by G. A. Henty
III
MARY SEES WHAT THE MAGIC COUNTERS CAN DO
Mary looked very solemn as if she was thinking deeply, but for a longtime she did not speak. In fact, she did not know quite what to say,because she seemed to have everything she wanted just at present.
'Well,' cried Evangeline, 'you are a good while making up your mind!'
'What shall I say?' asked Mary.
'Suppose you said you would like some pretty frocks,' Evangelinesuggested. 'What do you think of that?'
'Oh, I should like to have some pretty frocks very much!' answered Mary,as Sister Agatha entered the room. She went to Evangeline's side andwhispered something which Mary could not hear, then Evangeline said outloud--
'Mary wants to have some new dresses,' and she looked into SisterAgatha's face with a smile.
'Well, I never!' exclaimed Sister Agatha. 'Who would have dreamed ofsuch a thing! I suppose you will make the incantation? Please begin atonce,' she added; 'Mary has never seen you dance, you know.'
With that Sister Agatha began to sing, and Evangeline took one side ofher skirt in each hand, and standing in the middle of the room, shedanced slowly and gracefully, first raising one hand above her head,then the other, bending now this way, now that, and always making herskirt take a curious shape. Mary sat holding the arms of her chair verytightly, and never taking her eyes off Evangeline; but Sister Agathastood with her back to the fireplace, just by the bell-handle, andexactly as Evangeline came to a standstill in the middle of the room andbowed so low to Mary that her golden hair, which had become looserwhilst she danced, almost touched the floor, just at that moment thedoor opened, and a woman came in, carrying a great box with a shinyblack lid, and she placed the box at Mary's feet.
Then the woman unfastened a wide strap from the box, and Mary clappedher hands as she removed the lid, for the box seemed to be full of themost beautiful dresses!
'They're not for me!' she exclaimed, looking up into Evangeline's face.
'You are to choose the three you like the best,' was the answer.
It took a very long time for Mary to choose. She had them all taken outof the box one after another, and the woman held them up so that Marycould see them better. At last she made her selection: a dark bluedress, a crimson dress, and one of a deep plum colour. Then, althoughMary did not know there could be anything else in this wonderful box, agreat many other things were taken out of it, such as stockings andshoes and a very nice outdoor jacket. Mary felt delighted witheverything, but especially with the outdoor jacket, because it showedthat she was to go out again some day.
'I shall go out again!' she cried, as the woman strapped up the box.'But I shan't go to William Street!' she pleaded, looking up intoEvangeline's face.
'William Street!' answered Sister Agatha, 'certainly not. Who wants togo to William Street, indeed. You will go to the loveliest place in theworld. You are going to stay in the country.'
'What is the country?' asked Mary, for she had never been a mile awayfrom William Street in her life.
'Now,' cried Evangeline, when the woman with the box had gone away, 'isthere anything else you would like to have?'
'I--I don't think so,' answered Mary.
'How about toys?' suggested Sister Agatha.
'Oh yes, I should like some toys,' answered Mary.
'Then,' said Evangeline, as Sister Agatha leaned back near thebell-handle, 'let us have some toys!' and as she spoke she raised herhands above her head and clapped them together.
She had scarcely clapped her hands when the door opened again and alittle old man entered the room with a square box which looked far tooheavy for him. He had a tiny face, all over lines, and he wore a longcoat that reached to his boots. He bowed low to Evangeline, just as Maryexpected him to do, and then he went down on his knees to open the box.
By this time Mary naturally thought she should see curious things,because she had no doubt whatever that she was in fairy-land, where allsorts of curious things are always happening, as every one knows. Buteven if Mary had not known she was in fairy-land before, she would havebecome quite sure of it now.
You see, everything was so different from what she had seen and heard atWilliam Street. She had such different things to eat. She had actuallyhad three new dresses given to her at one time! And then Evangelineseemed very, very different from Mrs. Coppert, and very, very muchnicer.
But if Mary had not already felt sure she was in fairy-land, she couldnot have thought she was anywhere else when the funny old man began totake those wonderful things out of his box.
Mary had once picked up a broken doll in William Street, and she hadgrown very fond of it. She had taken it about with her, and sat it inthe gutter, with its back against the kerb, while she played in the mud.She used to have long talks with it, but then she had to make theanswers herself, and only to pretend the dolly made them. For, ofcourse, Mary knew well enough that dolls can't speak--at least theycan't speak in the world she had come from.
But in the world she lived in now it seemed quite different, and Maryknew why that was. It was because there were magic counters in thisworld and none in the world of William Street. She was beginning toexpect everything to be wonderful, but certainly she had not expected tosee a doll that spoke. But the funny old man took a doll out of his boxthat spoke quite distinctly--far more distinctly than little SallyMurphy. It was true the doll could not say many words at present, but asit had once begun to talk, Mary had no doubt that with a little practiceit would soon learn to say more, just as Sally had done. Already it said'Papa' and 'Mama' very nicely.
Mary could not decide which was the more wonderful--a doll that couldtalk or a doll that could walk! This doll could walk quite a long way,for the old man took it to the farthest corner of the room, placed it onthe floor, stooped over it as if he were telling it what to do, thenwhen he took his hand away and stood upright, there, to Mary'sastonishment, was the odd little doll moving its legs in the mostcomical manner and walking across the room entirely without help. Therewas a kitten that meowed and ran; there was a house with nice bright redwalls and doors and windows, and with beds already made in the rooms,for the dolls to live in; and there were ever so many more things forMary to choose from, and she chose a good many.
When the man had gone away she lay back in her chair with a flushedface, and Sister Agatha sent Evangeline away. But after Mary had beenasleep that afternoon, Evangeline came to see her again.
'Well,' she asked, 'and how do you like all your new things?'
'Very much indeed,' answered Mary; 'I think they're lovely.'
'Ah! well, I am glad you are not like the discontented boy,' saidEvangeline.
'Is that a story?' exclaimed Mary. 'Do tell it to me, please!' SoEvangeline sat down to tell her the story.