Chapter 4—Aunts

eeded,”hesaidtohimself,lookingverymuchlikeamischievousboy,ashewentonwithhisinnocentprescriptions. Rosewasplayingsoftlyonthesmallorganthatstoodintheupperhall,sothatAuntPeacecouldenjoyitandallthewhilehetalkedwiththeoldladies,UncleAlecwaslisteningtothefitfulmusicofthechild,andthinkingofanotherRosewhousedtoplayforhim. Astheclockstruckeight,hecalledout, “Timeformygirltobeabed,elseshewon'tbeupearly,andI'mfullofjollyplansforto-morrow.ComeandseewhatI'vefoundforyoutobeginupon.” Roseraninandlistenedwithbrightattentiveface,whileDr.Alecsaidimpressively, “Inmywanderingsoverthefaceoftheearth,Ihavepickedupsomeexcellentremedies,and,astheyareratheragreeableones,IthinkyouandIwilltrythem.Thisisaherb-pillow,giventomebyawiseoldwomanwhenIwasillinIndia.Itisfilledwithsaffron,poppies,andothersoothingplantssolayyourlittleheadonitto-night,sleepsweetlywithoutadream,andwaketo-morrowwithoutapain.” “ShallIreally?Howniceitsmells.”AndRosewillinglyreceivedtheprettypillow,andstoodenjoyingitsfaint,sweetodour,asshelistenedtothedoctor'snextremedy. “ThisisthecupItoldyouof.Itsvirtuedepends,theysay,onthedrinkerfillingithimselfsoyoumustlearntomilk.I'llteachyou.” “I'mafraidInevercan,”saidRosebutshesurveyedthecupwithfavour,forafunnylittleimpdancedonthehandle,asifallreadytotakeaheaderintothewhiteseabelow. “Don'tyouthinksheoughttohavesomethingmorestrengtheningthanmilk,Alec?Ireallyshallfeelanxiousifshedoesnothaveatonicofsomesort,”saidAuntPlenty,eyeingthenewremediessuspiciously,forshehadmorefaithinherold-fashioneddosesthanallthemagiccupsandpoppypillowsoftheEast. “Well,ma'am,I'mwillingtogiveherapill,ifyouthinkbest.Itisaverysimpleone,andverylargequantitiesmaybetakenwithoutharm.Youknowhasheeshistheextractofhemp?Well,thisisapreparationofcornandrye,muchusedinoldtimes,andIhopeitwillbeagain.” “Dearme,howsingular!”saidAuntPlenty,bringingherspectaclestobearuponthepills,withafacesofullofrespectfulinterestthatitwasalmosttoomuchforDr.Alec'sgravity. “Takeoneinthemorning,andagood-nighttoyou,mydear,”hesaid,dismissinghispatientwithaheartykiss. Then,asshevanished,heputbothhandsintohishair,exclaiming,withacomicalmixtureofanxietyandamusement, “WhenIthinkwhatIhaveundertaken,Ideclaretoyou,aunt,IfeellikerunningawayandnotcomingbacktillRoseiseighteen!”