CHAPTER VII.
BABY'S SECRET
"'Pussy, only you I'll tell, For you can keep secrets well; Promise, pussy, not a word.' Pussy reared her tail and purred."
There was a cat at the Villa Desiree, Baby's, and Denny's, and "all ofthem's house," as Baby would have called it. Where the cat came from Idon't know--whether it belonged to the villa and let itself out with itevery winter, like the furniture, or whether it was really the cat ofMadame Jean-Georges, and had followed Monsieur Jean-Georges back oneevening when he had been home to see his "good friend" (that was what hecalled his wife), and his two "bebes," is what I cannot tell. I onlyknow the cat was there, and that when Baby could get a chance of playingwith it he was very pleased. He didn't often have a chance, in his ownroom, for "Mademoiselle," as Celia was always called by the newservants, a title which she thought much nicer than "Miss Aylmer," or"Miss Celia," _Mademoiselle_, said "the stupid little footman," hadgiven strict orders that "Minet" was not to be allowed upstairs for fearof the "pets," the "calanies," and the Bully, and Peepy-Snoozle, andTim, all of whom would have been very much to Minet's taste, I fear. Itwas very funny to see the way the little footman went "shoo-ing" at thepoor cat the moment Celia appeared, for Celia had rather grand mannersfor her age, and the servants thought her very "distinguished,"especially the stupid little footman. But Herr Baby was very sorry forpoor Minet; he had no particular pet of his own here, nothing to make upfor his "labbits," and so he took a great fancy to the pussy.
"Poor little 'weet darling," he would call it; "Celia's a c'uel girl tod'ive Minet away, _Minet_ wouldn't hurt the calanies, or the Bully, orthe sleepy-mouses; Minet is far too good."
"Pray, how do _you_ know, Baby?" Celia would say. "Cats are cats all theworld over, every one knows that."
"_Minet_ aren't," Baby would have it, "Minet has suts a kind heart. Himasked Minet if her would hurt the calanies and the sleepy-mouses, andher said 'no, sairtingly not.'"
"Baby!" said Denny, "what stories! Cats can't talk. You shouldn't tellstories."
"Minet can talk," said Baby. "When him asks for somefin, her says'proo-proo-oo,' and that means 'yes,' and if her means 'no,' her humpsup her back and s'akes her tail. When him asked Minet if her would liketo hurt the calanies, her humped up her back _never_ so high, and sookand _sook_ her tail, for no, _no_, NO!"
Celia could not find an answer to this. Baby went on stroking Minet withgreat satisfaction, as if there was nothing more to be said.
"All the same," said Celia at last, "I don't want Minet to comeupstairs. She's quite as happy downstairs, and, you see, it would_frighten_ the birds and the dormice if they saw her, for _they_mightn't understand that she wouldn't, on any account, hurt them."
"Werry well," said Baby, and he went on playing with his new pet.
"Herr Baby," said Lisa coming into the room a moment or two later; "minechild, how is it that your coat is so dirty? All green, Herr Baby, as ifyou had rubbed it on the wet grass."
"It's with his poking in among the bushes by the kitchen window," saidDenny of the ready tongue; "yesterday, you know, Baby, when youthought----"
"Hush," said Baby, "don't talk to me. You distairb me and the cat--we'sebusy."
Denny and Lisa looked at each other and smiled.
"Pussy, pitty pussy, dear Minet," went on Baby, who wanted to stopDenny's account of his fears.
"We're going out, Herr Baby," said Lisa. "There are commissions for yourlady mamma. We are to go to the patissier and----"
"Who are the pattyser?" said Baby.
"The cumfectioner," said Denny.
Baby pricked up his ears.
"We are to go to the patissier," said Lisa, "to order some cakes forMiladi for to-morrow, when Miladi's friends come to dine; and perhaps wewill buy some little cake for Herr Baby's tea. Come, mine child, leaveMinet, and come."
Herr Baby got up from the corner of the room where he had been embracingthe cat; there was a grave look on his face, but he did not say anythingtill he was out on the road with Lisa. Denny was not with them; she hadgot leave to go a walk with Celia and the lady who came every day togive her French lessons, which Denny thought much more grand than goingout with Baby and Lisa.
