Pollyanna Eleanor H. Porter (classic english novels txt) đ
- Author: Eleanor H. Porter
Book online «Pollyanna Eleanor H. Porter (classic english novels txt) đ». Author Eleanor H. Porter
âThank you,â said John Pendleton, gently.
After supper that evening, Pollyanna, sitting on the back porch, told Nancy all about Mr. John Pendletonâs wonderful carved box, and the still more wonderful things it contained.
âAnd ter think,â sighed Nancy, âthat he showed ye all them things, and told ye about âem like thatâ âhim thatâs so cross he never talks ter no oneâ âno one!â
âOh, but he isnât cross, Nancy, only outside,â demurred Pollyanna, with quick loyalty. âI donât see why everybody thinks heâs so bad, either. They wouldnât, if they knew him. But even Aunt Polly doesnât like him very well. She wouldnât send the jelly to him, you know, and she was so afraid heâd think she did send it!â
âProbably she didnât call him no duty,â shrugged Nancy. âBut what beats me is how he happened ter take ter you so, Miss Pollyannaâ âmeaninâ no offence ter you, of courseâ âbut he ainât the sort oâ man what genârally takes ter kids; he ainât, he ainât.â
Pollyanna smiled happily.
âBut he did, Nancy,â she nodded, âonly I reckon even he didnât want toâ âall the time. Why, only today he owned up that one time he just felt he never wanted to see me again, because I reminded him of something he wanted to forget. But afterwardsâ ââ
âWhatâs that?â interrupted Nancy, excitedly. âHe said you reminded him of something he wanted to forget?â
âYes. But afterwardsâ ââ
âWhat was it?â Nancy was eagerly insistent.
âHe didnât tell me. He just said it was something.â
âThe mystery!â breathed Nancy, in an awestruck voice. âThatâs why he took to you in the first place. Oh, Miss Pollyanna! Why, thatâs just like a bookâ âIâve read lots of âem; âLady Maudâs Secret,â and âThe Lost Heir,â and âHidden for Yearsââ âall of âem had mysteries and things just like this. My stars and stockings! Just think of havinâ a book lived right under yer nose like this anâ me not knowinâ it all this time! Now tell me everythinââ âeverythinâ he said, Miss Pollyanna, thereâs a dear! No wonder he took ter you; no wonderâ âno wonder!â
âBut he didnât,â cried Pollyanna, ânot till I talked to him, first. And he didnât even know who I was till I took the calfâs-foot jelly, and had to make him understand that Aunt Polly didnât send it, andâ ââ
Nancy sprang to her feet and clasped her hands together suddenly.
âOh, Miss Pollyanna, I know, I knowâ âI know I know!â she exulted rapturously. The next minute she was down at Pollyannaâs side again. âTell meâ ânow think, and answer straight and true,â she urged excitedly. âIt was after he found out you was Miss Pollyâs niece that he said he didnât ever want ter see ye again, waânât it?â
âOh, yes. I told him that the last time I saw him, and he told me this today.â
âI thought as much,â triumphed Nancy. âAnd Miss Polly wouldnât send the jelly herself, would she?â
âNo.â
âAnd you told him she didnât send it?â
âWhy, yes; Iâ ââ
âAnd he began ter act queer and cry out sudden after he found out you was her niece. He did that, didnât he?â
âWhy, y-yes; he did act a little queerâ âover that jelly,â admitted Pollyanna, with a thoughtful frown.
Nancy drew a long sigh.
âThen Iâve got it, sure! Now listen. Mr. John Pendleton was Miss Polly Harringtonâs lover!â she announced impressively, but with a furtive glance over her shoulder.
âWhy, Nancy, he couldnât be! She doesnât like him,â objected Pollyanna.
Nancy gave her a scornful glance.
âOf course she donât! thatâs the quarrel!â
Pollyanna still looked incredulous, and with another long breath Nancy happily settled herself to tell the story.
âItâs like this. Just before you come, Mr. Tom told me Miss Polly had had a lover once. I didnât believe it. I couldnâtâ âher and a lover! But Mr. Tom said she had, and that he was livinâ now right in this town. And now I know, of course. Itâs John Pendleton. Hainât he got a mystery in his life? Donât he shut himself up in that grand house alone, and never speak ter no one? Didnât he act queer when he found out you was Miss Pollyâs niece? And now hainât he owned up that you remind him of somethinâ he wants ter forget? Just as if anybody couldnât see âtwas Miss Polly!â âanâ her sayinâ she wouldnât send him no jelly, too. Why, Miss Pollyanna, itâs as plain as the nose on yer face; it is, it is!â
âOh-h!â breathed Pollyanna, in wide-eyed amazement. âBut, Nancy, I should think if they loved each other theyâd make up some time. Both of âem all alone, so, all these years. I should think theyâd be glad to make up!â
Nancy sniffed disdainfully.
âI guess maybe you donât know much about lovers, Miss Pollyanna. You ainât big enough yet, anyhow. But if there is a set oâ folks in the world that wouldnât have no use for that âere âglad gameâ oâ yourân, itâd be a pair oâ quarrellinâ lovers; and thatâs what they be. Ainât he cross as sticks, most genârally?â âand ainât sheâ ââ
Nancy stopped abruptly, remembering just in time to whom, and about whom, she was speaking. Suddenly, however, she chuckled.
âI ainât sayinâ, though, Miss Pollyanna, but what it would be a pretty slick piece of business if you could get âem ter playinâ itâ âso they would be glad ter make up. But, my land! wouldnât folks stare someâ âMiss Polly and him! I guess, though, there ainât much chance, much chance!â
Pollyanna said nothing; but when she went into the house a little later, her face was very thoughtful.
XVIII PrismsAs the warm August days passed, Pollyanna went very frequently to the great house on Pendleton Hill. She did not feel, however, that her visits were really a success. Not but that the man seemed to want her thereâ âhe sent for her, indeed, frequently; but that when she was there, he seemed scarcely any the happier for her presenceâ âat least, so Pollyanna thought.
He talked to her, it was true, and
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