The Two Elsies

by Martha Finley

  CHAPTER XIX.

  "For what I will, I will, and there's an end."

  SHAKESPEAKE.

  Shortly after breakfast the next morning, and before the hour for settingout for school, Elsie called Lulu aside, and in a gentle, affectionateway asked if she were now willing to do as directed by Mr. Dinsmore.

  "Grandma Elsie," said the little girl, "I am ready to do anything he bidsme if it is not to take lessons of that horrid man who dared to strike meafter being told by Grandpa Dinsmore himself that he must never do so."

  "I am grieved, my child, that you have no better answer than that to giveme," Elsie said, "and I think you know that it will not satisfy myfather; he will have those committed to his care obedient in everything;and he bade me tell you that if you will not submit to his authority inthis matter--if you do not to-day obey his order to finish thatinterrupted music-lesson--you must, on returning home, go directly toyour own room and stay there; and as long as you continue rebellious, allyour time at home is to be spent in that room and alone."

  She paused for a reply, but none came. Lulu sat with eyes cast down andcheeks hotly flushing, her countenance expressing anger and stubbornresolve.

  Elsie sighed involuntarily.

  "Lulu, my dear child," she said, "do not try this contest with my father.I warn you that to do so will only bring you trouble and sorrow; he is amost determined man, and because he feels that he has right on his sidein this thing, you will find him unconquerable."

  "I think that is what he will find me, Grandma Elsie," replied thedeterminately self-willed little girl.

  "Surely you are showing scant gratitude for the many kindnesses receivedat my father's hands," Elsie said; "but I will not upbraid you with them.You may go now."

  Feeling somewhat ashamed of herself, yet far from prepared to submit,Lulu rose and hastened from the room.

  She knew nothing of what had passed between Mr. Dinsmore and ProfessorManton after her dismissal the night before, and it was with a quakingheart she entered the schoolroom at Oakdale that morning.

  Yet though in fear and dread, she had not the slightest intention ofabandoning her position in regard to the music-lessons.

  Nothing, however, was said to her on the subject till the hour formeeting the signor. Then Miss Diana directed her to go and finish herlesson of the previous day; but on receiving a refusal, merely remarkedthat it should be reported to her guardians and her punishment left tothem.

  Evelyn gave her friend an entreating look, but Lulu shook her head, thenfixed her eyes upon her book.

  As they drove home to Viamede in the afternoon, Grace was waiting forthem on the veranda there.

  "Oh, Lulu," she cried, as the latter came up the steps, "mamma has beenhelping me to fix up my baby-house, and it is so pretty! Do come right upto the play-room and see it."

  "I can't, Gracie," Lulu answered, coloring and looking vexed andmortified.

  "Why not?" asked Grace in a tone of surprise and keen disappointment.

  But before Lulu could reply, Mr. Dinsmore stepped from the door andinquired, "What report have you to give me, Lulu?"

  "I have not taken a music-lesson to-day," she answered.

  "Were you not told to do so?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "And did not choose to obey? You know the consequence; you must goimmediately to your room and stay there alone during the hours spent athome, until you are ready to obey."

  Lulu assumed an air of indifference as she walked slowly away, but Graceburst into tears, crying, "Oh, Grandpa Dinsmore! you won't keep me, herown sister, away from her, will you? oh, please don't. I can't do withouther."

  "My dear little girl," he said soothingly, and taking her hand in his, "Iam truly sorry to distress you so, but Lulu must be made obedient. She isnow in a very rebellious mood, and I should do wrong to indulge her init."

  "Grandpa Dinsmore," she said, looking up pleadingly into his face; withthe tears streaming over her own, _I'd_ be frightened 'most to death if_I_ had to take lessons of that cross, bad man. How can you want to makepoor Lulu do it?"

  "Lulu is not the timid little creature you are," he said, bending down tokiss her forehead, "and I am sure is not really afraid of the man; norneed she be after what I have said to him about striking her or any ofthe pupils I send him."

