Gritli's Children

by Johanna Spyri

  CHAPTER VI.

  AUNTY IS IN DEMAND AGAIN.

  On the following day, at eleven o'clock, Elsli entered the house atOak-ridge as quietly as a little mouse; so quietly that Nora did nothear her come into the house, and was startled when she suddenly saw herstanding just inside the door of the sitting-room. Elsli had brushed herlight brown hair carefully back from her forehead, leaving only a fewsoft curls to wave about her eyes. Her mother had allowed her to put ona fresh white apron and a bright kerchief, as she was going among thegentry. The little pale face had a somewhat anxious look, and her bigblue eyes had a timid expression as she glanced toward Nora, doubtingwhether she ought to come into the room or not.

  "Come in," said Nora; "are you the girl who is coming to do ourerrands?"

  Elsli answered in so gentle a voice, and her whole air was so winning,that Nora felt instantly drawn towards her, and she stretched out herhand, saying, "Come here, and sit down by me, and let us have a littletalk. Isn't your name Elsli?" she continued; "mamma has some errands foryou this morning; sewing-silk and pencils and eggs to get; but can't yousit down and talk with me a little first, or will that give you toolittle time for them, so that you'll have to hurry and so you'll gettired."

  "Oh, no, the errands will not tire me," replied Elsli. "I get tired athome, because I have to carry the little boys about so much."

  "Then _you_ do know what it is to feel tired, very tired?"

  "Yes, indeed, I know only too well. I am almost always tired, andsometimes I think I should like to lie down and never get up again.Hanseli is getting dreadfully heavy, and I can scarcely carry him anylonger, but he won't walk, and only screams and kicks if I put himdown."

  "I'm glad to find somebody who knows what it is to be tired; now we cantalk about it, can't we? Don't you feel sometimes as if you never wantedto stand up again, and wouldn't you like to have something happen thatwould make you over new and take all the tired feelings away?"

  "But nothing can happen; you only just have to get up again."

  "I mean something different from usual; wouldn't you like to lie downand die, Elsli?"

  "Why, no; I don't think I should like to die. I never thought of that.What makes you think of it?"

  "I suppose you don't know what it will be like. Clarissa told me allabout it, and we have talked it over a great many times together. Inever talk to mamma about it, because she always begins to cry. But Iwill tell you, and then you will be glad too to think about going toheaven. I'll tell you the pretty song that Clarissa taught me. Would youlike to hear it now?"

  Elsli would have been glad to hear the song, but at that moment Mrs.Stanhope entered the room. She was much surprised to see the two littlegirls already on such good terms, and still more so when Nora said:--

  "Mamma dear, there is really no hurry about the silk and the pencils,nor about the eggs either; I don't care for any of them just now; itwill do as well by and by. I'd rather have Elsli stay here with me."

  Her mother was well pleased, and answered,--

  "Certainly; Elsli can stay with you now; it will be time enough for theerrands when she comes in the afternoon."

  The two children were equally delighted; Nora at the prospect ofpleasant intercourse to enliven her weary hours, and Elsli at thethought of sitting in peace and quiet by this friendly new acquaintance.

  As Mrs. Stanhope sat down with them, nothing more could be said aboutthe Song of Paradise, and Nora must put off till another time heraccount of all that Clarissa had told her about the happiness of theheavenly life. So at first there was silence between them, but then sheasked Elsli about her life at home, and Elsli told about her littlebrothers and the baby, and then about Fani; and once started upon thattopic she hardly knew where to stop. She told how kind he was to her,and how clever at his lessons, how he helped her with her exercises, andshe did not know how she could live without him. If she was ever sotired and miserable, it always rested her and made her happy to haveFani come home; for he was so full of hope and courage that it seemed asif her burdens were lifted off, and she felt as gay as he did, while hedescribed the delightful things that they would do and see together someday.

  Mrs. Stanhope listened with pleasure to the soft-voiced child whose blueeyes grew more and more tender as she talked on about her brother. Asfor Nora, she did not lose a word of it all, and evidently lived it overin imagination with the deepest interest, and when her mother said:--

  "Now, Elsli, it is time for you to go; we shall expect you back at fouro'clock," Nora added:--

  "And tell your mother that you will not be at home till eight; you willhave supper here."

  With a happy heart the little maiden went off to school, and as soon asschool was over, she darted off, not even stopping to speak to Emma,lest she should be detained. As she was hurrying along the path towardsOak-ridge, she heard some one calling to her,--

  "Wait, wait, I say; why don't you stop when I tell you to?" It wasFeklitus who was running after her:--

  "I can't stop, I shall be late," called Elsli over her shoulder, and ranon; Feklitus followed for a while, very angry, and sending fearfulthreats after her; but he grew soon out of breath, and when he stoppedto catch his breath and cough, he saw that she was quite beyond thereach of even his voice, and that farther chase was useless.

