under the greenwood tree-第23章

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they'll　talk　about　my　teapot　and　tea…things　next；　I　suppose！〃　　She

vanished　with　the　teapot；　cups；　and　saucers；　and　reappeared　with　a

tea…service　in　white　china；　and　a　packet　wrapped　in　brown　paper。

This　was　removed；　together　with　folds　of　tissue…paper　underneath；

and　a　brilliant　silver　teapot　appeared。



〃I'll　help　to　put　the　things　right；〃　said　Fancy　soothingly；　and

rising　from　her　seat。　　〃I　ought　to　have　laid　out　better　things；　I

suppose。　　But〃　（here　she　enlarged　her　looks　so　as　to　include　Dick）

〃I　have　been　away　from　home　a　good　deal；　and　I　make　shocking

blunders　in　my　housekeeping。〃　　Smiles　and　suavity　were　then

dispensed　all　around　by　this　bright　little　bird。



After　a　little　more　preparation　and　modification；　Mrs。　Day　took　her

seat　at　the　head　of　the　table；　and　during　the　latter　or　tea　division

of　the　meal；　presided　with　much　composure。　　It　may　cause　some

surprise　to　learn　that；　now　her　vagary　was　over；　she　showed　herself

to　be　an　excellent　person　with　much　common　sense；　and　even　a

religious　seriousness　of　tone　on　matters　pertaining　to　her

afflictions。







CHAPTER　VII：　　DICK　MAKES　HIMSELF　USEFUL







The　effect　of　Geoffrey's　incidental　allusions　to　Mr。　Shiner　was　to

restrain　a　considerable　flow　of　spontaneous　chat　that　would

otherwise　have　burst　from　young　Dewy　along　the　drive　homeward。　　And

a　certain　remark　he　had　hazarded　to　her；　in　rather　too　blunt　and

eager　a　manner；　kept　the　young　lady　herself　even　more　silent　than

Dick。　　On　both　sides　there　was　an　unwillingness　to　talk　on　any　but

the　most　trivial　subjects；　and　their　sentences　rarely　took　a　larger

form　than　could　be　expressed　in　two　or　three　words。



Owing　to　Fancy　being　later　in　the　day　than　she　had　promised；　the

charwoman　had　given　up　expecting　her；　whereupon　Dick　could　do　no

less　than　stay　and　see　her　comfortably　tided　over　the　disagreeable

time　of　entering　and　establishing　herself　in　an　empty　house　after　an

absence　of　a　week。　　The　additional　furniture　and　utensils　that　had

been　brought　（a　canary　and　cage　among　the　rest）　were　taken　out　of

the　vehicle；　and　the　horse　was　unharnessed　and　put　in　the　plot

opposite；　where　there　was　some　tender　grass。　　Dick　lighted　the　fire

already　laid；　and　activity　began　to　loosen　their　tongues　a　little。



〃There！〃　said　Fancy；　〃we　forgot　to　bring　the　fire…irons！〃



She　had　originally　found　in　her　sitting…room；　to　bear　out　the

expression　'nearly　furnished'　which　the　school…manager　had　used　in

his　letter　to　her；　a　table；　three　chairs；　a　fender；　and　a　piece　of

carpet。　　This　'nearly'　had　been　supplemented　hitherto　by　a　kind

friend；　who　had　lent　her　fire…irons　and　crockery　until　she　should

fetch　some　from　home。



Dick　attended　to　the　young　lady's　fire；　using　his　whip…handle　for　a

poker　till　it　was　spoilt；　and　then　flourishing　a　hurdle　stick　for

the　remainder　of　the　time。



〃The　kettle　boils；　now　you　shall　have　a　cup　of　tea；〃　said　Fancy；

diving　into　the　hamper　she　had　brought。



〃Thank　you；〃　said　Dick；　whose　drive　had　made　him　ready　for　some；

especially　in　her　company。



〃Well；　here's　only　one　cup…and…saucer；　as　I　breathe！　　Whatever　could

mother　be　thinking　about？　　Do　you　mind　making　shift；　Mr。　Dewy？〃



〃Not　at　all；　Miss　Day；〃　said　that　civil　person。



〃And　only　having　a　cup　by　itself？　or　a　saucer　by　itself？〃



〃Don't　mind　in　the　least。〃



〃Which　do　you　mean　by　that？〃



〃I　mean　the　cup；　if　you　like　the　saucer。〃



〃And　the　saucer；　if　I　like　the　cup？〃



〃Exactly；　Miss　Day。〃



〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Dewy；　for　I　like　the　cup　decidedly。　　Stop　a　minute；

