Esther's Charge: A Story for Girls

by Evelyn Everett-Green

  CHAPTER XI.

  MR. TRELAWNY.

  "I'm not sure that mama will let them go. We have been very muchdisappointed and displeased," said Prissy in her primmest way. "I'm notblaming you, Esther; you knew no more about it than I did myself. Butthe children had all conspired together to deceive us. Of course we havebeen very much hurt, mother and I."

  "I think children always like a secret," said Esther in her gentle,womanly way, which was not in the least like Prissy's primness; "but Iknow that my boys were most to blame, and Pickle is very sorry indeedfor his disobedience. But I hope Mrs. Polperran will let Milly andBertie come with us, even if you do not care to come. We have got ourlunch in baskets, and Punch will carry everything, and we can ride himin turns if we are tired, and Mr. Earle says there are splendid nutsand blackberries in Mr. Trelawny's woods. We shall have such a nicetime!"

  "I'll go and ask mother," said Prissy. "Of course Milly and Bertie wouldlike it, but after what has occurred, you know--" And there Prissystopped short, pursed up her lips, and looked unutterable things.

  Esther could not help feeling glad that the boys were waiting at thegate with Punch. She was not sure whether Pickle's penitence would standthe strain of these airs on Prissy's part. She felt her own cheekstingling a little. She felt that she did not at all like her boys foundfault with by Prissy, even though she knew they had been naughty. Picklehad owned up his fault to Mr. Polperran like a man, and had receivedforgiveness. It did not seem quite fair to Esther that anything moreshould be said about it.

  The next minute Mrs. Polperran came in, kind and fussy, as was her way.

  "If you are going with them, Esther dear, I will send them. But I havebeen very much shocked and disturbed, as you will understand. I hadalways been able to trust my children before. It has been very sad tothink that they have been instructed in the ways of deceitfulness."

  Mrs. Polperran shook her head, and Esther felt her cheeks growing red.She knew that there had been disobedience, but she was sure that herboys had not meant to deceive. They had been accustomed to liberty and agood bit of their own way. They had not been brought up under anyobligation to tell everything they did. It was not fair to accuse themof deceit. It was a great relief at this moment to see Mr. Polperran'shead appear over that of his wife in the doorway.

  "Tut, tut, tut, my dear! don't let us call things by harder names thanwe need. The little ones did tell me that they had a place down on theshore where they went and played, and I gave them free leave to do so.Indeed, I was glad they should have bolder spirits to play with. Ididn't know they went off to the island; but, upon my word, I don'tthink I should have interfered if I had. The bay is perfectly safe, andthat tub of old Jerry's could hardly overturn with anything the childrenmight do. Of course they were wrong to try and sail it, and to leavethe shelter of the bay; but the boys have seen their fault, and all thechildren have asked and obtained forgiveness. Now, I don't want anotherword said about it. They were sufficiently punished by their fright, andthey have learned a lesson they will not forget. Don't weaken the effectof it by talking too much. What has Esther come about to-day?"

  Esther's invitation was soon repeated, and Mr. Polperran's kind facebeamed.

  "To be sure, to be sure!--just the very thing for little folks. Let themgo? Why, of course. They can't get into any danger up there, and I don'tthink they'll try to. Bertie wants the current of his thoughts changed.It will do him good to go. I'll answer for it there will be no gettinginto mischief now. Come, mama; you don't grudge them a day's pleasuring,I'm sure. I'll go and fetch the young rascals down, and start them alloff together."

  Mrs. Polperran raised no objection, though she looked a little doubtful.Prissy decided not to accompany the party, and Esther did not seek toshake her determination; she could not help feeling that they would behappier without her.

  Milly and Bertie came down clinging to their father's hands. Millylooked none the worse for the adventure of the Saturday afternoon.Bertie had not quite got his color back, but the threatening of cold hadbeen averted by prompt measures, and, as Mr. Polperran always declared,there was nothing like fresh air and the breath of the sea and the woodsfor dissipating any little ailment and putting people in trim again.

  "Now, be good boys and girls, all of you," he said; "have plenty of fun,but don't get into mischief. Learn to be brave lads and lassies, makingfriends with nature wherever you go. That's the way to grow up fine menand women. Don't you be afraid of anything in the world except doingwrong."

