Pollyanna Grows Up Eleanor H. Porter (booksvooks .TXT) đ
- Author: Eleanor H. Porter
Book online «Pollyanna Grows Up Eleanor H. Porter (booksvooks .TXT) đ». Author Eleanor H. Porter
âIsnât Jimmy fine? How he has improved! And hasnât he the nicest eyes and smile?â
She waited hopefully, but as there was no reply to this, she contented herself with a cheerful: âWell, I think he has, anyhow.â
Timothy had been both too aggrieved and too afraid to tell Mrs. Chilton what to expect at home; so the wide-flung doors and flower-adorned rooms with Nancy courtesying on the porch were a complete surprise to Mrs. Chilton and Pollyanna.
âWhy, Nancy, how perfectly lovely!â cried Pollyanna, springing lightly to the ground. âAuntie, hereâs Nancy to welcome us. And only see how charming sheâs made everything look!â
Pollyannaâs voice was determinedly cheerful, though it shook audibly. This homecoming without the dear doctor whom she had loved so well was not easy for her; and if hard for her, she knew something of what it must be for her aunt. She knew, too, that the one thing her aunt was dreading was a breakdown before Nancy, than which nothing could be worse in her eyes. Behind the heavy black veil the eyes were brimming and the lips were trembling, Pollyanna knew. She knew, too, that to hide these facts her aunt would probably seize the first opportunity for faultfinding, and make her anger a cloak to hide the fact that her heart was breaking. Pollyanna was not surprised, therefore, to hear her auntâs few cold words of greeting to Nancy followed by a sharp: âOf course all this was very kind, Nancy; but, really, I would have much preferred that you had not done it.â
All the joy fled from, Nancyâs face. She looked hurt and frightened.
âOh, but Miss Pollyâ âI mean, Misâ Chilton,â she entreated; âit seemed as if I couldnât let youâ ââ
âThere, there, never mind, Nancy,â interrupted Mrs. Chilton. âIâ âI donât want to talk about it.â And, with her head proudly high, she swept out of the room. A minute later they heard the door of her bedroom shut upstairs.
Nancy turned in dismay.
âOh, Miss Pollyanna, what is it? What have I done? I thought sheâd like it. I meant it all right!â
âOf course you did,â wept Pollyanna, fumbling in her bag for her handkerchief. âAnd âtwas lovely to have you do it, tooâ âjust lovely.â
âBut she didnât like it.â
âYes, she did. But she didnât want to show she liked it. She was afraid if she did sheâd showâ âother things, andâ âOh, Nancy, Nancy, Iâm so glad just to c-cry!â And Pollyanna was sobbing on Nancyâs shoulder.
âThere, there, dear; so she shall, so she shall,â soothed Nancy, patting the heaving shoulders with one hand, and trying, with the other, to make the corner of her apron serve as a handkerchief to wipe her own tears away.
âYou see, I mustnâtâ âcryâ âbeforeâ âher,â faltered Pollyanna; âand it was hardâ âcoming hereâ âthe first time, you know, and all. And I knew how she was feeling.â
âOf course, of course, poor lamb,â crooned Nancy. âAnd to think the first thing I should have done was somethinâ ter vex her, andâ ââ
âOh, but she wasnât vexed at that,â corrected Pollyanna, agitatedly. âItâs just her way, Nancy. You see, she doesnât like to show how badly she feels aboutâ âabout the doctor. And sheâs so afraid she will show it that sheâ âshe just takes anything for an excuse toâ âto talk about. She does it to me, too, just the same. So I know all about it. See?â
âOh, yes, I see, I do, I do.â Nancyâs lips snapped together a little severely, and her sympathetic pats, for the minute, were even more loving, if possible. âPoor lamb! Iâm glad I come, anyhow, for your sake.â
âYes, so am I,â breathed Pollyanna, gently drawing herself away and wiping her eyes. âThere, I feel better. And I do thank you ever so much, Nancy, and I appreciate it. Now donât let us keep you when itâs time for you to go.â
âHo! Iâm thinkinâ Iâll stay for a spell,â sniffed Nancy.
âStay! Why, Nancy, I thought you were married. Arenât you Timothyâs wife?â
âSure! But he wonât mindâ âfor you. Heâd want me to stayâ âfor you.â
âOh, but, Nancy, we couldnât let you,â demurred Pollyanna. âWe canât have anybodyâ ânow, you know. Iâm going to do the work. Until we know just how things are, we shall live very economically, Aunt Polly says.â
âHo! as if Iâd take money fromâ ââ began Nancy, in bridling wrath; but at the expression on the otherâs face she stopped, and let her words dwindle off in a mumbling protest, as she hurried from the room to look after her creamed chicken on the stove.
Not until supper was over, and everything put in order, did Mrs. Timothy Durgin consent to drive away with her husband; then she went with evident reluctance, and with many pleadings to be allowed to come âjust ter help out a bitâ at any time.
After Nancy had gone, Pollyanna came into the living-room where Mrs. Chilton was sitting alone, her hand over her eyes.
âWell, dearie, shall I light up?â suggested Pollyanna, brightly.
âOh, I suppose so.â
âWasnât Nancy a dear to fix us all up so nice?â
No answer.
âWhere in the world she found all these flowers I canât imagine. She has them in every room down here, and in both bedrooms, too.â
Still no answer.
Pollyanna gave a half-stifled sigh and threw a wistful glance into her auntâs averted face. After a moment she began again hopefully.
âI saw Old Tom in the garden. Poor man, his rheumatism is worse than ever. He was bent nearly double. He inquired very particularly for you, andâ ââ
Mrs. Chilton turned with a sharp interruption.
âPollyanna, what are we going to do?â
âDo? Why, the best we can, of course, dearie.â
Mrs. Chilton gave an impatient gesture.
âCome, come, Pollyanna, do be serious for once. Youâll find it is serious, fast enough. What are we going to do? As you know, my income has almost entirely stopped. Of course, some of the things are worth something, I suppose; but Mr. Hart says very few of them will pay anything at present. We
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