CHAPTER VII
NOT A MIRACLE
Madge was simply fatigued from her long journey, and not oppressedwith want of sleep, for in passing through uninteresting portions ofthe country she had given herself up to repose. The sense of wearinesspassed with the hours of night, and she was among the earlieststirring in the morning. Long before breakfast was ready she hadher trunks partially unpacked, her mind meantime busy with plans forimmediate action. At last her healthful appetite so asserted itselfthat she went down to the dining-room. Mr. and Mrs. Muir had not yetappeared, and she strolled into the parlor, opened her piano, andplayed a few runs. She found it sadly out of tune from long disuse.As this was not true of her voice, she began singing a favorite Germansong.
In a moment the house was full of melody. Clear, sweet, and powerful,her notes penetrated to the kitchen, where the maids were busy, andthey stopped in spellbound wonder, with dish or utensil in hand. Mrs.Muir listened with her hair-brush suspended, while methodical Mr. Muirlaid down his razor, and, going to the door, set it ajar. The songpoured into the room like an harmonic flood. Before the first stanzawas completed Mrs. Muir had on her dressing-gown and was stealingdownstairs into the back parlor, and as Madge was beginning again sherushed upon her.
"Why, why," she exclaimed, "I thought Nilsson or Patti had got lostand taken refuge here! Can it be you? You are nothing but a surprisefrom beginning to end. When will the wonders cease? Are you sure thatyou are Madge?"
"Yes, and equally sure that I am hungry. When _will_ you be ready forbreakfast? I've been up these two hours."
"Well, well, well, what will Graydon say? He thinks you are stilllittle better than a ghost."
"He will say that I have been very sensible, and he will find me verysubstantial and matter-of-fact. The question now uppermost is,When will breakfast be ready?" cried the young girl, laughing, ina childlike enjoyment of her sister's wonder, and a loving woman'santicipation of triumph over the man who had once called her "weak andlackadaisical."
She responded warmly to the embrace of Mrs. Muir, who added, "You havecome back to us a princess. Why, even Henry, whom nothing moves out ofthe even tenor of his way, paused in his shaving, and with one side ofhis face all lathered opened the door to listen."
"You tell him," cried Madge, in merry vein, "that he has given methe greatest compliment I ever received. But compliments are notbreakfast."
Mrs. Muir returned to complete her toilet, and her husband soonappeared.
"Madge," he said, greeting her kindly, "you have brought about greatchanges. How have you accomplished them all in so brief a time?"
"The time has not been so very brief," she replied. "I have been awayover two years, remember. It's all very simple, Henry. I went to workto get well and to learn something, as you give your mind and time tobusiness. In the Waylands, my old German professor, and especiallyin the magnificent climate I had splendid allies. And you know Ihad nothing else to do. One can do a great deal in two years withsufficient motive and steady effort toward a few points."
"What was your motive, Madge?"
A slow, deep color stole into her face, but she looked unflinchinglyinto his eyes as she asked, "Was not the hope of being what I amto-day, compared with what I was, sufficient motive?"
"Yes," he replied, thoughtfully, "it was; but it appears strange tome that more girls do not show your sense. Nine-tenths of the pallidcreatures that I see continue half alive through their own fault."
"If they knew the pleasure of being thoroughly alive," said Madge,"they wouldn't dawdle another hour. I believe that I might haveregained health long before if I had set about it."
