"That Mrs.Tod is an extraordinary woman.I repeat it--a most extraordinary woman."And leaning his elbows on the table,from which the said extraordinary woman had just removed breakfast,John looked over to me with his own merry brown eyes.
"Wherefore,David?"
"She has a house full of children,yet manages to keep it quiet and her own temper likewise.Astonishing patience!However people attain it who have to do with brats,_I_can't imagine.""John!that's mean hypocrisy.I saw you myself half-an-hour ago holding the eldest Tod boy on a refractory donkey,and laughing till you could hardly stand.""Did I?"said he,half-ashamed."Well,it was only to keep the little scamp from making a noise under the windows.And that reminds me of another remarkable virtue in Mrs.Tod--she can hold her tongue.""How so?"
"In two whole days she has not communicated to us a single fact concerning our neighbours on the other half of Rose Cottage.""Did you want to know?"
John laughingly denied;then allowed that he always had a certain pleasure in eliciting information on men and things.
"The wife being indicated,I suppose,by that very complimentary word 'thing.'But what possible interest can you have in either the old gentleman or the old lady?""Stop,Phineas:you have a bad habit of jumping at conclusions.And in our great dearth of occupation here,I think it might be all the better for you to take a little interest in your neighbours.So I've a great mind to indulge you with an important idea,suggestion,discovery.Harkee,friend!"--and he put on an air of sentimental mystery,not a bad copy of our old acquaintance,Mr.Charles--"what if the--the individual should not be an old lady at all?""What!The old gentleman's wife?"
"Wife?Ahem!more jumping at conclusions.No;let us keep on the safe side,and call her the--individual.In short;the owner of that grey silk gown I saw hanging up in the kitchen.I've seen it again.""The grey gown!when and where?"
"This morning,early.I walked after it across the Flat,a good way behind,though;for I thought that it--well,let me say SHE--might not like to be watched or followed.She was trotting along very fast,and she carried a little basket--I fancy a basket of eggs.""Capital housekeeper!excellent wife!"
"Once more--I have my doubts on that latter fact.She walked a great deal quicker and merrier than any wife ought to walk when her husband is ill!"I could not help laughing at John's original notions of conjugal duty.
"Besides,Mrs.Tod always calls her invalid 'the old gentleman!'and I don't believe this was an elderly lady.""Nay,old men do sometimes marry young women.""Yes,but it is always a pity;and sometimes not quite right.No,"--and I was amused to see how gravely and doggedly John kept to his point--"though this lady did not look like a sylph or a wood-nymph--being neither very small nor very slight,and having a comfortable woollen cloak and hood over the grey silk gown--still,I don't believe she's an old woman,or married either.""How can you possibly tell?Did you see her face?""Of course not,"he answered,rather indignantly."I should not think it manly to chase a lady as a schoolboy does a butterfly,for the mere gratification of staring at her.I stayed on the top of the Flat till she had gone indoors.""Into Rose Cottage?"
"Why--yes."
"She had,doubtless,gone to fetch new-laid eggs for her--I mean for the sick gentleman's breakfast.Kind soul!""You may jest,Phineas,but I think she is a kind soul.On her way home I saw her stop twice;once to speak to an old woman who was gathering sticks;and again,to scold a lad for thrashing a donkey.""Did you hear her?"
"No;but I judge from the lad's penitent face as I passed him.I am sure she had been scolding him.""Then she's not young,depend upon it.Your beautiful young creatures never scold.""I'm not so sure of that,"said John,meditatively."For my part,Ishould rather not cheat myself,or be cheated after that manner.
Perfection is impossible.Better see the young woman as she really is,bad and good together.""The young woman!The fair divinity,you mean!""No;"shutting his mouth over the negative in his firm way--"Istrongly object to divinities.How unpleasant it would be to woo an angel of perfection,and find her out at last to be only--only Mrs.--""Halifax,"suggested I;at which he laughed,slightly colouring.
"But how woeful must be our dearth of subjects,when we talk such nonsense as this!What suggested it?""Your friend in the grey gown,I suppose."
"Requiescat in Pace!May she enjoy her eggs!And now I must go saddle the brown mare,and be off to Norton Bury.A lovely day for a ride.How I shall dash along!"He rose up cheerily.It was like morning sunshine only to see his face.No morbid follies had ever tainted his healthy nature,whatsoever romance was there--and never was there a thoroughly noble nature without some romance in it.But it lay deep down,calm and unawakened.His heart was as light and free as air.
Stooping over my easy chair,he wheeled it to the window,in sight of the pleasant view.
"Now,Phineas,what more books do you want?You'll take a walk before dinner?You'll not be moping?"No;why should I,who knew I had always,whether absent or present,the blessing,the infinite blessing,of being first in his thoughts and cares?Who,whether he expressed it or not--the best things never are expressed or expressible--knew by a thousand little daily acts like these,the depth and tenderness of his friendship,his brotherly love for me.As yet,I had it all.And God,who knows how little else I had,will pardon,if in my unspeakable thankfulness lurked a taint of selfish joy in my sole possession of such a priceless boon.
He lingered about,making me "all right,"as he called it,and planning out my solitary day.With much merriment,too,for we were the gayest couple of young bachelors,when,as John said,"the duties of our responsible position"would allow.