  "It'll be a long, long while before she'll give up," said Grace; "maybeshe never will. Mayn't I go and talk to her a little and bid her good-by?You know it's 'most as if she's going far away from us all."

  She ended with a sob that quite touched Mr. Dinsmore's heart; also hethought it possible that her grief over the separation from Lulu, and herentreaties to her to be submissive and obedient, might have a goodeffect. So after a moment's cogitation he granted her request.

  "Thank you, sir," said Grace, and hurried upstairs to her sister's door.

  "Please, Lu, let me in," she cried. "Grandpa Dinsmore said I might come."

  "Did he?" returned Lulu, admitting her. "Well, it must have beenaltogether for your sake, not a bit for mine; his heart's as hard asstone to me."

  "Oh, Lu, dear Lu, don't talk so; do give up, so we won't be separated!"cried Grace, throwing her arms round her sister and giving her a vigoroushug. "I never can do without you; and don't you care to be with me?"

  "Of course I do," said Lulu, twinkling away a tear, for they were rainingfrom Grace's eyes now, and her bosom heaving with sobs, "and it's justthe cruelest thing that ever was to separate us!"

  "But they won't if you'll only give up; and Grandpa Dinsmore says thathorrid man sha'n't strike you again."

  "Grandpa Dinsmore is an old tyrant!" said Lulu. "Nobody but a tyrantwould want to force me to put myself in the way of being again treated inthe cruel and insulting way Signor Foresti has treated me once already;and I _won't_ go back to him; no, not if they kill me!"

  "But oh, Lu, think of me!" sobbed Grace. "Max can see you and talk withyou every day, going and coming in the carriage, but I'm afraid I won'tsee you at all."

  "Oh, Grade, I have a thought!" exclaimed Lulu. "Ask Mamma Vi if youmayn't ride back and forth with us every morning and afternoon. There'sroom enough in the carriage, and the rides would be good for you. You'dhave to ride alone, one way each time, but you wouldn't mind that, wouldyou?"

  "Oh no, indeed!" exclaimed Grace, smiling through her tears; "it's abright thought, Lu. I'll ask mamma, and I'm 'most sure she'll say yes,she's so good and kind."

  Violet did say yes at once, making one condition only--that neither hermother nor grandfather should object.

  They did not, and every morning and afternoon Grace was ready in goodseason for her drive to Oakdale.

  The other children were glad of her company, and as by common consentalways gave her the seat next to Lulu.

  For two weeks those short drives yielded the sisters all the intercoursethey had. They met with a warm embrace in the morning just beforestepping into the carriage, and parted in the same way on their return toViamede in the afternoon. Then Lulu went directly to her own room, shutherself in, and was seen no more by the other children till the next day.

  During that fortnight the confinement and solitude were her onlypunishment; her meals were brought to her and consisted of whatever shedesired from the table where the family were seated; also books and toyswere allowed her.

  Every night Violet and Elsie, her mother, came, separately, for a fewwords with the little girl; always kind, gentle, loving words ofadmonition and entreaty that she would return to her former dutiful anddocile behavior. But they were always met by the same stubborn resolve.

  At length, one evening she was summoned to Mr. Dinsmore's presence,--inthe library as before,--again asked if she were ready to obey, and onanswering in the negative was told that, such being the case, she was tobe sent to Oakdale as a boarding scholar, and not to return home at alluntil ready to give up her wilfulness and do as she was bidden.

  She heard her sentence with dismay, but resolved to endure it rather thansubmit.

  "
I'm not ready to break my word yet, Grandpa Dinsmore," she said with alofty air; "and perhaps Oakdale won't be a worse prison than those themartyrs went to for conscience' sake."

  "Lulu," he said sternly, "do not deceive yourself with the idea that youare suffering for conscience' sake; a wicked promise--a promise to breakone of God's commands--is better broken than kept; the sin was in makingit."

  "I don't know any commandment that says I must take lessons of SignorForesti, or obey somebody who is no relation to me," returned Lulu, halftrembling at her own temerity as she spoke.