"Well, Madge, as your guardian I wish to tell you that I am deeplygratified. You have done more for yourself than all the world coulddo for you. I am a plain man, you know, and not given to many words.There is only one thing that I detest more than a silly woman, andthat is a heartless, speculating one. Both are sure to make troublesooner or later. You certainly do not belong to the first type, and Idon't believe you will ever make a bad use of the beauty you have wonso honestly. Let me give you a bit of business experience, Madge. Ihave seen men falter and fail by the score downtown, and usually itwas because women were playing the mischief with them--too oftenwomen of their own households, who had no more idea of the worth of adollar, or how it is obtained, than a kitten. The one idea is to marryfor money, and then to spend it in parade. I believe you will be likeyour sister Mary, who has given me a home, quiet, and peace." ("If Iever give a man anything I'll give him a great deal more than that,"Madge thought.) "And now," concluded Mr. Muir, "speaking of money,I wish to go over your accounts with you soon, that you may knoweverything and understand everything. It's absurd for women to behelpless and dependent in this respect. You should know all aboutyour property, and the time has come when you should learn whatare regarded as safe investments, and what are not. My life is asuncertain as any other man's, and I intend that you sisters shall notbe like two children, who must do blindly what some trustee tells youto do;" and Mr. Muir complacently led the way to the breakfast-room,feeling that as guardian he had done his duty both morally andfinancially.
It was his way to speak plainly and promptly all he desired to say,and then, according to his creed, if people had sense they would dowhat was wise; if they had not, the less said the better.
Mrs. Muir was voluble during the morning meal. Now that Madge had comeagain within the sphere of her domestic energy, she was fall of plansand projects.
"Of course," she said, "you have nothing to wear. The outlandishdresses that you had made at that jumping-off place in the West won'tanswer. As soon as the Waylands have made their call we must go outand begin ordering your summer outfit. Perhaps Mrs. Wayland will gowith us."
"Patience, Mary. We are not ready to order outfits yet."
"Why not?"
"Because we do not want to buy what interested shopmen and millinersmay choose to palm off on us. You live such a domestic life that youare scarcely better informed than I as to the latest modes. We willdrive in the park, use our eyes on the avenue, and visit severalfashionable establishments first. Then I wish to find a dressmaker whois not an idiotic slave of fashion, and who can modify the prevailingstyles by taste and appreciation of the person for whom she works. Theone whom I employ must make dresses for me and under my direction, andnot dresses in the abstract, as if they were for the iron-framed formon which she exhibits her wares."
"Good!" cried Mr. Muir; "Madge's head is level. Let her have her ownway, Mary, and she will come out all right."
"Well," said Mrs. Muir, "I suppose it will take a little time for meto get used to all these changes. Before she went away I used todo everything for her. I'm going to have my own way in one thing,however. You must not write to Graydon a word beyond the fact thatMadge is here. You have both laughed at me and my wonder, andI'm going to have the compensation of seeing him transformed intoexclamation points."
Madge now turned toward Mr. Muir, and he could detect not theslightest indication of embarrassment or overconsciousness, asshe said, "Certainly, Henry, you must not spoil this little bit ofprospective fun."
Madge did have her own way, and made her preparations with the quietdecision and thoughtfulness which now characterized her actions.
The Waylands were frequent guests at Mr. Muir's home for a time, andthen departed to visit friends in the country.
Madge and her sister soon decided upon the Catskills as the place oftheir summer sojourn. The choice of this region, so accessible fromthe city, was pleasing to Mr. Muir.
"What are you reading?" he said, one evening, as he found Madgesurrounded by books and pamphlets.
"Reading up on the Catskills and their vicinity. A place is far moreinteresting if you have associations with it, and I intend to beversed in all the stories and legends of the region. In this I have alittle design upon you also. You look worn, Henry, and need rest andchange. You are too much devoted to business. I'm going to 'frivol,'like the rest of t
he girls, in the evening--dance, and all that, youknow, but I shall try to keep you among the hills, and inveigle youinto long drives and walks by telling you exciting yarns that willtake the place of the dissipations of business. You needn't think youwill have to mope around the piazza, your body on a mountain and yourmind in Wall Street. You are getting old and rich, and you must beginto take an interest in other things besides business."
"Now, that's thoughtful and kind of you," he said, and then he lapsedinto a revery that the contraction of his brow showed to be notaltogether agreeable.
