Chapter VII. Jill's Mission

ereadingofherlettersincethegirlhadfoundsuchsadnewsthere,butthedangersofdisobediencewereseriousinhercase,andaglanceshowedthatshewassufferingeitherinmindorbody—perhapsboth. “Iwillwaitforhertotellme.Sheisanhonestchild,andthetruthwillsooncomeout,”thoughtMrs.Minot,asshetookacleansheet,andJilltriedtostudy. “ShallIhearyourlesson,dear?Jackmeanstorecitehislikeagoodboy,sosupposeyoufollowhisexample,”shesaid,presently. “Idon'tknowasIcansayit,butI'lltry.” Jilldidtry,andgotonbravelytillshecametotheword“permanent”thereshehesitated,rememberingwhereshesawitlast. “Doyouknowwhatthatmeans?”askedherteacher,thinkingtohelpheronbydefiningtheword. “Always—foragreatwhile—orsomethinglikethatdoesn'tit?”falteredJill,withatightfeelinginherthroat,andthecolorcomingup,asshetriedtospeakeasily,yetfeltsoshame-strickenshecouldnot. “Areyouinpain,mychild?Nevermindthelessontellme,andI'lldosomethingforyou.” Thekindwords,thesofthandonherhotcheek,andthepityintheeyesthatlookedather,weretoomuchforJill.Asobcamefirst,andthenthetruth,toldwithhiddenfaceandtearsthatwashedtheblushaway,andsetfreethehonestlittlesoulthatcouldnothideitsfaultfromsuchafriend. “Iknewitallbefore,andwassureyouwouldtellme,elseyouwouldnotbethechildIloveandliketohelpsowell.” Then,whileshesoothedJill'strouble,Mrs.Minottoldherstoryandshowedtheletter,wishingtolessen,ifpossible,somepartofthepainithadgiven. “Slyoldstamp!TogoandtellonmewhenImeanttoownup,andgetsomecreditifIcould,afterbeingsomeanandbad,”saidJill,smilingthroughhertearswhenshesawthetell-talewitnessesagainsther. “Youhadbetterstickitinyourbooktoremindyouofthebadconsequencesofdisobedience,thenperhapsthislessonwillleavea'permanent'impressiononyourmindandmemory,”answeredMrs.Minot,gladtoseehernaturalgayetycomingback,andhopingthatshehadforgottenthecontentsoftheunfortunateletter.Butshehadnotandpresently,whenthesadaffairhadbeentalkedoverandforgiven,Jillasked,slowly,asshetriedtoputonabravelook,— “PleasetellmeaboutLucindaSnow.IfIamtobelikeher,Imightaswellknowhowshemanagedtobearitsolong.” “I'msorryyoueverheardofher,andyetperhapsitmayhelpyoutobearyourtrial,dear,whichIhopewillneverbeasheavyaoneashers.ThisLucindaIknewforyears,andthoughatfirstIthoughtherfatethesaddestthatcouldbe,Icameatlasttoseehowhappyshewasinspiteofheraffliction,howgoodandusefulandbeloved.” “Why,howcouldshebe?Whatdidshedo?”criedJill,forgettingherowntroublestolookupwithanopen,eagerfaceagain. “Shewassopatient,otherpeoplewereashamedtocomplainoftheirsmallworriessocheerful,thatherowngreatonegrewlightersoindustrious,thatshemadebothmoneyandfriendsbyprettythingssheworkedandsoldtohermanyvisitors.And,bestofall,sowiseandsweetthatsheseemedtogetgoodoutofeverything,andmakeherpoorroomasortofchapelwherepeoplewentforcomfort,counsel,andanexampleofapiouslife.So,yousee,Lucindawasnotsoverymiserableafterall.” “Well,ifIcouldnotbeasIwas,I'dliketobeawomanlikethat.Only,IhopeIshallnot!”answeredJill,thoughtfullyatfirst,thencomingoutsodecidedlywiththelastwordsthatitwasevidentthelifeofabedriddensaintwasnotatalltohermind. “SodoIandImeantobelievethatyouwillnot.Meantime,wecantrytomakethewaitingasusefulandpleasantaspossible.Thispainfullittlebackwillbeasortofconsciencetoremindyouofwhatyououghttodoandleaveundone,andsoyoucanbelearningobedience.Then,whenthebodyisstrong,itwillhaveformedagoodhabittomakedutyeasierandmyLucindacanbeasweetexample,evenwhilelyinghere,ifshechooses.” “CanI?”andJill'seyeswerefullofsoftertearsasthecomfortable,cheeringwordssankintoherheart,toblossomslowlybyandbyintoherlife,forthiswastobealonglesson,hardtolearn,butveryusefulintheyearstocome. Whentheboysreturned,aftertheLatinwasrecitedandpeacerestored,JackshowedherarecoveredstamppromptlypaidbyFrank,whowasasjustashewassevere,andJillaskedfortheoldredone,thoughshedidnottellwhyshewantedit,norshowitputawayinthespelling-book,alittlesealuponapromisemadetobekept.