  Punch was at the gate with the little people, a basket slung on eachshoulder, and a saddle on his back. Bertie was lifted up for a ride, ashis legs were the smallest, and he had been a little poorly for two daysafter the adventure in the boat. But his eyes were dancing now withdelight at the prospect before him; and when they started off and hadturned the corner, Milly gave a little hop, skip, and jump, and cried,--

  "Punch was at the gate, with Bertie in the saddle."--Page 266. _Esther's Charge._]

  "Oh, how nice it is to get away! I am so glad that Prissy isn't coming!"

  Esther was very nearly saying, "So am I," and she saw that the wordswere on the very tip of Pickle's ready tongue. But she was glad that hedid not speak them, but only looked at her with a laugh in his eyes, andPuck asked solemnly,--

  "Has she been lecturing you all round?"

  "Oh yes," sighed Milly, "ever so much worse than father and mother.Father was very kind indeed, though he made me feel more sorry about itthan anybody. But he understands about what we feel like--I mean, heknows that it is nice to do things, and to get away from people, and toplay we're sailing off to coral islands and places like that. I don'tthink he's going to stop our going out in the old boat to the city ofrefuge."

  "Isn't he? How jolly of him!" cried Pickle; "I thought our city ofrefuge was gone forever."

  "I don't think he minds a bit," cried Bertie, "for I talked about it alot, and he said he'd come with us some day and see it. I said I thoughtthe avenger of blood would always be coming after us now. I meantPrissy, you know, and he knew it. And then he laughed and said hethought the avenger of blood would think a long time before following usthere; and I'm sure he meant that Prissy would be frightened, and I daresay she would."

  "Besides, if we have the boat she can't come," cried Puck. "I was afraidMr. Earle would be the avenger of blood, and would come in the _Swan_."

  "I don't think anybody will come," said Milly. "I heard father tellingmother that he was very glad we had some games like what he and hisbrothers used to play. He said he'd rather we got into a scrape now andthen, than grow up afraid to wet our feet, like so many little cats."

  Pickle burst out laughing, and the party felt inspirited by the feelingthat Mr. Polperran's sympathy was with them in their love of adventure,although not in their disobedience to definite commands. Theydistinguished very clearly between the two.

  It was a perfect September day, and they had a delightful time wanderingthrough the great copses on Mr. Trelawny's property, filling theirbaskets with blackberries, and feasting themselves at the same time.

  At noon they had a delightful surprise, for Mr. Earle found them out,and brought them a big jar of cream and some excellent cake, and sharedtheir picnic with them at their own eager request. They were all veryfond of Mr. Earle by this time, and they wanted to know about Mr.Trelawny too.

  But Mr. Earle could not tell them much on this score. He was still keptin bed, and was not allowed to have the bandage off his eyes. Esther wasvery sorry indeed to hear this. She could not think what Mr. Trelawnywould do. He had always been so active and independent, and she did notthink he had ever spent a day in bed before.

  "He will very likely be up again to-morrow. He does not like stoppingthere, I can tell you," said Mr. Earle, "but there is nothing thatmakes people feel so helpless as not being able to see. But for that hewould never be so quiet."

  "Would he like some blackberries?" asked Puck, opening the basket andlooking in. "Let's pick out some of t
he very best for him, and you tellhim we gathered them for him, and hope he'll like them."

  So Mr. Earle departed presently with the pick of the spoil, and thechildren sat and talked about Mr. Trelawny, thinking how sad it was forhim to be half blind and not able to do anything, and wondering if theycould do anything to cheer him up.

  "Children can't do things for grown-ups," said Milly, ratherdisconsolately. "It's only grown-ups who do things for children. But youdid something for Mr. Trelawny, Essie, when you got him out of the cave.I should like to have done that. You saved his life, didn't you?"

  "Yes!" cried Pickle; but Esther said,--

  "No--at least I mean it wasn't really like that. I went and told theservants, and they got him out."

  "But if you hadn't gone in when he called, if you'd run away as somesilly people would have done, he'd have been a deader as sure as a gun,"chimed in Pickle eagerly. "Mr. Earle said so his very self."

