Chapter VI. Surprises

“Isitpleasant?”wasthequestionJillaskedbeforeshewasfairlyawakeonChristmasmorning. “Yes,dearasbrightasheartcouldwish.Noweatabit,andthenI'llmakeyounicefortheday'spleasure.Ionlyhopeitwon'tbetoomuchforyou,”answeredMrs.Pecq,bustlingabout,happy,yetanxious,forJillwastobecarriedovertoMrs.Minot's,anditwasherfirstattemptatgoingoutsincetheaccident. Itseemedasifnineo'clockwouldnevercome,andJill,withwrapsallready,laywaitinginafeverofimpatienceforthedoctor'svisit,ashewishedtosuperintendthemoving.Atlasthecame,foundallpromising,andhavingbundleduphissmallpatient,carriedher,withFrank'shelp,inherchair-bedtotheox-sled,whichwasdrawntothenextdoor,andMissJilllandedintheBoys'Denbeforeshehadtimetogeteithercoldortired.Mrs.Minottookherthingsoffwithacordialwelcome,butJillneversaidaword,for,afteroneexclamation,shelaystaringabouther,dumbwithsurpriseanddelightatwhatshesaw. Thegreatroomwasentirelychangedfornowitlookedlikeagarden,oroneofthefairysceneschildrenlove,wherein-doorsandout-of-doorsarepleasantlycombined.Theceilingwaspaleblue,liketheskythewallswerecoveredwithapaperlikearustictrellis,upwhichclimbedmorning-gloriessonaturallythatthemany-coloredbellsseemeddancinginthewind.Birdsandbutterfliesflewamongthem,andhereandthere,througharchesinthetrellis,oneseemedtolookintoasunnysummerworld,contrastingcuriouslywiththewintrylandscapelyingbeyondtherealwindows,festoonedwithevergreengarlands,andcurtainedonlybystandsoflivingflowers.Agreendruggetcoveredthefloorlikegrass,rusticchairsfromthegardenstoodabout,andinthemiddleoftheroomahandsomehemlockwaitedforitsprettyburden.AYule-logblazedonthewidehearth,andoverthechimney-piece,framedinholly,shonethewordsthatsetallheartstodancing,“MerryChristmas!” “Doyoulikeit,dear?ThisisoursurpriseforyouandJack,andherewemeantohavegoodtimestogether,”saidMrs.Minot,whohadstoodquietlyenjoyingtheeffectofherwork. “Oh,itissolovelyIdon'tknowwhattosay!”andJillputupbotharms,aswordsfailedher,andgratefulkisseswereallshehadtooffer. “Canyousuggestanythingmoretoaddtothepleasantness?”askedthegentlelady,holdingthesmallhandsinherown,andfeelingwellrepaidbythechild'sdelight. “OnlyJack”andJill'slaughwasgoodtohear,assheglancedupwithmerry,yetwistfuleyes. “Youareright.We'llhavehiminatonce,orhewillcomehoppingononeleg”andawayhurriedhismother,laughing,too,forwhistles,shouts,thumps,andviolentdemonstrationsofallkindshadbeenheardfromtheroomwhereJackwasragingwithimpatience,whilehewaitedforhisshareofthesurprise. Jillcouldhardlyliestillwhensheheardtherollofanotherchair-bedcomingdownthehall,itspassageenlivenedwithcriesof“Starboard!Port!Easynow!Pullaway!”fromRalphandFrank,astheysteeredtherecumbentColumbusonhisfirstvoyageofdiscovery. “Well,Icallthathandsome!”wasJack'sexclamation,whenthefullbeautyofthesceneburstuponhisview.Thenheforgotallaboutitandgaveawhoopofpleasure,fortherebesidethefirewasaneagerface,twohandsbeckoning,andJill'svoicecrying,joyfully,— “I'mhere!I'mhere!Oh,docome,quick!”Downthelongroomrattledthechair,Jackcheeringalltheway,andbroughtupbesidetheotherone,asthelong-partedfriendsexclaimed,withoneaccord,— “Isn'tthisjolly!” Itcertainlydidlookso,forRalphandFrankdancedawildsortoffandangoroundthetree,Dr.Whitingstoodandlaughed,whilethetwomothersbeamedfromthedoor-way,andthechildren,notknowingwhethertolaughortocry,compromisedthematterbyclappingtheirhandsandshouting,“MerryChristmastoeverybody!”likeapairoflittlemaniacs. Thentheyallsobereddown,andthebusyoneswentofftothevariousdutiesoftheday,leavingtheyounginvalidstoreposeandenjoythemselvestogether. “Howniceyoulook,”saidJill,whentheyhaddulyadmiredtheprettyroom. “Sodoyou,”gallantlyreturnedJack,ashesurveyedherwithunusualinterest. Theydidlookverynice,thoughhappinesswastheprincipalbeautifier.Jillworearedwrapper,withthemostbrilliantofallthenecklacessparklingatherthroat,overanicelycrimpedfrillhermotherhadmadeinhonoroftheday.Allthecurlyblackhairwasgatheredintoarednet,andapairofsmartlittlemoccasinscoveredthefeetthathadnotsteppedformanyawearyday.Jackwasnotsogay,buthadmadehimselfasfineascircumstanceswouldpermit.Agraydressing-gown,withbluecuffsandcollar,wasverybecomingtotheblondeyouthanimmaculateshirt,beststuds,sleeve-buttons,bluetie,andhandkerchiefwetwithcolognestickingoutofthebreast-pocket,gaveanairofeleganceinspiteoftheafghanspreadoverthelowerportionsofhismanlyform.Theyellowhairwasbrushedtillitshone,andbeingpartedinthemiddle,tohidetheblackpatch,madetwoengaginglittle“quirls”