CHAPTER IX SISSY’S PROGRESS

oughmypoorfatherwishedmesomuchtolearn,andalthoughIamsoanxioustolearn,becausehewishedmeto,IamafraidIdon’tlikeit.’ Louisastoodlookingattheprettymodesthead,asitdroopedabashedbeforeher,untilitwasraisedagaintoglanceatherface.Thensheasked: ‘Didyourfatherknowsomuchhimself,thathewishedyoutobewelltaughttoo,Sissy?’ Sissyhesitatedbeforereplying,andsoplainlyshowedhersensethattheywereenteringonforbiddenground,thatLouisaadded,‘Noonehearsusandifanyonedid,Iamsurenoharmcouldbefoundinsuchaninnocentquestion.’ ‘No,MissLouisa,’answeredSissy,uponthisencouragement,shakingherhead‘fatherknowsverylittleindeed.It’sasmuchashecandotowriteandit’smorethanpeopleingeneralcandotoreadhiswriting.Thoughit’splaintome.’ ‘Yourmother?’ ‘Fathersaysshewasquiteascholar.ShediedwhenIwasborn.Shewas’Sissymadetheterriblecommunicationnervously‘shewasadancer.’ ‘Didyourfatherloveher?’Louisaaskedthesequestionswithastrong,wild,wanderinginterestpeculiartoheraninterestgoneastraylikeabanishedcreature,andhidinginsolitaryplaces. ‘Oyes!Asdearlyashelovesme.Fatherlovedme,first,forhersake.HecarriedmeaboutwithhimwhenIwasquiteababy.Wehaveneverbeenasunderfromthattime.’ ‘Yetheleavesyounow,Sissy?’ ‘Onlyformygood.NobodyunderstandshimasIdonobodyknowshimasIdo.Whenheleftmeformygood—heneverwouldhaveleftmeforhisown—Iknowhewasalmostbroken-heartedwiththetrial.Hewillnotbehappyforasingleminute,tillhecomesback.’ ‘Tellmemoreabouthim,’saidLouisa,‘Iwillneveraskyouagain.Wheredidyoulive?’ ‘Wetravelledaboutthecountry,andhadnofixedplacetolivein.Father’sa’Sissywhisperedtheawfulword,‘aclown.’ ‘Tomakethepeoplelaugh?’saidLouisa,withanodofintelligence. ‘Yes.Buttheywouldn’tlaughsometimes,andthenfathercried.Lately,theyveryoftenwouldn’tlaugh,andheusedtocomehomedespairing.Father’snotlikemost.Thosewhodidn’tknowhimaswellasIdo,anddidn’tlovehimasdearlyasIdo,mightbelievehewasnotquiteright.Sometimestheyplayedtricksuponhimbuttheyneverknewhowhefeltthem,andshrunkup,whenhewasalonewithme.Hewasfar,fartimiderthantheythought!’ ‘Andyouwerehiscomfortthrougheverything?’ Shenodded,withthetearsrollingdownherface.‘Ihopeso,andfathersaidIwas.Itwasbecausehegrewsoscaredandtrembling,andbecausehefelthimselftobeapoor,weak,ignorant,helplessman(thoseusedtobehiswords),thathewantedmesomuchtoknowagreatdeal,andbedifferentfromhim.Iusedtoreadtohimtocheerhiscourage,andhewasveryfondofthat.Theywerewrongbooks—Iamnevertospeakofthemhere—butwedidn’tknowtherewasanyharminthem.’ ‘Andhelikedthem?’saidLouisa,withasearchinggazeonSissyallthistime. ‘Overymuch!Theykepthim,manytimes,fromwhatdidhimrealhar