At last he said, "Madge, I half believe you are right. I am and havebeen too devoted to business. It's all very well as long as you candrive it, but when it begins to drive you it is a hard task-master.The times are bad. Instead of making anything, one has to use all hisfaculties to keep from losing what he has made. It's getting to be agrind. I sometimes wish I was out of it, but suppose I shouldn't knowwhat to do with myself."
"That's just it, Henry, you wouldn't. You must become interested inother things, and that's a process which requires time, and I'll helpyou."
"Oh, you," he said, laughing--"you will soon have all you can do tokeep your beaux at bay."
"Beaux in this free and enlightened land have only certain rightswhich a girl is bound to respect. Should there be any, and theyunreasonable, you'll see," she said, with a little decisive nod.Then she added, gravely: "I don't believe you would be content out ofbusiness, but I should think there was such a thing as trying to doso much business that it would become a burden, and, perhaps, a heavyone. You may think I'm a little goose, talking of what I know nothingabout; but I've read a great deal, and, of late, books worth reading.I don't believe it is a good thing to change one's habits and pursuitssuddenly; and what's more, Henry, I believe that when the times arebetter business will be as great a source of satisfaction to you asever. As I suggested before, you must gradually become interested inother things which can take the place of business as you grow old."
"What a wise little woman we have become!" said Mr. Muir. "Here youare giving your guardian sound advice--you who, I imagined once, wouldtake no more thought for the morrow than a lily of the field, and avery pale one at that. This is a greater change than any that Maryexclaims about."
"Perhaps you think me very presuming," answered Madge, coloring.
"No, I do not. I think you very sensible, and I think myself veryfortunate in having such women in my household as you and Mary. I wasblue when I came home to-night, but it inspirits a man to talk to sucha girl. You have a power of good common-sense, Madge."
"Well, I have--I had--need of it."
"The majority would say you could afford to be silly. You have asnug fortune of your own, of which not a penny can be lost unless thebottom falls out of everything."
"I don't think any woman can afford to be silly. I know that's asweeping word with you, and covers all feminine folly. What I meantis this: Money and every good thing in life was a mockery. I couldn'tenjoy anything, and wasn't anything but a burden. I saw it all, andthat I should have to throw nonsense overboard if I wished to bedifferent. You will find that I have plenty left, however, before thesummer's over. Now, let me read to you Irving's legend of poor oldRip. What if you have read it often? A little infusion of the championsleeper's spirit is just what you need;" and with simple purity oftone and naturalness of accent she made the old story new to him.
"Madge," he said, as he kissed her good-night, "that is even betterthan your singing. I feel so freshened and heartened up that I'manother man, and in good trim for the fight to-morrow; for that isjust what business has become--a regular defensive fight. You didn'tthink two years ago that you would send me down to Wall Street with aclearer head and better courage."
"No, indeed, I didn't dream of it, and I can scarcely believe it'strue now. You used to seem to me like gravitation, that would alwaysbe the same to the end of time."
"Bah! A man is only a man, and he finds it out sooner or later.There's Jack crying again, and Mary hasn't had a chance to come down.I'll take the child, for his teeth make him so nervous that he won'tstay with the nurse."
"I'll try my hand at him to-morrow," said the young girl, and wasabsorbed in her reading again.
The days passed quickly, and Madge filled them full, as before atSanta Barbara. As the time approached for Graydon's return, she felta quiet rising excitement akin to that which inspires a soldier whena campaign is about to open; but to her brother-in-law and sistershe gave only the impression of decision of character and youthful,healthful buoyancy. She was good-cheer itself in the household, andhelpful in every little domestic emergency. The servants and thechildren welcomed her like sunshine, and she made the evenings alltoo short by music and reading aloud. She blossomed out in her summercostumes like a flower, so becoming to her style had been her choiceof fabrics and the taste with which they had been fashioned. June waspassing. In a day or two more Graydon would arrive, and the fruitionor failure of her patient endeavor begin.