  "You are an extremely impertinent little girl," said Mr. Dinsmore, "andnot altogether honest in pretending such ignorance; you know that you arecommanded to obey your father, that he has directed you to be obedient tome in his absence, and that I have ordered you to take lessons of SignorForesti."

  He paused a moment, then went on: "If tomorrow you do as you are orderedyou will be at once restored to favor, and all the privileges youformerly enjoyed in this house; otherwise you will not return fromOakdale with the others in the afternoon."

  He waved his hand in dismissal, and she left the room full of anger anddefiance, a most unhappy child.

  In the hall she halted for a moment and glanced toward the outer door. Asudden impulse moved her to run away. But what good would that do? Wherecould she go? How find shelter, food, clothing? And should she ever seefather, brother, sisters again?

  She moved on again down the hall, and slowly climbed the broad stairwayleading to the one above.

  Violet met her there and felt her heart sink as she glanced at thesullen, angry countenance. She stopped, laid her hand kindly on thechild's shoulder, and said,

  "Lulu, dear, I know pretty well what you have just been told by grandpa,and, my child, it distresses me exceedingly to think of you being sentaway from us all."

  "You needn't care, Mamma Vi; _I_ don't," interrupted Lulu, angrily. "I'drather be away from people that ill-treat me so; I only wish I could gothousands of miles from you all, and never, _never_ come back."

  "Poor, dear, unhappy child!" Violet said, tears trembling in herbeautiful eyes; "I know you cannot be other than miserable whileindulging in such wrong feelings. If I have ill-treated you in any way Ihave not been conscious of it, and am truly sorry, for it is my strongdesire to be all that I should to my husband's dear children. Come intomy dressing-room and let us have a little talk together about thesematters."

  She drew Lulu into the room as she spoke, and made her sit down on a sofaby her side.

  "No, Mamma Vi, you have never ill-treated me," answered Lulu, her senseof justice asserting itself; "but I think Grandpa Dinsmore has, and soI'd rather go away from him."

  "I am sorry you feel so little gratitude to one who has done so muchfor you, Lulu," Violet said, not unkindly. "Surely you cannot denythat it has been a very great kindness in him to take you into his ownfamily--giving you the best of homes--and instruct you himself, for noreward but the pleasure of doing you good and seeing your improvement:that, too, in spite of having to bear with much ill-behavior from you."

  Lulu tried hard to think herself unjustly accused, but in her heart knewvery well that every word of Violet's reproof was richly deserved. Shemade no reply, but hung her head, while a vivid blush suffused hercheeks.

  Silence in the room for several minutes; then Lulu said, "I think mybedtime has come, Mamma Vi; may I go now?"

  "Yes; good-night," said Violet, bending down to give her a kiss.

  Lulu returned both the kiss and the good-night, then rose to leave theroom.

  "Stay a moment, dear," Violet said in her gentlest, sweetest tone; "I amwriting to your father: what shall I say about you?"

  "Anything you please," Lulu answered coldly, and walked away with headerect, cheeks aflame, and eyes flashing.

  "If she wants to tell tales on me, she may. I shan't try to stop her,"she muttered to herself as she went into her own room and closed thedoor; then sending a glance around upon all the luxury and beauty of theapartment, the thought flashed painfully on her that these things, sodelightful to her, would have to be exchanged for others far inferior andless enjoyable; for, of course, no boarding-school room would befurnished at anything like the expense that had been lavished upon thisand others in this fine old mansion, so long owned and at times occupiedby the possessors of vast wealth joined to refined and cultivated taste.

  During the last fortnight, enforced confinement there had sometimes madethe room seem like a prison; but now her heart swelled at the thought ofleaving it, perhaps never to return, for certainly, unless she becamesubmissive and obedient, she would be kept at the academy at least untilthe family were ready to leave for Ion.

  Then it occurred to her that there were advantages, companionships,luxuries, to be given up, the resigning of which would be still harder.Now that she was to leave them, she found she had grown fond of both heryoung stepmother and the baby sister of whom she had once been sojealous; and that she loved Grandma Elsie also, Aunt Elsie too; andindeed, that almost every one in the family connection had provedagreeable in such intercourse as she had held with them.

