her."
"That can easily be arranged in a day," said the owner of the shop.
"Very well," answered the lady, "then I will buy her. You need not sendher. I will bring my little friend with me to-morrow afternoon when weshall be passing your shop. She will like to carry her new doll throughthe streets."
Next morning when Mademoiselle Cerise was brought back to the shop afterhaving been absent since the previous afternoon, the Sailor-Lad wasstruck by something very familiar about the appearance of her new bluemuslin dress. At first he could not think why. Then he understood; themuslin was--so it seemed to him--of exactly the same pattern andexactly the same color as Belinda's dress.
As he realized this a sudden thought struck him, upon which he actedwithout delay.
Coming up to Belinda softly, who was sitting with her eyes closed, heexclaimed loudly and suddenly in her ear: "Belinda, Belinda!Mademoiselle Cerise has on a dress precisely like yours!"
"No!" she said, and opened her eyes in a moment. She gazed aroundanxiously for Mademoiselle Cerise, but the Sailor-Boy placed himselfright before her and looked at her as adoringly as he knew how.
"Oh, Belinda," he said, "how I love you!"
"Do you?" said she with great surprise. "Well, you don't love me morethan I love you."
"You make me very happy, my lass," said he. "But why are you astonishedat my saying I love you? Have I not told you so before?"
"I thought you were quizzing," she answered.
"The sad expression of my face should have told you I was not quizzing,"he replied.
"How could I tell what your expression was when I never saw it?" sheasked with some reproach.
"You did not see it because you always closed your eyes when I spoke toyou," he replied. "What made you do that?"
Belinda thought a moment
"It was merely a habit I had fallen into," said she.
"You should never become a slave to a habit," replied the curly-headedSailor-Lad. He spoke reprovingly, as he thought of his many heart-aches.
S
he did not like to be reproved, so she changed the subject.
"You made a mistake," she said. "Mademoiselle Cerise's dress is verypretty, but it is not _precisely_ like mine; the pattern is larger and alittle louder, and the color is lighter and a little harsher."
"Well, perhaps," said the Sailor-Lad. He spoke very cheerful now, hefelt in such good spirits.
* * * * *
"I am very glad that the Sailor-Boy was happy at last," said the littlegirl. "I was afraid Belinda never meant to open her eyes."
"It certainly looked like it at one time," answered the littleMarionette. "However, it was all right in the end, for she opened themin time to prevent her Sailor-Boy's heart from breaking."
"I wonder why she kept them closed so long."
"I wonder," reflected the little Marionette. And she smiled.
"Force of habit, I suppose, as she herself said," she remarked after apause. "We all have our little ways. Now what sort of story would youlike to-morrow?"
The little girl thought deeply for a few moments. Then she said: "Youhave told me a story about a sailor, so I should like the next one to beabout a soldier."
"A soldier--a soldier--" the Marionette answered. "I don't think I knowone about a soldier--Yes, stay; there is the story of the Officer andthe Elephant. That is about a soldier."
"An Officer and an Elephant! How nice!" exclaimed the little girleagerly. "I am quite certain it must be very funny."
"I don't think the Officer found it so," the little lady replied, givinga sweet, little tinkling laugh.
"Didn't he?" asked her listener with much interest.
"I wish you would tell me all about it now," she continued; "I want somuch to hear it."
"Not now," replied the little Marionette, "it is getting too late; allthe animals in the Noah's Ark are fast asleep. Listen, they are snoringloudly. Come to-morrow at the same time. Be punctual, for the story is along one."
"Yes, I will," promised the little girl.
CHAPTER IV
The next day she was as good as her word, arriving to the very minute. Itwas the little Marionette who was not in time. It was quite five minutesbefore she tripped up the counter and greeted her little friend. Thelittle girl looked at her with some reproach.
"It is _you_ who are late, not I," she said.
"Is it?" replied the little Marionette. "Well, I _am_ ashamed. However,here I am now, so I will begin at once to tell you my tale."
And settling herself down, and smoothing out her beautiful brocadedress, she began without further ado, the story of: "The Officer andthe Elephant."
THE OFFICER & THE ELEPHANT
Amongst all the Toys in the toy-shop, none were so disliked and fearedas the twelve Wooden Soldiers who, with an imposing Officer at theirhead, proudly faced the world in double file.
In the first place, they were intensely proud and vain. They showed thisin everything they did. For example, their drill was of the most simpledescription. It merely consisted in their moving backwards and forwardsfrom one another on a platform of sticks, which could be drawn out or inat pleasure.
This, it will easily be believed, required no great skill or knowledge.Yet, to judge from the pride expressed upon the faces of the WoodenSoldiers as they went through this simple movement, one would havecertainly imagined it was exceedingly difficult.
Their foolish pride was also displayed in their manner towards others.No one ventured to ask them even the most civil of questions for fear ofreceiving a rude answer. Father Christmas one afternoon happened toinquire at the Commanding-officer what time it was.
"Time," he replied, "for little boys to be in bed."
"You might," said the patriarch gravely, "have shown a little respectfor the length of my beard and the whiteness of my hairs. 'Tis hardlythe way to speak to a man of my years and standing. One, too, who withthe decline of the year expects to be at the top of the tree."