"Lisa," said Baby, after a few minutes, "are mother going to have aparty?"
"Not one very big party," said Lisa, "just some Miladis and someHerren--some genkelmen--to dine."
"Will it look very pitty?" asked Baby.
"Not so pretty as at _home_," said Lisa, who, now that she was away fromit, of course looked upon The Manor--that was the name of "home"--as themost lovely place in the world; "there's no nice glass, no nice prettydishes here. And Francois, he is so dumm--how you say 'dumm,' HerrBaby?"
"Dumm," repeated Baby, exactly copying Lisa's voice, staring up in herface.
"No, mine child, how you say it of English? Ah--I knows--_stupid_.Francois, he is too stupid. Peters and I, we will make the table sopretty as might be. Lisa will command some bon-bons."
"Mother will want the shiny jugs," thought poor Baby. "Him _s'ould_ havebrought him's pennies. Him would like to know if him has 'nuff pennies;perhaps him could go to the little girl's shop when Lisa is at thepattyser's."
But he said nothing aloud. How it was that he kept his thoughts tohimself, why he had such a dislike to any one knowing what was in hismind, I cannot exactly tell; but so it was, and so it often is with verylittle children, even though quite frank and open by nature. Baby had, Ithink, a fear that mother might not like him to spend all his pennies onthe shiny jugs, perhaps she might say she would pay them herself, andthat would not have pleased him at all. Deep down in his honest littleheart was the feeling that _he_ had broken the glasses and _he_ shouldpay for the new ones. But he said nothing to Lisa--he had never spokenof the jugs to her--mother had been "so kind," never to tell any oneabout what a silly little boy he had been, for mother knew that hedidn't like being laughed at. _Perhaps_ "they" would laugh at him now ifhe told about wanting to buy the shiny jugs--he wouldn't mind so much ifhe _had_ bought them, but "'appose they wouldn't let him go to the shopto get them?" Poor little mother! She wouldn't have her pitty glassesthen for the party--no, it was much best to settle it all his own self.Whom he meant by "they" I don't think Baby quite knew, he had a sort ofpicture in his mind of grandfather and auntie and mother all talkingtogether, and Celia and Fritz and Denny all joining in, and saying that"Baby was far too little to go to shops to buy things." And by the timehe had thought this all over, Herr Baby glancing up--for till now he hadbeen walking along with Lisa's hand, seeing and noticing nothing--foundthat they were already in the street of the town where the biggest shopswere, and that Lisa was looking about to find the shop where she was togive the orders for his mother.
It was a very pretty shop indeed--Baby had never seen such a prettyshop. The cakes and bon-bons were laid out so nicely on the tables roundthe wall, and they were all of such pretty colours. Baby walked roundand round admiring, and, I think, considering he was such a very littleboy, that it was very good of him not to think of touching any of thetempting dainties. In a few minutes Lisa had ordered all shewanted--then she chose some nice biscuits and a very few littlechocolate bon-bons, which she had put up in two paper parcels, and whenthey came out of the shop she told Herr Baby that they were for him, hismother had told her to get him something nice. Baby looked pleased, butstill he seemed very grave, and Lisa began wondering what he wasthinking of.
"Are you tired, mine child?" she said.
No, Herr Baby was not at all tired. He wanted to walk down the street tothe other end to see all the shops, he wanted to see _all_ the streetsand _all_ the shops before they went home. Lisa was rather amused. Shehad not known Herr Baby was so _very_ fond of shops, she said, and itwould take far too long to see them _all_. But she went to the end ofthat street with him, and then back again down the opposite side, andthen he begged her to turn down the other street they had crossed ontheir way to the confectioner's, and they had gone quite to the
end of_it_, Baby staring in at all the shop windows in a way that really madeLisa smile, for he looked so grave and solemn, when all of a sudden,just as Lisa was thinking of saying they must go home, Baby gave a sortof little scream and almost jumped across the street.
