She was sent out for parsley to the greengrocer's later in the day,and when she came up the area steps her heart gave quite a quick beat of recognition.Several pieces of furniture had been set out of the van upon the pavement.There was a beautiful table of elaborately wrought teakwood,and some chairs,and a screen covered with rich Oriental embroidery.The sight of them gave her a weird,homesick feeling.She had seen things so like them in India.
One of the things Miss Minchin had taken from her was a carved teakwood desk her father had sent her.
"They are beautiful things,"she said;"they look as if they ought to belong to a nice person.All the things look rather grand.
I suppose it is a rich family."
The vans of furniture came and were unloaded and gave place to others all the day.Several times it so happened that Sara had an opportunity of seeing things carried in.It became plain that she had been right in guessing that the newcomers were people of large means.
All the furniture was rich and beautiful,and a great deal of it was Oriental.Wonderful rugs and draperies and ornaments were taken from the vans,many pictures,and books enough for a library.
Among other things there was a superb god Buddha in a splendid shrine.
"Someone in the family MUST have been in India,"Sara thought.
"They have got used to Indian things and like them.I AM glad.
I shall feel as if they were friends,even if a head never looks out of the attic window."
When she was taking in the evening's milk for the cook (there was really no odd job she was not called upon to do),she saw something occur which made the situation more interesting than ever.The handsome,rosy man who was the father of the Large Family walked across the square in the most matter-of-fact manner,and ran up the steps of the next-door house.He ran up them as if he felt quite at home and expected to run up and down them many a time in the future.
He stayed inside quite a long time,and several times came out and gave directions to the workmen,as if he had a right to do so.
It was quite certain that he was in some intimate way connected with the newcomers and was acting for them.
"If the new people have children,"Sara speculated,"the Large Family children will be sure to come and play with them,and they MIGHT come up into the attic just for fun."
At night,after her work was done,Becky came in to see her fellow prisoner and bring her news.
"It's a'Nindian gentleman that's comin'to live next door,miss,"
she said."I don't know whether he's a black gentleman or not,but he's a Nindian one.He's very rich,an'he's ill,an'the gentleman of the Large Family is his lawyer.He's had a lot of trouble,an'it's made him ill an'low in his mind.He worships idols,miss.
He's an 'eathen an'bows down to wood an'stone.I seen a'idol bein'carried in for him to worship.Somebody had oughter send him a trac'.You can get a trac'for a penny."
Sara laughed a little.
"I don't believe he worships that idol,"she said;"some people like to keep them to look at because they are interesting.
My papa had a beautiful one,and he did not worship it."
But Becky was rather inclined to prefer to believe that the new neighbor was "an 'eathen."It sounded so much more romantic than that he should merely be the ordinary kind of gentleman who went to church with a prayer book.She sat and talked long that night of what he would be like,of what his wife would be like if he had one,and of what his children would be like if they had children.
Sara saw that privately she could not help hoping very much that they would all be black,and would wear turbans,and,above all,that--like their parent--they would all be "'eathens."
"I never lived next door to no 'eathens,miss,"she said;
"I should like to see what sort o'ways they'd have."
It was several weeks before her curiosity was satisfied,and then it was revealed that the new occupant had neither wife nor children.
He was a solitary man with no family at all,and it was evident that he was shattered in health and unhappy in mind.
A carriage drove up one day and stopped before the house.
When the footman dismounted from the box and opened the door the gentleman who was the father of the Large Family got out first.
After him there descended a nurse in uniform,then came down the steps two men-servants.They came to assist their master,who,when he was helped out of the carriage,proved to be a man with a haggard,distressed face,and a skeleton body wrapped in furs.He was carried up the steps,and the head of the Large Family went with him,looking very anxious.Shortly afterward a doctor's carriage arrived,and the doctor went in--plainly to take care of him.
"There is such a yellow gentleman next door,Sara,"Lottie whispered at the French class afterward."Do you think he is a Chinee?
The geography says the Chinee men are yellow."
"No,he is not Chinese,"Sara whispered back;"he is very ill.
Go on with your exercise,Lottie.`Non,monsieur.Je n'ai pas le canif de mon oncle.'"
That was the beginning of the story of the Indian gentleman.