But the Officer merely laughed loudly and shrugged his shoulders.
From this instance, which is only one example of many, you will easilyunderstand how the Wooden Soldiers came to be disliked in the toy-shop.
As for the fear they inspired, this was partly owing to the long swordsthey wore, and partly owing to the boasting way in which they vowed theycould use them.
"My men and I really command the whole shop," said the Officer one day."Moreover, who faces one, faces all, for we all march in the samedirection. We not only have our good swords, but we know how to usethem. They are sheathed now, but let no one count upon that to offendus. Let but a foolhardy toy dare insult us, and--" here he gave the wordof command, and instantly a dozen and one swords sprang from theirscabbards.
The lady Dolls shrieked, the Grocer and the Butcher began to put uptheir shutters with trembling hands; the white, furry Rabbit became ashade whiter; and the corners of the Clown's mouth dropped instead ofgoing up as usual. It was plain that a general panic was felt.
The only Toy that did not appear to be affected was the great grayElephant lately arrived. He twisted his trunk round thoughtfully, butnever changed countenance.
The Officer saw the general terror he had inspired, and both he and hisSoldiers were well pleased.
"Besides," he continued, speaking more loudly than before, "if ourswords fail us we shall have recourse to gunpowder, which will makeshort work of our enemies."
The Elephant looked at the Officer and his men.
"I don't see it," he said bluntly.
"I didn't suppose you would," said the Officer scornfully. "Don't speakin such a hurry. The powder I'm speaking of is felt but not seen. It'sour last improvement, arrived at by slow degrees. Gunpowder,--smokelessgunpowder,--soundless gunpowder,--invisible gunpowder. Thus we maysurround an enemy with enough gunpowder to blow up a town, but theyneither see it nor hear it. In fact, they know nothing about it untilthey are blown up."
This time all the Toys nearly expired with fright! The Elephant onlyremained, as before, unmoved.
"Invisible gunpowder is more humane in the end," the Officer continued."You are quite unaware of what is happening until you find yourself inpieces."
"The same thing may happen to yourself, I suppose?" asked the Elephant,in his heavy and clumsy fashion.
"Beg pardon; did anyone speak?" inquired the Officer in the mostinsulting of voices. For he despised the Elephant and wished to snubhim.
"I asked you if the same might not happen to yourself?" the Elephantrepeated, regardless of the Officer's attempt to make him appearfoolish. "What if the enemy serves you the same way?"
"That difficulty, my good beast," he answered in his most overbearingmanner, "is easily disposed of. We have special Soldiers trained to_smell_ gunpowder. We have merely to send out these scouts, and we cantrace the gunpowder anywhere within gunshot."
"I don't believe it," said the Elephant.
The Officer at this laughed a grim laugh, truly awful to hear.
"Ha, Ha!" he exclaimed; "do not provoke me too far lest I slay you withmy sword. I'm a man of sport, and to do the act would cause me no littlediversion. Beware!"
The Elephant made no reply, which induced the Officer to think he hadfrightened him.
"A great clumsy beast of no spirit," he said to his Soldiers.
"Right, sir," answered the Soldiers.
"Now to drill," he continued sharply. "Attention! Eyes right, eyesleft; right movement, left movement; swords out, swords in!Mark--_time_!"
This last command they were obliged to obey with their heads, their feetbeing tightly gummed on to the platform. So tightly gummed that theycould not get free even when Mortals were not present, and all the Toyswere at liberty to speak, walk, and talk. Indeed, nothing but a strongblow could possibly loosen them from their position.
Therefore, when they marched or even took a simple walk they wereobliged to march or walk in a body, taking the platform with them.Again, if the Commanding-officer granted leave of absence to one, he wasobliged to grant it to a
ll, even to himself, otherwise no one could havetaken it.
"Come," said the Officer to the Elephant one day, "you are a brightbeast. Let me propound you a mathematical problem. If a herring and ahalf cost three halfpence, how much would six herrings cost?"
"Just as much as they ought to, if you went to an honest fishmonger,"answered the Elephant.
The Officer and his men laughed loudly.
"Capital, capital!" said the bully. "If you distinguish yourself in thisway we shall have to make you Mathematical Instructor-in-General to thewhole army."
But the Elephant made no reply.
"That's the thickest-skinned animal I ever met," said the Officer to hismen.
But herein he made a mistake. The Elephant never forgot an insult, butpaid it back upon the first opportunity.
The opportunity, in this case, was not long in arriving; it came,indeed, all too soon for the Officer's taste.
It occurred in this way.
One day a little boy came into the shop and asked to look at somesoldiers, upon which the shopwoman showed him the wooden warriors.
"No, I don't like them," he said; "they have to move all the same way atonce. It is very stupid of them. Have you no others?"
"Not just at the moment," replied the shopwoman. "We are expecting somemore. They should have been here several days ago."
"Then I'll take a train," said the boy. "But it is very funny that youshould have such a poor lot of soldiers as these."
"That silly remark will make the Toys less afraid of us," thought theOfficer to himself with some alarm. "I shall make the men practisesword-drill in the most open fashion for several hours. This will remindthe world that we are not to be trifled with."