CHAPTER V. HARRY AND HIS WIFE.

SeveralmilesfromtheGordonestate,onanoldandsomewhatdecayedplantation,stoodaneatlog-cabin,whoseexternalaspectshowedbothtasteandcare.Itwasalmostenvelopedinluxuriantwreathsofyellowjessamine,andgarlandedwithamagnificentlamarquerose,whosecream-coloredbudsandflowerscontrastedbeautifullywiththedark,polishedgreenofthefinely-cutleaves. ThehousestoodinanenclosureformedbyahighhedgeoftheAmericanholly,whoseevergreenfoliageandscarletberriesmadeit,atalltimesoftheyear,abeautifulobject.Withintheenclosurewasagarden,carefullytended,anddevotedtothefinestfruitsandflowers. Thislittledwelling,sodifferentinitsairoffancifulneatnessfromordinarysoutherncabins,wastheabodeofHarry'slittlewife.Lisette,whichwashername,wastheslaveofaFrenchcreolewoman,towhomaplantationhadrecentlyfallenbyinheritance. Shewasadelicate,airylittlecreature,formedbyamixtureoftheAfricanandFrenchblood,producingoneofthosefanciful,exoticcombinations,thatgiveonethesameimpressionofbrilliancyandrichnessthatonereceivesfromtropicalinsectsandflowers.Frombothparentracesshewasendowedwithasensuousbeingexquisitelyquickandfine,—anatureofeverlastingchildhood,withallitsfreshnessofpresentlife,allitsthoughtless,unreasoningfearlessnessofthefuture. Shestandsthereatherironing-table,justoutsidehercottagedoor,singinggaylyatherwork.Herround,plump,childishformisshowntoadvantagebythetrimbluebasque,lacedinfront,overachemisetteofwhitelinen.Herheadiswreathedwithagayturban,fromwhichescapes,nowandthen,awanderingcurlofhersilkyblackhair.Hereyes,assheraisesthem,havethehazy,dreamylanguor,whichissocharacteristicofthemixedraces.Herlittle,childishhandsarebusy,withnimblefingersadroitlyplaitingandarrangingvariousarticlesoffemininetoilet,toodelicateandexpensivetohavebelongedtothoseinhumblecircumstances.Sheironed,plaited,andsung,withbusycare.Occasionally,however,shewouldsuspendherwork,and,runningbetweentheflower-borderstothehedge,lookwistfullyalongtheroad,shadinghereyeswithherhand.Atlast,asshesawamanonhorsebackapproaching,sheflewlightlyout,andrantomeethim. "Harry,Harry!You'vecome,atlast.I'msoglad!Andwhathaveyougotinthatpaper?Isitanythingforme?" Hehelditup,andshookitather,whilesheleapedafterit. "No,no,littlecuriosity!"hesaid,gayly. "Iknowit'ssomethingforme,"saidshe,withapretty,half-poutingair. "Andwhydoyouknowit'sforyou?Iseverythingtobeforyouintheworld,youlittlegood-for-nothing?" "Good-for-nothing!"withatossofthegayly-turbanedlittlehead."Youmaywellsaythat,sir!JustlookatthetwodozenshirtsI'veironed,sincemorning!Come,now,takemeupIwanttoride." Harryputoutthetoeofhisbootandhishand,and,withanadroitspring,shewasinamomentbeforehim,onhishorse'sneck,and,withaquickturn,snatchedthepaperparcelfromhishand. "Woman'scuriosity!"saidhe. "Well,Iwanttoseewhatitis.Dearme,whatatightstring!Oh,Ican'tbreakit!Well,hereitgoesI'lltearaholeinit,anyhow.Oh,silk,asIlive!Aha!tellmenowthisisn'tforme,youbadthing,you!" "Why,howdoyouknowitisn'ttomakemeasummercoat?" "Summercoat!—likelystory!Aha!I'vefoundyouout,mister!But,come,domakethehorsecanter!Iwanttogofast.Makehimcanter,do!" Harrygaveasuddenjerktothereins,andinaminutethetwowereflyingoffasifonthewingsofthewind.Onandontheywent,throughasmallcoppiceofpines,whilethelight-heartedlaughrangonthebreezebehindthem.Nowtheyarelosttoview.Inafewminutes,emergingfromthepinewoodsinanotherdirection,theycomesweeping,gayandlaughing,uptothegate.Tofastenthehorse,tosnatchthelittlewifeonhisshoulder,andrunintothecottagewithher,seemedtheworkonlyofamomentand,ashesetherdown,stilllaughing,heexclaimed,— "There,go,now,foraprettylittlepicture,asyouare!Ihavehelpedthemgetuplestableauxvivans,attheirgreathousesbutyouaremytableau.Youaren'tgoodformuch.Youarenothingbutahumming-bird,madetoliveonhoney!" "That'swhatIam!"saidthelittleone."Ittakesagreatdealofhoneytokeepme.Iwanttobepraised,flattered,andloved,allthetime.Itisn'tenoughtohaveyouloveme.Iwanttohearyoutellmesoeveryday,andhour,andminute.AndIwantyoualwaystoadmireme,andpraiseeverythingthatIdo.Now"— "Particularlywhenyoutearholesinpackages!"saidHarry. "Oh,mysilk—mynewsilkdress!"saidLisette,thusremindedofthepackagewhichsheheldinherhand."Thishatefulstring!Howitcutsmyfingers!Iwillbreakit!I'llbiteitintwo.Harry,Harry,don'tyouseehowithurtsmyfingers?Whydon'tyoucutit?" Andthelittlespritedancedaboutthecottagefloor,tearingthepaper,andtuggingatthestring,likeanenragedhumming-bird.Harrycamelaughingbehindher,and,takingholdofhertwohands,heldthemquitestill,whilehecutthestringoftheparcel,andunfoldedagorgeousplaidsilk,crimson,green,andorange. "There,now,whatdoyouthinkofthat?MissNinabroughtit,whenshecamehome,lastweek." "Oh,howlovely!Isn'tsheabeauty?Isn'tshegood?Howbeautifulitis!Dearme,dearme!howhappyIam!Howhappyweare!—an'twe,Harry?" AshadowcameoverHarry'sforeheadasheanswered,withahalf-sigh,— "Yes." "Iwasupatthreeo'clockthismorning,onpurposetogetallmyironingdoneto-day,becauseIthoughtyouweretocomehometo-night.Ah!ah!youdon'tknowwhatasupperI'vegotready!You'llsee,byandby.I'mgoingtodosomethinguncommon.Youmustn'tlookinthatotherroom,Harry—youmustn't!" "Mustn'tI?"saidHarry,gettingup,andgoingtothedoor. "There,now!who'scuriositynow,Iwonder!"saidshe,springingnimblybetweenhimandthedoor."No,youshan'tgoin,though.There,nowdon't,don't!Begoodnow,Harry!" "Well,Imayaswellgiveupfirstaslast.Thisisyourhouse,notmine,Isuppose,"saidHarry. "Mr.Submission,ho