  As for Elsli, she never drew a long breath till she had reached thehouse at Oak-ridge. Nora had been watching for her from the window, andshe called out eagerly:--

  "Come in, Elsli; come here and rest; you shouldn't run so hard." Shefound Nora alone, and Nora told her, with great satisfaction, that hermother had gone out for a walk at her request, and that they were to beleft together for the whole evening.

  "So now," she added, "I shall have a chance to tell you a great dealthat you have never thought about; that is, how delightful it will bewhen we leave earth and go to heaven. Oh! oh!" she continued, growingmore and more excited as she went on, "who can tell how beautiful itwill be? Far more lovely than anything we have ever seen; and there willbe no sick people there, and no one is tired there; everybody is happy,and there is a river with flowers growing along its banks, and--butwait; I will tell you Clarissa's song, and then you'll know about it."

  Nora's great eyes grew more sparkling, and the red spot in her palecheeks burned more than ever, as she recited the Song of Paradise; whileElsli listened with growing wonder to her excited tones. It seemed as ifshe saw the beauty that the song described, and her voice trembled withemotion. When she ceased with the last words, "The sick are well again,"Elsli sat silent and motionless, oppressed with awe and with this whollynew experience, while Nora seemed absorbed in her own thoughts.

  "Don't you like the song?" asked she at last.

  "Oh, yes, indeed!" said Elsli decidedly.

  "Wouldn't you like to go with me, where it is so beautiful?"

  "Are you going?" asked Elsli.

  "Oh, yes, very soon. Clarissa told me long ago about it; and how Philowent, and I should go too. She has talked to me again and again aboutit; and I long to go, because no one is ever sick or tired there. And,when I go, wouldn't you like to go with me, Elsli?"

  "Yes, I should like it," said Elsli, catching the enthusiasm of thebeautiful hope which shone in Nora's eyes. "But can we go whenever wewant to?"

  "Oh, no; the good God calls us when our turn comes. I only want to knowif you want to go, as I do, so that we can talk about it together. Andperhaps we shall be called at the same time; and how delightful it wouldbe to go together and walk in the bright gardens, and pick the roses andlilies by the shining river, and never be sick or tired any more, but behappy forever!"

  So Nora talked on about the heavenly land, and Elsli's eyes grew largeras the glories of the future life were pictured to her, and a wholly newworld opened before her. Time flew rapidly by, and they did not noticeits passage.

  Meantime, in the house of Dr. Stein, life was moving on in a much morelively manner. After school, Oscar, Emma, and Fred had started off, eachin a different
direction. Each was occupied with his own plans. Fredtook the road towards home. He had a very interesting description of arare little animal to read to his aunt, and he was very glad that theothers were bound elsewhere, and he had the way clear before him. Whenhe saw Feklitus running after Elsli in hot haste, he called out, with asarcastic laugh:--

  "Hallo, Feklitus! it's a fine thing to have somebody like Elsli to makeuse of, isn't it?" For he had noticed that when Feklitus couldn'tunderstand anything in his lessons, he always went to Elsli secretly forhelp, for he didn't want the big boys to know that he couldn't get alongwithout it.

  Content with this scathing sarcasm, Fred ran on to the house, wherethrough the open door of the kitchen he saw his aunt standing by thetable, stirring something in a pudding-bowl. She was reading aloud froma paper that lay on the table before her. "Take four large eggs, twospoonfuls of flour, and the rind of a lemon"; and she started back asFred suddenly sprang in with a shout of delight at his good-fortune atfinding her alone. "This is splendid, aunty! Now, just hear this!"

  He seated himself on a high stool, spread his book upon his knees andbegan:--

  "You know that papa once caught a bittern. Well, I want to read you adescription of it. The 'bittern, _Stellaris_,'--are you listening,aunty?"

  "Oh, yes, I'm listening. Go on."

  "--'is of a reddish yellow color, with spots of black. It makes astrange noise in the night; usually _Krawy! Krawy!_ but sometimes_Uplumb! Uplumb!_ The hen lays four biggish eggs.' Do you know what I amreading, aunty? What was the last thing?"

  "Yes, yes, I heard. 'The hen lays four biggish eggs,'--two spoonfuls offlour, and the rind of a lemon," said his aunt, unconsciously speakingout what was on her mind.

  Fred looked up anxiously, for she had spoken quite seriously, without atrace of fun in her tones.