"Him sees it, him sees it," he cried, and when Lisa asked him what hemeant, all he would say was,
"That's the little street we went down with auntie the 'nother day," andLisa, who had forgotten all about the old shop window with the shinyglass and the blue-eyed picture, wondered why he was so eager about it.
"Is that the way we came?" she said, "I am not sure. I not quiteremember."
But "him wants to go home that way," persisted Baby, and he tugged Lisaalong. They passed at the other side, but Baby did not mind that. Hecould see across quite plainly, for the street was narrow, and therewere still the glasses in the corner and the sweet baby-girl face up onthe wall, looking down on them.
And after that he was quite satisfied to go quietly home; he did notspeak much on the way, but Lisa was accustomed to his grave fits, anddid not pay much attention to them. He only asked her one question--justas they were getting close to the Villa.
"Is it to-morrow mother's going to have all the pitty things fordinner?" he said.
"Yes, Herr Baby, and Lisa will be busy, to show Francois how Miladilikes everything. Herr Baby and Fraeulein Denny will be goot and playpeacefully in the garden to-morrow, so she can be busy," said Lisa, whowas very proud of being of so much consequence.
"Yes," said Herr Baby, "him won't want you to take care of him."
After tea he got out his money-box. This he often did. He was such acareful little boy that mother let him keep his money himself, and itwas a great pleasure to him to count over the different kinds of"pennies;" he called them all "pennies," brown, white, and even yellowpennies, for Baby had a pound and a ten shilling piece that had beengiven him on his last birthday, and that he had never been able to makeup his mind how to spend. He looked at them now with great satisfaction.
"See, Denny," he said, "him has two yellow pennies, a big and a little,and free white pennies, a big and a little and a littler, and five brownpennies. Him knows there's five, for him can count up to five, 'cosfive's just as old as him is going to be. See, Denny, isn't there a lot?And the yellow pennies could be turned into lots and lots of whitepennies Lisa says, and the white pennies could be turned into lots ofbrown pennies, isn't it funny? Isn't him werry rich, Denny?"
"Yes, I suppose so," said Denny, "I really don't know. I wish youwouldn't chatter so, Baby. I can't learn my lessons."
Poor Baby! It was not often he was to blame for "chattering so." But helooked with great respect at Denny for having lessons to do, and wasnot at all offended. Denny was proud of being with Celia and the newgoverness, but I think her pleasure was a little spoilt by finding thatthe new governess had no idea of taking care of a little girl who didn'tdo any lessons, and this evening she was rather cross at a row of Frenchwords which she had to learn to say the next morning. Baby went quietlyoff into the corner with his money-box, but finding it rather dull tohave no one to show his pennies to, he went out of the room, which youremember was downstairs, and, opening a door which led to the kitchen,peeped about in hopes of seeing his friend Minet. He had not long towait--Minet had a corner of her own by the kitchen wall, on the otherside of which was the stove, and where she found herself almost as warmas in the kitchen, when Monsieur Jean-Georges objected to her company.She was curled up in this corner when she heard Baby's soft voicecalling her--"Minet, Minet, pussy, pussy," and up she got, slowly andlazily, as cats do when they are half asleep, but still willinglyenough, for she dearly loved Herr Baby.
"Minet," said Baby, when she appeared, and coming up to him rubbed herfurry coat against his little bare legs, "Minet, dear, come and sit wifhim on the 'teps going down to the garden, and him'll tell you abouthis money."
But Lisa, coming by just then, said it was too cold now to sit on stonesteps; for warm as it was in the day at Santino the evenings got quicklychilly.
"Us can't go back to the 'coolroom," said Baby; "Denny won't let dearMinet come there, and him must stay wif Minet, 'cos her waked up whenhim called her."
"Miss Denny must let you stay in the school-room," said Lisa. "There isno little birds there for Minet to touch."
She opened the door, and Denny was too busy with her lessons to scold.
"You will be very quiet, Herr Baby," said Lisa. So Baby and Minet wentoff into a corner with the money-box.
"Minet, dear," said Baby, in a low voice, "see what lots of pennies himhas. Yellow pennies, and white pennies, and brown pennies."