  This act of Esther's was very interesting to all the children, andcertainly she found that all her old fears of Mr. Trelawny had vanishedaway.

  The very next day she was admitted to his darkened room, where he waslying on a couch with a bandage over his eyes, and his hand and armbound up too. She sat beside him quite a long time, telling him allabout her own adventure that day, about what had befallen the boys onthe same afternoon, and about their doings these last days--how they hadbeen often up in the woods getting nuts and blackberries, and how theywere enjoying their holiday.

  Esther found that Mr. Trelawny was a very nice person to talk to,although his voice was still rather loud, and he had a quick, imperiousway of asking a question which sometimes made her jump. But he wasalways interested in what she said. He made her explain exactly wherethey went each day, and how the trees were looking, and what things theyfound in the woods, and what all the live creatures were doing.

  Indeed Esther found that she had to notice things much more closely thanshe had ever done before, and this was rather interesting, she thought.She and the boys all began noticing everything, so that Esther mighttell about it to Mr. Trelawny; and she was sure he liked it, though hedid not exactly say so, but made his funny snorts, and seemed trying totrip her up with his questions. But she was not afraid of him now, andshe did not mind if she did make a mistake. She found she was learning agreat deal more than she had ever known before about the world she livedin, and that in itself was very interesting.

  One day at the end of the week, she came in to her mother and found herwith an open letter in her hand and a rather perplexed face.

  "Is anything the matter, mama?" she asked.

  "O my dear! I hardly know. No, nothing is the matter, but it is such asudden thing to suggest. I have got a letter from Mr. Trelawny."

  "O mama! then can he see again?"

  "No, my dear. It was not written by him, but only at his dictation.There is a good deal of reason in what he says, but it is all sounexpected."

  "What is it, mama?"

  "He asks if I will shut up the Hermitage for the winter, and come withyou all and stay at the Crag."

  "O mama! Why?"

  "To keep him company, he says. To cheer him up. To make a little lifeabout the old house for a poor blind man."

  "But, mama, he isn't going to be blind, is he?" cried Esther,distressed.

  "I hope not indeed, dear. He has seen the oculist again, and hopes areheld out--strong hopes, he says--that he will recover the sight of oneeye, at least. But recovery will be slow, and it must not be forced, orhe may lose his sight altogether. For the next few months he will haveto be content to use other people's eyes more than his own. Of coursethat is much better than being always blind. But the poor man feels it agood deal, one can see."

  "And he wants us to go and stay with him?"

  "That is what he asks--to stay for the winter months, and see how we geton. As he says, he is very dependent upon Mr. Earle, and it would bemuch more convenient if the boys were living in his house, so that thelessons could be given there; and then, as he cannot read or study oremploy himself as he has been used to do, a silent house, with nobody tospeak to for the greater part of the day, would be very dreary for him.He says that he has no kinsfolk except ourselves. Your father was thelast blood relation of whom he knows anything, and he seems to feel thatwe belong to him in a certain sort of way. What do you think about it,Esther, my dear? Do you think we ought to go?"

  Esther's face was quite flushed and eager.

  "O mama, if we can help him, I think we ought!"

  "He says we might bring Genefer as my maid, and make any arrangements weliked about the other servants, and he would see that the house andgarden here were properly cared for. Of course, it would be a greatsaving of trouble and expense in a way, but it would not be quite likeliving at home. Mr. Trelawny would be the master, and we should all haveto keep his rules. But that might be a good thing for the boys. Isometimes think they want a stronger hand over them."

  "I think it would be a very good plan," said Esther; "they are gettingso much better, and they are fond of Mr. Trelawny. He would make themobey, and they would like it. They always obey Mr. Earle now, and theylike him better than anybody almost."

  "It would be more the sort of life they have been accustomed to--a bighouse and a man's authority," said Mrs. St. Aiden reflectively. "And Mr.Trelawny is a sort of guardian to you, and has been a most kind friendto me since your father died. We must not forget that. He asks it as afavor to himself. You can read the letter if you like."

  Esther did so, and looked up with the sparkle of tears in her eyes.

  "O mama, you will go, won't you?"

