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The Little Minister, a novel by James Matthew Barrie |
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Chapter XIII - Second Coming of the Egyptian Woman |
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_ The gypsy had been passing the house, perhaps on her way to Thrums for gossip, and it was only curiosity, born suddenly of Gavin's cry, that made her enter. On finding herself in unexpected company she retained hold of the door, and to the amazed minister she seemed for a moment to have stepped into the mud house from his garden. Her eyes danced, however, as they recognised him, and then he hardened. "This is no place for you," he was saying fiercely, when Nanny, too distraught to think, fell crying at the Egyptian's feet. "They are taking me to the poorhouse," she sobbed; "dinna let The Egyptian's arms clasped her, and the Egyptian kissed a sallow "How dare you!" she cried, stamping her foot; and they quaked like "You don't see--" Gavin began, but her indignation stopped him. "You coward!" she said. Even the doctor had been impressed, so that he now addressed the "This is all very well," he said, "but a woman's sympathy--" "A woman!--ah, if I could be a man for only five minutes!" She clenched her little fists, and again turned to Nanny. "You poor dear," she said tenderly, "I won't let them take you She looked triumphantly at both minister and doctor, as one who "Go!" she said, pointing grandly to the door. "Is this the Egyptian of the riots," the doctor said in a low Then to the Egyptian Gavin said firmly-- "You mean well, but you are doing this poor woman a cruelty in "And you who live in luxury," retorted the girl, "would send her "Tuts!" said the doctor, losing patience, "Mr. Dishart gives more "Ay, I'm coming," said Nanny, leaving the Egyptian. "I'll hae to But the Egyptian said, "No, you are not going. It is these men who "And you will provide for Nanny?" asked the doctor contemptuously. "Yes." "And where is the siller to come from?" "That is my affair, and Nanny's. Begone, both of you. She shall "I won't begone," the doctor said roughly, "till I see the colour "Oh, the money," said the Egyptian scornfully. She put her hand "I had forgotten," she said aloud, though speaking to herself. "I thought so," said the cynical doctor. "Come, Nanny." "You presume to doubt me!" the Egyptian said, blocking his way to "How could I presume to believe you?" he answered. "You are a "I would live on terrible little," Nanny whispered, "and Sanders "Seven shillings a week," rapped out the doctor. "Is that all?" the Egyptian asked. "She shall have it." "When?" "At once. No, it is not possible to-night, but to-morrow I will "And where, O daughter of Dives, do you reside?" the doctor asked. No doubt the Egyptian could have found a ready answer had her pity "I only asked," McQueen said, eyeing her curiously, "because when "Whether I rise out of the ground or not," the gypsy said, keeping "No," said the doctor after a moment's pause; "I won't. Even if I "Why do you carry a woman's hair," replied the Egyptian, "in that Whether she was speaking of what she knew, or this was only a "Yes," said the Egyptian calmly, "it is still shut; but why do you "Lassie," the old doctor cried, "are you a witch?" "Perhaps," she said; "but I ask for no answer to my questions. If "No; I distrust you more than ever. Even if you came, it would be "You are a cruel, hard man," the Egyptian said, beginning to lose She held up her finger, but the stone would not live in the dull "I see it is gold," the doctor said cautiously, and she smiled at "Certainly, it is gold," said Gavin, equally stupid. "Mercy on us!" Nanny cried; "I believe it's what they call a "How did you come by it?" the doctor asked suspiciously. "I thought we had agreed not to ask each other questions," the The doctor took the ring in his hand and examined it curiously. "There is a quirk in this," he said at last, "that I don't like. Now all this time Gavin had been in the dire distress of a man "Unless," McQueen said, nettled by his hesitation, "you trust this Gavin tried honestly to weigh those two minds against each other, "You do trust me," the Egyptian said, with wet eyes; and now that "Yes," he said firmly, "I trust you," and the words that had been "Just think a moment first," the doctor warned him. "I decline to "If it is necessary," said Gavin. "It is necessary," the Egyptian said. "Then I will go." Nanny took his hand timidly, and would have kissed it had he been "You dare not, man," the doctor said gruffly, "make an appointment I honour Gavin for the way in which he took this warning. For him, "You forget yourself, doctor," he said sharply. "Send some one in your place," advised the doctor, who liked the "He must come himself and alone," said the Egyptian. "You must "Well," said the doctor, buttoning up his coat, "I cannot keep my "I do," said Gavin, "and with the utmost confidence." "Give him the ring then, lassie," said McQueen. She handed the minister the ring, but he would not take it. "I have your word," he said; "that is sufficient." Then the Egyptian gave him the first look that he could think of "So be it," said the doctor. "Get the money, and I will say "Surely it's worth risking," Nanny said, not very brightly, "when "Ay, but on whose side, Nanny?" asked the doctor. "Lassie, I bear "Only a puir gypsy, your honour," said the girl, becoming "No, you shan't," replied the doctor, plunging his hands so "I don't need to look at your hand," said the gypsy, "I can read She looked at him fixedly, so that he fidgeted. "I see you," said the Egyptian in a sepulchral voice, and speaking "Ay, you spoil your prophecy there," the doctor said, considerably "You will be married by that time," continued the Egyptian, "Away with you, you jade," cried the doctor in a fury, and feeling "And you're no angry wi' me, doctor, are you?" asked Nanny In the garden McQueen said to Gavin:-- "You may be right, Mr. Dishart, in this matter, for there is this "She is as much a mystery to me as to you," Gavin answered, "but "Ay, that remains to be seen. But take care of yourself; a man's "Don't alarm yourself about me, doctor. I daresay she is only one "Ay, but what does she seem to be? Even that puzzles me. And then "Perhaps," said Gavin, "she is only taking precautions against her "Yes, but we never learned how she was able to play that part. The doctor took his seat in the dog-cart. "And, Mr. Dishart," he called out, "that was all nonsense about |