Minet purred, naturally, for Baby was stroking her softly with one handall the time he was holding up his pennies with the other.
"Dear Minet," said Baby, much gratified, "you is pleased that him has somany pennies. Now, Minet, him will tell you a secret, a _gate, gate_secret, about what him's going to do wif all him's pennies."
Here Minet purred again. Baby looked round. There was no one listening.Lisa was going backwards and forwards, putting away the tea-things;Denny was still groaning and grumbling over her row of words; Baby mightsafely tell Minet his secret. Still he lowered his voice _so_ low thatcertainly no one but Minet could hear. And when he left off speaking,Minet purred more than ever. Only Baby thought it just as well to say toher, before Lisa took him away up to bed, "Minet, dear, you'll be _sure_not to tell nobody;" and I suppose Minet promised, for Baby seemed quitepleased.
He woke in the morning with his head quite full of his great idea. Theywere not to go a regular walk that day, Lisa told him, for in theafternoon she would be busy, and Herr Baby would be good and playquietly in the garden, would he not?
"All alone?" asked Baby.
"Perhaps Miss Denny will stay, too, if Herr Baby wishes," said Lisa;"she was going again with Miss Celia, but----"
"Oh no," said Baby, "him would rather be alone, kite alone, 'cept Minet.Fritz is very good to him, but Fritz will be at school. Fritz is neverat home now 'cept Thursdays."
"No," said Lisa; "but Herr Fritz is very happy at school, and when HerrBaby is big he will go too."
"Yes," said Baby; but he didn't seem to think much what he was saying.Lisa thought he was dull about Fritz being at school--I forgot to tellyou that Fritz went every day now to a very nice school in the town,where there were a few boys about his own age--but Lisa was mistaken.
That afternoon, any one passing the low hedge which at one side was allthat divided the Villa garden from the road, would have seen a prettylittle picture. There was Baby, seated on the grass, one arm fondlyclasping Minet's neck, while with the other he firmly held the famousmoney-box. He was dressed in his garden blouse only, but for some reasonhe had his best hat on. And he kept looking about him, first towards thehouse and then towards the garden gate, in a funny considering sort ofway.
At last he seemed to have made up his mind.
"Minet," he said to the cat, "him thinks we'll go now. 'Amember, Minet,you've _p'omised_ to go wif him. If you get werry tired, Minet, him'lltry to carry you. If you could carry the money-box, and him could carryyou, then it would be _kite_ easy. What a pity you haven't got two morepaws, that would do for hands, Minet!"
Minet purred.
"Yes, poor Minet. Nebber mind, dear; but we must be going." And closelyfollowed by the cat, who had no idea, poor thing, of what was beforeher, Baby made his way down the path to the garden gate. It was open, atleast not latched. Baby easily pushed it wide enough for his little selfto go through, and stood, with Minet and the money-box, triumphant onthe highroad.
"It were the best way, thit way," he said to himself. For there wasanother gate to the Villa, leading out to the upper road. But this gatewas guarded by a lodge, and the "concierge," as they called thelodge-keeper, came out to open it for every one who went in and out. And"p'raps," thought Baby, "the concierge mightn't have let him through,'cos, of course, her didn't know why him was going out alone withMinet.
"
So Minet and he and the money-box found themselves out on the road ontheir own account.
All the family was scattered that afternoon. Celia and Denny had gone along walk with their governess, Fritz was at school, mother and auntiehad driven to see some friends a good way off, meaning to call for Fritzat his school on their way home. The servants, too, were all more busythan usual on account of the ladies and gentlemen coming to dinner. Lisaand Linley and Peters were all trying to make the strange servantsunderstand just how they were used to have the table at home, and givingthemselves a great deal more trouble than grandfather or mother wouldhave wished had they known about it. Lisa was very clever at arrangingflowers prettily, and she was so sure of Baby's quiet ways when he wasleft to himself, that she never gave a thought to him once she saw himsafely settled in the garden with Minet. It was such a safe garden.There really was no part of it where a child could get into any trouble,for though there was a little water in the basin from which rose thefountain, it was so little, that not even Minet could have wetted muchmore than her paws in it. So Lisa went on quite comfortably doing theflowers and arranging the dessert in the pantry, by way of givingFrancois a lesson, and now and then she would glance out of the windowwhich looked on to the garden, and, seeing Baby there with Minet, shefelt quite easy. She did once say to herself,
"I wonder why Herr Baby begged so to have his best hat to-day--but he isone good child, one should please him sometimes."