  "I suppose so, dear, if you like the plan, and think you could all behappy there. As he says, it is a big house, and we should have our ownrooms, and the boys' noise need not trouble him more than he caresabout. I don't think their father would mind. After all, it is only along visit. He only asks us just for the winter months."

  "He wants us to go as soon as we can," said Esther.

  "Yes, you see he feels his blindness so much, and a merry houseful abouthim would cheer him up. Well, dear, would you like to run up and tellhim that we will try the experiment? It will save me the trouble ofwriting, and I think he will like to hear it from your lips. And Mr.Trelawny is always in a hurry to carry out his plans."

  Esther smiled a little at that. She knew very well that Mr. Trelawnynever waited an hour if he could help it. It was his impatience of delaythat had caused the accident which had partly destroyed his sight, andmight have caused his death.

  "I should like to go, mama, if you like me to. I have done my lessonsfor to-day. The boys are having their navigation. I don't do that withthem."

  "Well, then, run off, dear, with the answer. I don't see how we couldrefuse. And I always think that this house in the winter is just alittle damp. I shall be glad to be out of it before the fall of theleaf."

  Esther had her hat in her hand, and was soon on her way to the Crag. Howstrange to think that before long she might be actually an inmate ofthat house! And how much stranger still that she was not a bit afraid ofthe prospect!

  It was a beautiful afternoon--as warm as summer; and when Estherapproached the house, she gave a little jump of surprise, for there wasMr. Trelawny lying on a couch on the terrace, his eyes still bandaged upso that he could see nothing, but at least he could breathe the freshwind blowing softly off the sea, and Esther knew how he would like that.

  She ran forward, forgetting all about her old shyness.

  "O Mr. Trelawny, how nice for you to be out of doors!"

  "Ha! is that my little Goldylocks?" said the invalid, stretching out thehand he could use. "So you have found your way up to the old blind man,have you? I suppose you have not brought me any letter from your motheryet. That would be too soon."

  Esther clasped her two hands around that of Mr. Trelawny, and said,--

  "Mama said I might run up and tell you. She has got your letter, and wethink it so kind of you. We should like very much
to come and pay you anice long visit, if you don't think we shall be in your way."

  His strong fingers closed over her little hands in a tight grip; shecould see that his mouth was smiling, and that there was pleasure inevery line of his face.

  "Is that so, little woman? Have you taken counsel together over theblind man's request? Of course your mother would not settle anything soimportant without the leave of the 'little manager.'"

  Esther did not mind being teased now, not one bit. She gave a littlesoft laugh as she answered,--

  "We think it would be a very nice plan, if you like it too. I know theboys will be just delighted. They think this is the very nicest house inthe whole place, and I think it will suit mama. She will enjoy this nicesunny terrace in fine weather, and the view of the sea. We can't see abit of the sea from our house."

  "And will somebody else enjoy it too?" asked Mr. Trelawny. "What aboutmy little Goldylocks herself?"

  "Oh, I shall like it!" answered Esther softly, stroking the hand sheheld. "I think it is beautiful up here, and I like being useful. Do youthink I can be useful to you, Uncle Robert, if I come?"

  "I mean to make you very useful, little woman," he said. "It was partlyfor that reason I thought out the plan. I want a little niece orgranddaughter of my own to wait upon me and take care of me. As Ihaven't got one quite of my own, I have to do the next best thing, andtry to steal one who will do instead."

  A little while ago Esther would have shaken in her shoes at the notionof being stolen by Mr. Trelawny, but now she listened to these wordswith only a little thrill of pleasure.

  "I should like to be your little granddaughter," she said. "You musttell me what you want me to do."

  He drew her down beside him on the couch, and passed his hand over herhead.

  "You will have to learn how to be eyes for me, for a little while at anyrate, Goldylocks, and to do the same for me that the dog does for theblind man--lead me about, and take care that I don't fall. Will that bea great nuisance, little woman?"

  "Oh no! I like taking care of people," answered Esther earnestly; "onlyI am so sorry you want taking care of at all. But it won't be for verylong. You will be able to see again soon, won't you?"

  "I hope so, my little maid, I hope so. They give me good words when Iask the question myself. But they all tell me I must be patient--bepatient; and, Esther, though I am an old man, and ought to have learnedthat lesson long ago, I find that I have not done so. I find it harderto be patient than anything else in the world, and it is harder to learnlessons when we are old than when we are young. Hallo! hallo!--what'sthis?"

