Chapter X. Maggie Behaves Worse Than She Expected

Lucycamecarefullyasshewasbidden,andbentdowntolookatwhatseemedagoldenarrow-headdartingthroughthewater.Itwasawater-snake,TomtoldherandLucyatlastcouldseetheserpentinewaveofitsbody,verymuchwonderingthatasnakecouldswim.Maggiehaddrawnnearerandnearershemustseeittoo,thoughitwasbittertoher,likeeverythingelse,sinceTomdidnotcareaboutherseeingit.AtlastshewasclosebyLucyandTom,whohadbeenawareofherapproach,butwouldnotnoticeittillhewasobliged,turnedroundandsaid,— “Now,getaway,Maggiethere’snoroomforyouonthegrasshere.Nobodyaskedyoutocome.” TherewerepassionsatwarinMaggieatthatmomenttohavemadeatragedy,iftragediesweremadebypassiononlybuttheessentialτιμ?γεθο?whichwaspresentinthepassionwaswantingtotheactiontheutmostMaggiecoulddo,withafiercethrustofhersmallbrownarm,wastopushpoorlittlepink-and-whiteLucyintothecow-troddenmud. ThenTomcouldnotrestrainhimself,andgaveMaggietwosmartslapsonthearmasherantopickupLucy,wholaycryinghelplessly.Maggieretreatedtotherootsofatreeafewyardsoff,andlookedonimpenitently.Usuallyherrepentancecamequicklyafteronerashdeed,butnowTomandLucyhadmadehersomiserable,shewasgladtospoiltheirhappiness,—gladtomakeeverybodyuncomfortable.Whyshouldshebesorry?Tomwasveryslowtoforgiveher,howeversorryshemighthavebeen. “Ishalltellmother,youknow,MissMag,”saidTom,loudlyandemphatically,assoonasLucywasupandreadytowalkaway.ItwasnotTom’spracticeto“tell,”butherejusticeclearlydemandedthatMaggieshouldbevisitedwiththeutmostpunishmentnotthatTomhadlearnedtoputhisviewsinthatabstractformhenevermentioned“justice,”andhadnoideathathisdesiretopunishmightbecalledbythatfinename.Lucywastooentirelyabsorbedbytheevilthathadbefallenher,—thespoilingofherprettybestclothes,andthediscomfortofbeingwetanddirty,—tothinkmuchofthecause,whichwasentirelymysterioustoher.ShecouldneverhaveguessedwhatshehaddonetomakeMaggieangrywithherbutshefeltthatMaggiewasveryunkindanddisagreeable,andmadenomagnanimousentreatiestoTomthathewouldnot“tell,”onlyrunningalongbyhissideandcryingpiteously,whileMaggiesatontherootsofthetreeandlookedafterthemwithhersmallMedusaface. “Sally,”saidTom,whentheyreachedthekitchendoor,andSallylookedattheminspeechlessamaze,withapieceofbread-and-butterinhermout