I am afraid the truth was that Lisa spoilt her dear Baby a little!
After a while she looked out again. She did not see Herr Baby this time,but she did not think anything of it.
"They will have gone to play among the bushes," she said to herself,meaning by "they" Baby and Minet of course, and she went on with whatshe was doing, and got so interested in helping Peters to explain toFrancois that in England people always changed the wine glasses at theend of dinner, and put clean ones for dessert, that the time went onwithout it ever entering her head to say to herself, "What can havebecome of Herr Baby?"
Mother and auntie were later than they had expected of returning fromtheir drive. They had gone a long way, and coming back it was mostlyup-hill.
"Fritz will be thinking we have forgotten him," said mother, looking ather watch, "but I told him to be sure to wait till we came. He is toolittle to go home alone yet, at least till he knows his way quite wellor can speak enough to ask."
"We might have told Celia and Denny to call for him, as they are outwith Mademoiselle," said auntie.
Just then in turning a corner, for they were quite in the town now,auntie's eyes caught sight of the narrow street where the old curiosityshop was.
"By the by," she said, "I should so like to ask about that picture. Itold you about it, you remember, May?"--May, you know, was thechildren's mother's name--"have we time to go that way?"
"I'm afraid not; we are late already," said mother. "I'm so sorry."
"Oh, never mind, another day will do quite well," said auntie,cheerfully.
So they drove home, quickly, just stopping a moment to pick up Fritz,who was waiting for them at the gate of his school.
If they _had_ happened to go round by the old curiosity shop, howsurprised they would have been; but what a great deal of trouble itwould have saved them, as you shall hear.
Lisa met them as they got home, with a long story about the table andthe flowers and the stupidness of Francois, which mother and auntiecould hardly help laughing at.
"Never mind, Lisa," said mother; "it will do very well, I am sure. Whereare the children?"
"Upstairs, Miladi, taking off their things. They have just come in,"said Lisa, never thinking, somehow, as mother said the "children," butthat she was talking of Celia and Denny. For, somehow, in thisfamily--in every family there are little habits of the kind--Baby wasnot often spoken of among "the children." They had all got so used tothe name of Herr Baby, which Lisa had called him by since he was quite awee baby, that he was seldom spoken of by any other, and often Babyhimself would talk gravely about "the children," without any one seemingto think it odd.
"Upstairs, are they?" said mother. "Well, run off, Fritz, dear, and tryand get some of your lessons done before tea. Mademoiselle will help youa little, I daresay, before she goes."
Off ran Fritz. He was a very good boy about his lessons, and anxious toget on well. More to please Lisa and the others than that they cared,mother and auntie went into the dining-room. They were standing lookingat the pretty flowers and leaves, when suddenly Fritz put his head in atthe door again.
"Lisa," he said, "where's Baby? He's not upstairs, and he's not in thegarden. Linley said you told him to play there this afternoon, but he's_not_ there."
Lisa started, and her face grew white.
"Mine child!" she cried. "Ah, but he must be in the garden, MasterFritz! I saw him there so happy, with the cat, just--ah, how long agowas it? Have I forgotten him for so long? He must be hiding--to play,to--how do you say?" for Lisa's English was very apt to fly away whenshe got frightened or upset. "Ach, where can he be?" and off darted poorLisa.
Mother and auntie and Fritz looked at each other.
"Can he be _lost_?" said Fritz, with a very frightened face.
"Oh no, no," said auntie. "Lisa is so easily startled. But still----"
"Let us all go and look for him at once," said mother. "What a goodthing poor grandfather isn't back yet!"