  This exclamation was caused by Mr. Trelawny's becoming aware ofsomething warm and damp dropping upon his hand. Esther hastily dashedthe drops from her eyes, but her old friend knew whence they had come,and something like a quiver passed over his face.

  "Child, child, you must not cry," he said.

  "I was only wishing I could be blind instead of you for a little while,"said Esther, with a little catch in her voice.

  Her hands were held very closely by Mr. Trelawny's strong fingers; hisvoice was not a bit gruff as he answered,--

  "I believe you, my dear, I believe you. You are like your father, and hewas the most unselfish man I ever knew. I believe you would give me theeyes out of your head if you had power to do it; and as you have notthat, you must learn to use them for my benefit, and I shall expect themto see a great deal. Tell me what you see now."

  Esther looked round and scarcely knew where to begin, but she wasthinking too much of Mr. Trelawny to be self-conscious, and soon she wastelling him just how the sea looked, with the great burning track ofyellow light across it, as the sun slowly sank; and how big andgolden-red the sun grew as it drew near to the horizon; and how thelittle fishing boats were all coming home; and in which direction theclouds were sailing; and how the white-winged seagulls were fishing inthe bay, and wheeling round and round, calling to each other with theirstrange, mournful cries.

  It was very interesting, she thought, to try to make somebody else seeit all; and Mr. Trelawny evidently could, for he sometimes interruptedto tell her things she had not noticed herself, so that she often lookedquickly at him to make sure that he really was not "peeping." For sheknew he must not try to use his eyes yet, even though he might be ableto see by and by with one of them at any rate.

  "If the sun is dipping, you must run home, childie," he said at last."Run home and tell your mother that I am very grateful to her forhumoring a blind man's fancy, and that the sooner she and her tribe cancome and take possession, the better he will be pleased."

  "I will tell her," answered Esther. "I think we could come quite soon.There will not be so very much to do, and if we should leave anythingbehind, we can easily fetch it away afterwards. I will talk to Geneferabout that. She and I will do the packing, you know."

  "Of course, of course; the 'little manager' will manage all that. Ishall soon be managed out of house and home, I expect. What a wide fieldthe Crag will give to such an enterprising little woman!"

  "You are teasing me now," said Esther, laughing, and bending down shekissed him on the lips, and then talking her hat, ran lightly down thehill towards home, a very warm feeling in her heart towards theredoubtable owner, who had once been the very terror of her life.

  Half-way down she encountered the boys, who were running to meet her,brimful of excitement.

  "O Essie! Essie! is it true?"

  "Are we going to live up there?"

  "Did he really ask us too? Oh, won't it be jolly? Won't it bescrumptious? Aunt Saint said you'd gone to settle it all. Do say thatit's all settled now."

  "Yes, quite," answered Esther; "Mr. Trelawny wants us to go as soon asever we can. He says the house seems so empty and lonely now that hecan't read or go about or amuse himself as he used to do. And he wantsMr. Earle so much more now; that is another reason. You must be verygood and nice, boys, and not give trouble. We mustn't worry him now thathe's ill."

  "We won't," cried Pickle earnestly. "We'll be as good as gold. I mean,we'll try to be as good as we can.--Won't we, Puck?"

  "We will," answered that young man solemnly. "I should like Mr. Trelawnyto like us. Perhaps, then, he'll let us stay always. I mean tillCrump--no, till father comes back or we go to school. I don't like itwhen Mr. Earle is angry with us, and I don't want Uncle Bob to beeither."

  "I think it'll be awfully nice," said Pickle, as they wended their wayhome again through the wood. "I shall try and help Uncle Bob too. AuntSaint said he wanted you, Essie, because you would be like a pair ofeyes to him. I know why he thought that. You're always doing kind thingsfor other people, and you don't care about yourself if other people arehappy. I just know if I were to be ill, I should like to have you comeand see me and sit with me. It can't be just because you're a girl, forthat Pretty Polly is a girl, and she thinks herself very good too, butI'd sooner have a toad come to sit with me than her."

  "O Pickle, don't talk like that!"

