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
âWhy, y-yes, Pollyanna.â
âOh, Iâm so glad! Then itâs all right,â sighed the little girl. âNow you can take us both, and everything will be lovely.â
âTakeâ âyouâ âboth?â repeated the man, dazedly.
A faint doubt crossed Pollyannaâs countenance.
âWell, of course, Aunt Polly isnât won over, yet; but Iâm sure she will be if you tell it to her just as you did to me, and then weâd both come, of course.â
A look of actual terror leaped to the manâs eyes.
âAunt Polly comeâ âhere!â
Pollyannaâs eyes widened a little.
âWould you rather go there?â she asked. âOf course the house isnât quite so pretty, but itâs nearerâ ââ
âPollyanna, what are you talking about?â asked the man, very gently now.
âWhy, about where weâre going to live, of course,â rejoined Pollyanna, in obvious surprise. âI thought you meant here, at first. You said it was here that you had wanted Aunt Pollyâs hand and heart all these years to make a home, andâ ââ
An inarticulate cry came from the manâs throat. He raised his hand and began to speak; but the next moment he dropped his hand nervelessly at his side.
âThe doctor, sir,â said the maid in the doorway.
Pollyanna rose at once.
John Pendleton turned to her feverishly.
âPollyanna, for Heavenâs sake, say nothing of what I asked youâ âyet,â he begged, in a low voice. Pollyanna dimpled into a sunny smile.
âOf course not! Just as if I didnât know youâd rather tell her yourself!â she called back merrily over her shoulder.
John Pendleton fell limply back in his chair.
âWhy, whatâs up?â demanded the doctor, a minute later, his fingers on his patientâs galloping pulse.
A whimsical smile trembled on John Pendletonâs lips.
âOverdose of yourâ âtonic, I guess,â he laughed, as he noted the doctorâs eyes following Pollyannaâs little figure down the driveway.
XX Which Is More SurprisingSunday mornings Pollyanna usually attended church and Sunday school. Sunday afternoons she frequently went for a walk with Nancy. She had planned one for the day after her Saturday afternoon visit to Mr. John Pendleton; but on the way home from Sunday school Dr. Chilton overtook her in his gig, and brought his horse to a stop.
âSuppose you let me drive you home, Pollyanna,â he suggested. âI want to speak to you a minute. I, was just driving out to your place to tell you,â he went on, as Pollyanna settled herself at his side. âMr. Pendleton sent a special request for you to go to see him this afternoon, sure. He says itâs very important.â
Pollyanna nodded happily.
âYes, it is, I know. Iâll go.â
The doctor eyed her with some surprise.
âIâm not sure I shall let you, after all,â he declared, his eyes twinkling. âYou seemed more upsetting than soothing yesterday, young lady.â
Pollyanna laughed.
âOh, it wasnât me, trulyâ ânot really, you know; not so much as it was Aunt Polly.â
The doctor turned with a quick start.
âYourâ âaunt!â he ejaculated.
Pollyanna gave a happy little bounce in her seat.
âYes. And itâs so exciting and lovely, just like a story, you know. Iâ âIâm going to tell you,â she burst out, with sudden decision. âHe said not to mention it; but he wouldnât mind your knowing, of course. He meant not to mention it to her.â
âHer?â
âYes; Aunt Polly. And, of course he would want to tell her himself instead of having me do itâ âlovers, so!â
âLovers!â As the doctor said the word, the horse started violently, as if the hand that held the reins had given them a sharp jerk.
âYes,â nodded Pollyanna, happily. âThatâs the story-part, you see. I didnât know it till Nancy told me. She said Aunt Polly had a lover years ago, and they quarrelled. She didnât know who it was at first. But weâve found out now. Itâs Mr. Pendleton, you know.â
The doctor relaxed suddenly, The hand holding the reins fell limply to his lap.
âOh! No; Iâ âdidnât know,â he said quietly.
Pollyanna hurried onâ âthey were nearing the Harrington homestead.
âYes; and Iâm so glad now. Itâs come out lovely. Mr. Pendleton asked me to come and live with him, but of course I wouldnât leave Aunt Polly like thatâ âafter sheâd been so good to me. Then he told me all about the womanâs hand and heart that he used to want, and I found out that he wanted it now; and I was so glad! For of course if he wants to make up the quarrel, everything will be all right now, and Aunt Polly and I will both go to live there, or else heâll come to live with us. Of course Aunt Polly doesnât know yet, and we havenât got everything settled; so I suppose that is why he wanted to see me this afternoon, sure.â
The doctor sat suddenly erect. There was an odd smile on his lips.
âYes; I can well imagine that Mr. John Pendleton doesâ âwant to see you, Pollyanna,â he nodded, as he pulled his horse to a stop before the door.
âThereâs Aunt Polly now in the window,â cried Pollyanna; then, a second later: âWhy, no, she isnâtâ âbut I thought I saw her!â
âNo; she isnât thereâ ânow,â said the doctor, His lips had suddenly lost their smile.
Pollyanna found a very nervous John Pendleton waiting for her that afternoon.
âPollyanna,â he began at once. âIâve been trying all night to puzzle out what you meant by all that, yesterdayâ âabout my wanting your Aunt Pollyâs hand and heart here all those years. What did you mean?â
âWhy, because you were lovers, you know once; and I was so glad you still felt that way now.â
âLovers!â âyour Aunt Polly and I?â
At the obvious surprise in the manâs voice, Pollyanna opened wide her eyes.
âWhy, Mr. Pendleton, Nancy said you were!â
The man gave a short little laugh.
âIndeed! Well, Iâm afraid I shall have to say that Nancyâ âdidnât know.â
âThen youâ âwerenât lovers?â Pollyannaâs voice was tragic with dismay.
âNever!â
âAnd it isnât all coming out like a book?â
There was no answer. The manâs eyes were moodily fixed out the window.
âO dear! And it was all going so splendidly,â almost sobbed Pollyanna. âIâd have been so glad to comeâ âwith Aunt Polly.â
âAnd you wonâtâ ânow?â The man asked
Comments (0)