CHAPTER IX SISSY’S PROGRESS

m.Andoftenandoftenofanight,heusedtoforgetallhistroublesinwonderingwhethertheSultanwouldlettheladygoonwiththestory,orwouldhaveherheadcutoffbeforeitwasfinished.’ ‘Andyourfatherwasalwayskind?Tothelast?’askedLouisacontraveningthegreatprinciple,andwonderingverymuch. ‘Always,always!’returnedSissy,claspingherhands.‘KinderandkinderthanIcantell.Hewasangryonlyonenight,andthatwasnottome,butMerrylegs.Merrylegs’shewhisperedtheawfulfact‘ishisperformingdog.’ ‘Whywasheangrywiththedog?’Louisademanded. ‘Father,soonaftertheycamehomefromperforming,toldMerrylegstojumpuponthebacksofthetwochairsandstandacrossthem—whichisoneofhistricks.Helookedatfather,anddidn’tdoitatonce.Everythingoffather’shadgonewrongthatnight,andhehadn’tpleasedthepublicatall.Hecriedoutthattheverydogknewhewasfailing,andhadnocompassiononhim.Thenhebeatthedog,andIwasfrightened,andsaid,“Father,father!Praydon’thurtthecreaturewhoissofondofyou!OHeavenforgiveyou,father,stop!”Andhestopped,andthedogwasbloody,andfatherlaydowncryingonthefloorwiththedoginhisarms,andthedoglickedhisface.’ Louisasawthatshewassobbingandgoingtoher,kissedher,tookherhand,andsatdownbesideher. ‘Finishbytellingmehowyourfatherleftyou,Sissy.NowthatIhaveaskedyousomuch,tellmetheend.Theblame,ifthereisanyblame,ismine,notyours.’ ‘DearMissLouisa,’saidSissy,coveringhereyes,andsobbingyet‘Icamehomefromtheschoolthatafternoon,andfoundpoorfatherjustcomehometoo,fromthebooth.Andhesatrockinghimselfoverthefire,asifhewasinpain.AndIsaid,“Haveyouhurtyourself,father?”(ashedidsometimes,liketheyalldid),andhesaid,“Alittle,mydarling.”AndwhenIcametostoopdownandlookupathisface,Isawthathewascrying.ThemoreIspoketohim,themorehehidhisfaceandatfirstheshookallover,andsaidnothingbut“Mydarling”and“Mylove!”’ HereTomcameloungingin,andstaredatthetwowithacoolnessnotparticularlysavouringofinterestinanythingbuthimself,andnotmuchofthatatpresent. ‘IamaskingSissyafewquestions,Tom,’observedhissister.‘Youhavenooccasiontogoawaybutdon’tinterruptusforamoment,Tomdear.’ ‘Oh!verywell!’returnedTom.‘OnlyfatherhasbroughtoldBounderbyhome,andIwantyoutocomeintothedrawing-room.Becauseifyoucome,there’sagoodchanceofoldBounderby’saskingmetodinnerandifyoudon’t,there’snone.’ ‘I’llcomedirectly.’ ‘I’llwaitforyou,’saidTom,‘tomakesure.’ Sissyresumedinalowervoice.‘Atlastpoorfathersaidthathehadgivennosatisfactionagain,andneverdidgiveanysatisfactionnow,andthathewasashameanddisgrace,andIshouldhavedonebetterwithouthimallalong.Isaidalltheaffectionatethingstohimthatcameintomyheart,andpresentlyhewasquietandIsatdownbyhim,andtoldhimallabouttheschooland