there　are　no　spoons　now！〃　　She　dived　into　the　hamper　again；　and　at

the　end　of　two　or　three　minutes　looked　up　and　said；　〃I　suppose　you

don't　mind　if　I　can't　find　a　spoon？〃



〃Not　at　all；〃　said　the　agreeable　Richard。



〃The　fact　is；　the　spoons　have　slipped　down　somewhere；　right　under

the　other　things。　　O　yes；　here's　one；　and　only　one。　　You　would

rather　have　one　than　not；　I　suppose；　Mr。　Dewy？〃



〃Rather　not。　　I　never　did　care　much　about　spoons。〃



〃Then　I'll　have　it。　　I　do　care　about　them。　　You　must　stir　up　your

tea　with　a　knife。　　Would　you　mind　lifting　the　kettle　off；　that　it

may　not　boil　dry？〃



Dick　leapt　to　the　fireplace；　and　earnestly　removed　the　kettle。



〃There！　you　did　it　so　wildly　that　you　have　made　your　hand　black。　　We

always　use　kettle…holders；　didn't　you　learn　housewifery　as　far　as

that；　Mr。　Dewy？　　Well；　never　mind　the　soot　on　your　hand。　　Come　here。

I　am　going　to　rinse　mine；　too。〃



They　went'　to　a　basin　she　had　placed　in　the　back　room。　　〃This　is　the

only　basin　I　have；〃　she　said。　　〃Turn　up　your　sleeves；　and　by　that

time　my　hands　will　be　washed；　and　you　can　come。〃



Her　hands　were　in　the　water　now。　　〃O；　how　vexing！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃There's　not　a　drop　of　water　left　for　you；　unless　you　draw　it；　and

the　well　is　I　don't　know　how　many　furlongs　deep；　all　that　was　in　the

pitcher　I　used　for　the　kettle　and　this　basin。　　Do　you　mind　dipping

the　tips　of　your　fingers　in　the　same？〃



〃Not　at　all。　　And　to　save　time　I　won't　wait　till　you　have　done；　if

you　have　no　objection？〃



Thereupon　he　plunged　in　his　hands；　and　they　paddled　together。　　It

being　the　first　time　in　his　life　that　he　had　touched　female　fingers

under　water；　Dick　duly　registered　the　sensation　as　rather　a　nice

one。



〃Really；　I　hardly　know　which　are　my　own　hands　and　which　are　yours；

they　have　got　so　mixed　up　together；〃　she　said；　withdrawing　her　own

very　suddenly。



〃It　doesn't　matter　at　all；〃　said　Dick；　〃at　least　as　far　as　I　am

concerned。〃



〃There！　no　towel！　　Whoever　thinks　of　a　towel　till　the　hands　are

wet？〃



〃Nobody。〃



〃'Nobody。'　　How　very　dull　it　is　when　people　are　so　friendly！　　Come

here；　Mr。　Dewy。　　Now　do　you　think　you　could　lift　the　lid　of　that　box

with　your　elbow；　and　then；　with　something　or　other；　take　out　a　towel

you　will　find　under　the　clean　clothes？　　Be　SURE　don't　touch　any　of

them　with　your　wet　hands；　for　the　things　at　the　top　are　all　Starched

and　Ironed。〃



Dick　managed；　by　the　aid　of　a　knife　and　fork；　to　extract　a　towel

from　under　a　muslin　dress　without　wetting　the　latter；　and　for　a

moment　he　ventured　to　assume　a　tone　of　criticism。



〃I　fear　for　that　dress；〃　he　said；　as　they　wiped　their　hands

together。



〃What？〃　said　Miss　Day；　looking　into　the　box　at　the　dress　alluded　to。

〃O；　I　know　what　you　meanthat　the　vicar　will　never　let　me　wear

muslin？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Well；　I　know　it　is　condemned　by　all　orders　in　the　church　as

flaunting；　and　unfit　for　common　wear　for　girls　who've　their　living

to　get；　hut　we'll　see。〃



〃In　the　interest　of　the　church；　I　hope　you　don't　speak　seriously。〃



〃Yes；　I　do；　but　we'll　see。〃　　There　was　a　comely　determination　on　her

lip；　very　pleasant　to　a　beholder　who　was　neither　bishop；　priest；　nor

deacon。　　〃I　think　I　can　manage　any　vicar's　views　about　me　if　he's

under　forty。〃



Dick　rather　wished　she　had　never　thought　of　managing　vicars。



〃I　certainly　shall　be　glad　to　get　some　of　your　delicious　tea；〃　he

said　in　rather　a　free　way；　yet　modestly；　as　became　one　in　a　position

between　that　of　visitor　and　inmate；　and　looking　wistfully　at　his

lonely　saucer。



〃So　shall　I。　　Now　is　there　anything　else　we　want；　Mr　Dewy？〃



〃I　really　think　there's　nothing　else；　Miss　Day。〃



She　prepared　to　sit　down；　looking　musingly　out　of　the　window　at

Smart's　enjoyment　of　the　rich　grass。　　〃Nobody　seems　to　care　about

me；〃　she　murmured；　with　large　lost　eyes　fixed　upon　the　sky　beyond

Smart。



〃Perhaps　Mr。　Shiner　does；〃　said　Dick；　in　the　tone　of　a　slightly

injured　man。



〃Yes；　I　forgothe　does；　I　know。〃　　Dick　precipitately　regretted　that

he　had　suggested　Shiner；　since　it　had　produced　such　a　miserable

result　as　this。



〃I'll　warrant　you'll　care　for　somebody　very　much　indeed　another　day；

won't　you；　Mr。　Dewy？〃　she　continued；　looking　very　feelingly　into　the

mathematical　centre　of　his　eyes。



〃Ah；　I'll　warrant　I　shall；〃　said　Dick；　feelingly　too