  Alas! what a sorry exchange from their society to that of the Mantons,and from all the loving care that had been bestowed upon her and the manyprivileges accorded her at Ion and Viamede, to the neglect andindifference to be expected from strangers! As she thought of all thisshe could not contemplate the carrying out of her sentence of banishmentto Oakdale with anything like satisfaction.

  Yet the idea of submitting to what she considered Mr. Dinsmore's tyrannybeing still more repugnant to her, she resolved to abide by her decision,risking all consequences.

  She rose early the next morning, and busied herself for some time ingathering together such book and toys as she wished to take with her;then seeking her young step-mother, "Mamma Vi," she asked, "am I to packmy trunk myself?"

  "You are quite resolved to leave us, then, Lulu?" Violet inquired.

  "I am quite resolved never to take another lesson from Signor Foresti,"returned Lulu doggedly.

  Violet sighed. "I had hoped you would wake this morning in a bettermood," she said. "No; you need not pack your trunk: Agnes shall do itunder my supervision. But it shall not be sent till the return of thechildren from school this afternoon, as I still hope to see you withthem."

  Grace, who was present, stood listening in wide-eyed astonishment.

  "What is it all about?" she asked in alarm. "Is Lulu going away?"

  "Yes," Lulu answered for herself; "Grandpa Dinsmore says if I won't takelessons of Signor Foresti I must stay at Oakdale as a boarding-scholar."

  "O Lu, Lu! do give up and come back home," entreated Grace, bursting intotears; "I can't do without you, you know I can't?"

  Lulu drew her aside and whispered words of comfort.

  "It can't be for so very long, I think, Grace; because we'll all be goingback to Ion in two or three months. Besides, we can see each other everyday, if you keep on coming in the carriage as you've been doing."

  "But it will be only for a few minutes, and you won't have a bit nicetime there."

  "No, I suppose, not; but even if it's pretty hard, I'd rather stay therethan give up to that old tyrant."

  "Please don't say that," pleaded Grace; "I love Grandpa Dinsmore."

  When the carriage came to the door after breakfast, and the childrentrooped down ready for school, Grandma Elsie joined them on the veranda,wishing them a happy and profitable day at their studies; then putting anarm about Lulu she said to her in an undertone,

  "Lulu, dear child, I want to see you here with the rest to-night; you areone of my little girls, and I would not have you so rebellious that youmust be shut out from my house. There! you need not answer, dear; onlyremember that Grandma Elsie loves you, and longs to see you good andhappy."

  "Thank you, ma'am; you're very good and kind," Lulu said a littletremulously, then hurried into the carriage, Max giving her the help ofhis hand.

  The others were already in, and
as Max took the only vacant seat, byLulu's side, he noticed that her face was very red, and that Grace wascrying.

  "What's the matter?" he asked, glancing from one to the other.

  "Lulu's not coming home with us to-night; she's going to board atOakdale, she says," sobbed Grace.

  "Is that so? What for?" asked Max, looking at Lulu.

  "Because Grandpa Dinsmore says I must, if I won't take lessons of SignorForesti."

  It was news to Evelyn, Rose, and Walter as well as to Max, they havingheard nothing of it before. There was a moment of surprised silence,broken by Rosie:

  "Well, you may as well give up. Grandpa is not to be conquered, as I knewwhen the contest began."

  Max and Evelyn were looking much distressed.

  "Oh, Lulu, do!" entreated the latter; "you surely have held out longenough,"

  "I should think so," said Max; "especially considering how kind GrandpaDinsmore has been to us all, and that papa ordered us to be obedient tohim."

  "I'd give up," remarked Walter, "'cause there's no use fighting grandpa.Everybody has to mind him. Even mamma never does anything he asks her notto."

  "The idea of not being your own mistress, even when you're agrandmother!" exclaimed Lulu scornfully.

  "Mamma _is_ her own mistress," retorted Rose. "It is only that she lovesgrandpa so dearly, and thinks him so wise and good, that she _prefers_ todo just as he wishes her to."