  "I'd twice as soon have the toad," cried Puck; "toads are nice things,and they have such funny eyes--like precious stones. She's just a prig,and I can't abide her. We won't ever ask her up to play at the Crag. Ishall tell Uncle Bob about her, and he won't let her come then."

  "That would be unkind," said Esther gently. "I don't think we ought tobe unkind to Prissy. She tries to be very good, you know, and she isalways obedient."

  Pickle and Puck were silent for a minute. They had been thinking, veryseriously for them, about obedience of late. They had recognized theirown failure, and had been sorry for it. In the old days they had takenthis matter too lightly, but they were learning better now.

  "Well," said Puck at length, "she may be obedient, but she's nasty too.You're obedient and nice, Essie. I like you. But if you say we've got toask Prissy, we will; only I hope Uncle Bob will laugh the priggishnessout of her if she comes."

  Great excitement reigned in the little house during the next days, forthere seemed no reason to postpone the arrangement if it
were really tobe carried out. Esther and Genefer were busy putting away householdthings, and packing up personal belongings. The boys flitted hither andthither, helping and hindering, and made daily excursions to the Crag toget news of Mr. Trelawny, and tell him how they were getting on.

  Lessons were not to be recommenced till the party got up to their newquarters, and the cart came daily to fetch away boxes that were readyfor removing.

  Milly and Bertie were rather sorrowful at the thought of losing theirplaymates, but Puck brought good news from the Crag.

  "Uncle Bob says you may come up every Saturday afternoon and play withus. He doesn't think we shall go sailing in the _Swan_ very often now,because the sea gets rough in the winter; but there are no end of jollythings to do up there, and Uncle Bob says we may have you up wheneveryou can come on Saturdays. Esther can ask Prissy too, if she wants her,but you are our friends. Prissy never cares to play with us."

  This was delightful news, for the Crag had never, been anything but amysterious region of wonders to the rectory children. Mr. Trelawny hadsometimes asked the parents to send them; but Mrs. Polperran did notentirely approve of Mr. Trelawny, and she was half afraid lest some harmshould come to her brood through his love of practical joking. It wasvery exciting to think of visiting there now, and seeing all the strangethings that were said to exist in that house.

  "Is he really a magician or a wizard?" asked Milly with bated breath.

  "I don't believe he is," answered Pickle. "I believe he's just a nice,jolly old gentleman; only he's very clever, and people don't understand,and call him names. I don't believe there are any magicians left now. Ibelieve he's just the same as other people."

  "But the pickled skeletons in the tanks," urged Milly.

  "I don't believe there are any really," answered Puck, with a note ofregret in his voice; "I don't think he pickles anything except specimensthat go into bottles. We shall find out all about it when we go to livethere. But I don't believe he's a bit of a magician, and Essie doesn'tthink so either. She isn't a bit afraid of him now."

  The day for the flitting arrived in due course, and the carriage and alast cart were sent down to the Hermitage to convey Mrs. St. Aiden andher belongings. Genefer remained behind to shut up the house, and theboys preferred to climb the hill by the path through the wood. ButEsther drove up with her mother by the zigzag road, and as the greateasy carriage rolled smoothly along, Mrs. St. Aiden said with a littlesigh,--

  "We must persuade your Uncle Robert to go driving with us, Esther. He isone of those men who have never cared to drive, but it would do himgood, I am sure. This is a most comfortable carriage. It will bedelightful to have the use of it, and I am sure it will do him good toget out as much as possible."

  "I dare say he would drive with you, mama," answered Esther. "We willtry to coax him. But I don't think anybody would care very much aboutdriving all alone."

  Mr. Trelawny was standing in the hall to welcome them. He had a stick inhis hand, but he laid it down and drew Esther towards him and kissedher.

  "You will be a substitute for that now, my little maid," he said. "Weare going to have some good times together, are we not?"

  The boys came rushing in at this moment, helter-skelter, bringing anatmosphere of life and jollity with them.

  "Uncle Bob!" cried Puck, rushing up and seizing his hand, almostgasping and choking in his eagerness and excitement, "we've thought ofsuch a plan for you. We'll do lessons by ourselves for a little while,and Mr. Earle shall make you an electric eye to see with, till your owngets quite well."