  "Oh, I didn't mean that," she said, laughing, as she observed hermistake. "I was only thinking more of my receipt than of your bittern,Fred."

  "I'm glad you don't really think that birds lay flour and lemon-peel,"said Fred, and went on:--

  "'The flesh tastes of--'"

  But the description was interrupted. Oscar and Emma came bursting intothe kitchen together, and while Oscar stood as close to his aunt, as hecould, on the right, Emma pulled her head down on the left and beganwhispering into her ear. Between the two, she had hard work to keep onwith her pudding.

  "Only think, aunty," began Oscar, "Feklitus says now that he won't haveour motto on the banner, that he has heard another that he likes a greatdeal better. What do you say, aunty? What shall we do about it? You knowhow cross he is when he is opposed, and he'll break off altogether."

  "Emma, do be still a moment; I will listen to you presently. Now, Oscar,what is this verse that Feklitus proposes; let us hear it and see if itis a good one."

  "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity; With song and the juice of the vine,"

  repeated Oscar.

  "Is that all?"

  Oscar nodded.

  "Well, we cannot put that on the banner, at any rate," said his auntdecidedly. "Tell Feklitus that there isn't even a verb in that motto,and it won't do. I advise you to ask him to make the speech at thefestival, and then perhaps he'll drop the question of the motto."

  "What a splendid idea! We never even thought of a speech! that's justthe thing!" and Oscar rushed away in a state of great enthusiasm.

  "Now, aunty," cried Emma, in a tone of relief as he disappeared, "it'smy turn now. Don't you think I am right?"

  "I didn't hear exactly what you said, Emma," said her aunt; "I haven'tthe gift of hearing different things with different ears at the sametime."

  "What I say is that it's a shame for Fani to have to go to work in thatfactory, and not have any time to paint and draw. I am sure he ought tobe a painter, right away; and if he goes into the factory he can't getout till it's too late."

  "But, Emma, it's not such an easy thing to become a painter as you seemto think. And, then, who knows whether Fani has really talent enough;it needs much more than merely to be able to copy nicely at school, youknow."

  "But, aunty, I only want you to say that it would be much better forFani to be a painter, if he can, than to go into the factory. Now, don'tyou really and truly think so, aunty?"

  Emma was so pressing that her aunt could not avoid answering her; so shesaid kindly, "If Fani had any real prospect of becoming a painter, Ishould certainly think well of it; but I do not see that he has any."

  "May I go on now, aunty?" asked Fred; "it seems to me that Emma istalking a vast deal of nonsense, as usual."

  But Emma was not to be put off so.

  "Aunty," she said, "what is a decorator?"

  "A person who decorates; that is, adorns or beautifies. Why do you ask,my child?"

  "It means a scene-painter too; a man who paints scenery for the stage,"said Fred.

  "Yes, that's it," said Emma, and she scampered away.

  Fred sat silent for a while, and then he said:--

  "Aunty dear, did you notice how queerly Emma behaved? Do you suppose sheis thinking of going on the stage?"

  "No, indeed, my dear boy," said his aunt calmly; "she has no idea ofthat kind, you may be sure."

  "Well, take my word for it, she has something out of the way in herhead. She's not often very particular to know the meaning of a word;she's not very keen after knowledge. I'm sure there's something in thewind."

  There was no time for more; for a sudden familiar shriek struck theirears.

  "A snake! oh, a snake! a snake!"

  Fred clapped his hand to his pocket, and then ran out-of-doors.

  "Now I can finish the pudding," thought aunty; but another still wilderscream betokened such dire alarm that she threw down her spoon andfollowed.

  It was Rikli, of course, who was standing half-way down the stepsleading up to the back door, looking down on a pretty little green snakeon the step below, that was wriggling along as fast as possible, tryingto make its escape. Fred was seated quietly on the top step, waiting forthe noise to subside.

  "How absurd you are, Rikli," said her aunt gently; "if you are so afraidof that harmless little creature, why don't you turn round and runaway?"

  "It will run after me, and catch me! it is a snake!" cried the child,jumping up and down.

  "Fred, take the little thing away," said his aunt; "I suppose it belongsto you."

  "Yes; I had it in my pocket, and I suppose it crept out while I wasreading. But I think Rikli ought to be taught not to behave soridiculously. I thought I'd wait a little while and see if she wouldn'tget over it."

  Their aunt agreed that it was high time for Rikli to conquer her foolishfears, but she doubted whether Fred's method was a very wise one.Something must be done about it, but not just this; so she bade Rikli tocome up the steps, and Fred to carry off the offender, and let herfinish her pudding.