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The Little Minister, a novel by James Matthew Barrie |
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Chapter XIV - The Minister Dances to the Woman's Piping |
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_ Gavin let the doctor's warnings fall in the grass. In his joy over Nanny's deliverance he jumped the garden gate, whose hinges were of yarn, and cleverly caught his hat as it was leaving his head in protest. He then re-entered the mud house staidly. Pleasant was the change. Nanny's home was as a clock that had been run out, and is set going again. Already the old woman was unpacking her box, to increase the distance between herself and the poorhouse. But Gavin only saw her in the background, for the Egyptian, singing at her work, had become the heart of the house. She had flung her shawl over Nanny's shoulders, and was at the fireplace breaking peats with the leg of a stool. She turned merrily to the minister to ask him to chop up his staff for firewood, and he would have answered wittily but could not. Then, as often, the beauty of the Egyptian surprised him into silence. I could never get used to her face myself in the after-days. It has always held me wondering, like my own Glen Quharity on a summer day, when the sun is lingering and the clouds are on the march, and the glen is never the same for two minutes, but always so beautiful as to make me sad. Never will I attempt to picture the Egyptian as she seemed to Gavin while she bent over Nanny's fire, never will I describe my glen. Yet a hundred times have I hankered after trying to picture both. An older minister, believing that Nanny's anguish was ended, might "Nanny and I are to have a dish of tea, as soon as we have set "We couldna dare," Nanny answered quickly, "You'll excuse her, Mr. Dishart, for the presumption?" "Presumption!" said the Egyptian, making a face. "Lassie," Nanny said, fearful to offend her new friend, yet The gypsy bowed with mock awe, but Gavin let it pass. He had, "But there is no water," he remembered, "and is there any tea?" "I am going out for them and for some other things," the Egyptian "Lassie," cried Nanny, "mind wha you're speaking to. To send a "I will go," said Gavin, recklessly lifting the pitcher. "The well "Gie me the pitcher, Mr. Dishart," said Nanny, in distress. "What "Then he must remain here and keep the house till we come back," "She's an awfu' lassie," Nanny said, apologetically, "but it'll "She has been very good to you, Nanny." "She has; leastwise, she promises to be. Mr. Dishart, she's awa'; Nanny spoke nervously, and Gavin drew a long face. "I think she will," he said faintly. "I am confident of it," he "And has she the siller?" "I believe in her," said Gavin, so doggedly that his own words "Ay," said Nanny, to whom the minister's faith was more than the This conclusive argument brought her prospective dower so close to "I suppose she'll gie you the money," she said, "and syne you'll "That seems the best plan," Gavin answered. "And what will you gie it me in?" Nanny asked, with something on "Do the smaller coins go farther?" Gavin asked, curiously. "Na, it's no that. But I've heard tell o' folk giving away half- Her mind relieved on this matter, the old woman set off for the Gavin returned to the fire and watched a girl in it in an "I've been thinking," she said, "o' something that proves the "I have noticed it," Gavin answered, sniffing, "since you came in. Nanny had seen the empty kettle on the fire as he began to speak, "Who burned the kettle?" she asked, ignoring Nanny's signs. "Lassie," Nanny said, "it was me;" but Gavin, flushing, confessed "Oh, you stupid!" exclaimed the Egyptian, shaking her two ounces At this Nanny wrung her hands, crying, "That's waur than "If men," said the gypsy, severely, "would keep their hands in "Wheesht!" cried Nanny, "if Mr. Dishart cared to set his mind to "No higher than this," retorted the gypsy, holding her hand level "And kindly of him it is no to answer," said Nanny, who had been "And yet," said the Egyptian, with great solemnity, "he is to "Am I no?" said Nanny, whose education had not included sarcasm. "You have nothing to thank me for, Nanny," said Gavin, "but much "This haggarty-taggarty Egyptian," suggested the girl. Then, "That's short for Barbara," said Nanny; "but Babbie what?" "Yes, Babbie Watt," replied the gypsy, as if one name were as good "Weel, men, lift the lid off the kettle, Babbie," said Nanny, "for Gavin looked at Nanny with admiration and envy, for she had said Babbie tucked up her sleeves to wash Nanny's cups and saucers, "Sit there," said Babbie, authoritatively, pointing, with a cup in To Nanny's amazement, he did as he was bid. "I got the things in the little shop you told me of," the Egyptian "Enoch would be suspicious o' you," Nanny explained, "you being an "Ah," said Babbie, with a side-glance at the minister, "I am only "He neither likes you nor dislikes you," Nanny explained; "you "That is what I cannot endure," said Babbie, putting the towel to Her face was behind the towel, and Gavin could not decide whether "Come, come," said the minister, gallantly, "I did not say that I Even this desperate compliment had not the desired effect, for the "I can honestly say," went on Gavin, as solemnly as if he were Then the Egyptian let drop her towel, and replied with equal "Oh, tank oo! Nanny, the minister says me is a dood 'ittle dirl." "He didna gang that length," said Nanny, sharply, to cover Gavin's The Egyptian obeyed demurely, pretending to wipe her eyes every "Tell me, Nanny," she asked presently, "what sort of man this "He is not very regular, I fear," answered Gavin, who felt that he "Do you mean that he drinks?" asked Babbie. "No, I mean regular in his attendance." The Egyptian's face showed no enlightenment. "His attendance at church," Gavin explained. "He's far frae it," said Nanny, "and as a body kens, Joe "Ah," said Babbie, waving the Church aside, "what I want to know "He is not," Gavin replied; "but why do you want to know that?" "Because single men are such gossips. I am sorry he is not single, "Trust him to tell Susy," said Nanny, "and Susy to tell the town." "His wife is a gossip?" "Ay, she's aye tonguing, especially about her teeth. They're folk Nanny had spoken jealously, but suddenly she trembled with "Babbie," she cried, "you didna speak about the poorhouse to The Egyptian shook her head, though of the poorhouse she had been "But I knew," the gypsy said, "that the Thrums people would be "You should not have said that," interposed Gavin. "I cannot "They will foster it without your help," the Egyptian said. "Ay, you can say that," Nanny entreated with such eagerness that "There is no fear of Nanny's telling any one that the friend is a "Na, na," agreed Nanny, again losing Babbie's sarcasm. "I winna "It is scarcely respectable," Babbie said. "It's no," answered simple Nanny. I suppose Nanny's unintentional cruelty did hurt Babbie as much as "I, at least," Gavin said in a low voice, "will know who is the At this Babbie smiled gratefully to him, and then both laughed, To Nanny the table now presented a rich appearance, for besides "Draw in your chair, Mr. Dishart," she said, in suppressed "Yes," said Babbie, "you take this chair, Mr. Dishart, and Nanny But Nanny held up her hands in horror. "Keep us a'!" she exclaimed; "the lassie thinks her and me is to "Delightful!" said Babbie, clapping her hands. "Nanny, you kneel But Gavin, as this girl was always forgetting, was a lord of "Sit down both of you at once!" he thundered, "I command you." Then the two women fell into their seats; Nanny in terror, Babbie |