Chapter IX. To Garum Firs

siredtodo,wentupquietlytoheruncle’sknee,andblushingalloverherneckwhileshefingeredhernecklace,said,“Willyoupleaseplayusatune,uncle?” LucythoughtitwasbyreasonofsomeexceptionaltalentinunclePulletthatthesnuff-boxplayedsuchbeautifultunes,andindeedthethingwasviewedinthatlightbythemajorityofhisneighboursinGarum.MrPullethadboughtthebox,tobeginwith,andheunderstoodwindingitup,andknewwhichtuneitwasgoingtoplaybeforehandaltogetherthepossessionofthisunique“pieceofmusic”wasaproofthatMrPullet’scharacterwasnotofthatentirenullitywhichmightotherwisehavebeenattributedtoit.ButunclePullet,whenentreatedtoexhibithisaccomplishment,neverdepreciateditbyatooreadyconsent.“We’llseeaboutit,”wastheanswerhealwaysgave,carefullyabstainingfromanysignofcompliancetillasuitablenumberofminuteshadpassed.UnclePullethadaprogrammeforallgreatsocialoccasions,andinthiswayfencedhimselfinfrommuchpainfulconfusionandperplexingfreedomofwill. PerhapsthesuspensedidheightenMaggie’senjoymentwhenthefairytunebeganforthefirsttimeshequiteforgotthatshehadaloadonhermind,thatTomwasangrywithherandbythetime“Hush,yeprettywarblingchoir,”hadbeenplayed,herfaceworethatbrightlookofhappiness,whileshesatimmovablewithherhandsclasped,whichsometimescomfortedhermotherwiththesensethatMaggiecouldlookprettynowandthen,inspiteofherbrownskin.Butwhenthemagicmusicceased,shejumpedup,andrunningtowardTom,putherarmroundhisneckandsaid,“Oh,Tom,isn’titpretty?” LestyoushouldthinkitshowedarevoltinginsensibilityinTomthathefeltanynewangertowardMaggieforthisuncalled-forand,tohim,inexplicablecaress,Imusttellyouthathehadhisglassofcowslipwineinhishand,andthatshejerkedhimsoastomakehimspillhalfofit.Hemusthavebeenanextrememilksopnottosayangrily,“Lookthere,now!”especiallywhenhisresentmentwassanctioned,asitwas,bygeneraldisapprobationofMaggie’sbehaviour. “Whydon’tyousitstill,Maggie?”hermothersaidpeevishly. “Littlegellsmustn’tcometoseemeiftheybehaveinthatway,”saidauntPullet. “Why,you’retoorough,littlemiss,”saidunclePullet. PoorMaggiesatdownagain,withthemusicallchasedoutofhersoul,andthesevensmalldemonsallinagain. MrsTulliver,foreseeingnothingbutmisbehaviourwhilethechildrenremainedindoors,tookanearlyopportunityofsuggestingthat,nowtheywererestedaftertheirwalk,theymightgoandplayoutofdoorsandauntPulletgavepermission,onlyenjoiningthemnottogooffthepavedwalksinthegarden,andiftheywantedtoseethepoultryfed,toviewthemfromadistanceonthehorse-blockarestrictionwhichhadbeenimposedeversinceTomhadbeenfoundguiltyofrunningafterthepeacock,withanillusoryideathatfrightwouldmakeoneofitsfeathersdropoff. MrsTulliver’sthoughtshadbeentemporarilydivertedfromthequarrelwithMrsGleggbymillineryandmaternalcares,butnowthegreatthemeofthebonnetwasthrownintoperspective,andthechildrenwereoutoftheway,yesterday’sanxietiesrecurred. “Itweighsonmymindsoasneverwas,”shesaid,bywayofopeningthesubject,“sisterGlegg’sleavingthehouseinthatway.I’msureI’dnowisht’offendasister.” “Ah,”saidauntPullet,“there’snoaccountingforwhatJane’ulldo.Iwouldn’tspeakofitouto’thefamily,ifitwasn’ttoDrTurnbullbutit’smybeliefJanelivestoolow.I’vesaidsotoPulletoftenandoften,andheknowsit.” “Why,yousaidsolastMondaywasaweek,whenwecameawayfromdrinkingteawith’em,”saidMrPullet,beginningtonursehiskneeandshelteritwithhispockethandkerchief,aswashiswaywhentheconversationtookaninterestingturn. “VerylikeIdid,”saidMrsPullet,“foryourememberwhenIsaidthings,betterthanIcanremembermyself.He’sgotawonderfulmemory,Pullethas,”shecontinued,lookingpatheticallyathersister.“Ishouldbepoorlyoffifhewastohaveastroke,forhealwaysrememberswhenI’vegottotakemydoctor’sstuffandI’mtakingthreesortsnow.” “There’sthe‘pillsasbefore’everyothernight,andthenewdropsatelevenandfour,andthe’fervescingmixture‘whenagreeable,’”rehearsedMrPullet,withapunctuationdeterminedbyalozengeonhistongue. “Ah,perhapsit’udbebetterforsisterGleggifshe’dgotothedoctorsometimes,insteado’chewingTurkeyrhubarbwheneverthere’sanythingthematterwithher,”saidMrsTulliver,whonaturallysawthewidesubjectofmedicinechieflyinrelationtoMrsGlegg. “It’sdreadfultothinkon,”saidauntPullet,raisingherhandsandlettingthemfallagain,“peopleplayingwiththeirowninsidesinthatway!Andit’sflyingi’thefaceo’Providenceforwhatarethedoctorsfor,ifwearen’ttocall’emin?Andwhenfolkshavegotthemoneytopayforadoctor,itisn’trespectable,asI’vetoldJanemanyatime.I’mashamedofacquaintanceknowingit.” “Well,we’venocalltobeashamed,”saidMrPullet,“forDoctorTurnbullhasn’tgotsuchanotherpatientasyoui’thisparish,nowoldMrsSutton’sgone.” “Pulletkeepsallmyphysic-bottles,didyouknow,Bessy?”saidMrsPullet.“Hewon’thaveonesold.Hesaysit’snothingbutrightfolksshouldsee’emwhenI’mgone.Theyfilltwoo’thelongstore-roomshelvesa’readybut,”sheadded,beginningtocryalittle,“it’swelliftheyeverfillthree.ImaygobeforeI’vemadeupthedozeno’theselastsizes.Thepill-boxesareintheclosetinmyroom,—you’llrememberthat,sister,—butthere’snothingtoshowfortheboluses,ifitisn’tthebills.” “Don’ttalko’yourgoing,sister,”saidMrsTulliver“IshouldhavenobodytostandbetweenmeandsisterGleggifyouwasgone.Andthere’snobodybutyoucangethertomakeitupwithMrTulliver,forsisterDeane’snevero’myside,andifshewas,it’snottobelookedforasshecanspeaklikethemashavegotanin