CHAPTER V. HARRY AND HIS WIFE.

wmeekweare,allofasudden.Well,whilethefitlasts,yougotothespringandgetmesomewatertofillthistea-kettle.Offwithyounow,thisminute!Mindyoudon'tstoptoplaybytheway!" And,whileHarryisgonetothespring,wewillfollowthewifeintotheforbiddenroom.Verycoolandpleasantitis,withitswhitewindow-curtains,itsmattedfloor,anddisplayinginthecornerthatdrapedfeather-bed,withitsruffledpillowsandfringedcurtains,whichitisthegreatambitionofthesoutherncabintoattainandmaintain. Thedoor,whichopenedontoashowofmostbrilliantflowers,wasoverlaidcompletelybythelamarquerosewehavebeforereferredtoandlargeclustersofitscreamyblossoms,andwreathsofitsdark-greenleaves,hadbeenenticedinandtiedtosundrynailsandpegsbythesmallhandsofthelittlemistress,toformanarchofflowersandroses.Alittletablestoodinthedoor,drapedwithaspotlessdamaskedtable-cloth,fineenoughfortheuseofaprincess,andonlyproducedbythelittlemistressonfestiveoccasions.Onitwerearrangeddishescuriouslytrimmedwithmossandvine-leaves,whichdisplayedstrawberriesandpeaches,withapitcherofcreamandoneofwhey,smalldishesofcurd,delicatecakesandbiscuit,andfreshgoldenbutter. Afterpattingandarrangingthetable-cloth,Lisettetrippedgaylyaround,andalteredhereandtherethearrangementofadish,occasionallysteppingback,andcockingherlittleheadononeside,muchlikeabird,singinggaylyasshedidsothenshewouldpickabitofmossfromthis,andaflowerfromthat,andretreatagain,andwatchtheeffect. "Howsurprisedhewillbe!"shesaidtoherself.Stillhummingatuneinalow,gurglingundertone,shedancedhitherandthither,roundtheapartment.Firstshegavethecurtainsalittleshake,and,unloopingoneofthem,loopeditupagain,soastothrowthebeamsoftheeveningsunonthetable. "There,there,there!howprettythelightfallsthroughthosenasturtions!Iwonderiftheroomsmellsofthemignonette.Igathereditwhenthedewwasonit,andtheysaythatwillmakeitsmellallday.Now,here'sHarry'sbook-case.Dearme!theseflies!Howtheydogetontoeverything!Shoo,shoo!now,now!"and,catchingagaybandanahandkerchieffromthedrawer,sheperfectlyexhaustedherselfinflyingabouttheroominpursuitofthebuzzingintruders,whosoared,anddived,andcareered,afterthemanneroffliesingeneral,seemingdeterminedtogoanywherebutoutofthedoor,andfinallywereseenbrushingtheirwingsandlickingtheirfeet,withgreatalertness,ontheverytopmostheightofthesacredbed-curtainsandasjustthismomentaglimpsewascaughtofHarryreturningfromthespring,Lisettewasobligedtoabandonthechase,andrushintotheotherroom,topreventaprematuredevelopmentofherlittletea-tableau.Thenasmall,pug-nosed,blacktea-kettlecameontothestageofaction,fromsomeunknowncupboardandHarryhadtofillitwithwater,andofcoursespiltthewaterontotheironing-table,whichmadeanotherlittlebreezy,chatteringcommotionandthentheflat-ironswereclearedaway,andthepug-nosedkettlereignedintheirsteadonthecharcoalbrazier. "Now,Harry,waseversuchasmartwifeasIam?Onlythink,besidesalltherestthatI'vedone,I'veironedyourwhitelinensuit,complete!Now,goputiton.Notinthere!notinthere!"shesaid,pushinghimawayfromthedoor."Youcan'tgothere,yet.You'lldowellenoughouthere." Andawayshewent,singingthroughthegardenwalksandthesong,floatingbackbehindher,seemedlikeanodorbrushedfromtheflowers.Therefraincameripplinginatthedoor— "Methinknotwhatto-morrowbring Mehappy,somesing!" "Poorlittlething!"saidHarrytohimself"whyshouldItrytoteachheranything?" Inafewminutesshewasbackagain,herwhiteapronthrownoverherarm,andblossomsofyellowjessamine,spikesofbluelavender,andbudsofmoss-roses,peepingoutfromit.Sheskippedgaylyalong,anddepositedhertreasureontheironing-tablethen,withazealous,bustlingearnestness,whichcharacterizedeverythingshedid,shebegansortingthemintotwobouquets,alternatelytalkingandsinging,asshedidso,— "Comeon,yerosyhours, Alljoyandgladnessbring!" "Yousee,Harry,you'regoingtohaveabouquettoputintothebutton-holeofthatcoat.Itwillmakeyoulooksohandsome!There,now—there,now,— 'We'llstrewthewaywithflowers, Andmerrily,merrilysing.'" Suddenlystopping,shelookedathimarchly,andsaid,"Youcan'ttell,now,whatI'mdoingallthisfor!" "There'sneveranytellingwhatyouwomendoanythingfor." "Dohearhimtalk—sopompous!Well,sir,it'sforyourbirthday,now.Aha!youthought,becauseIcan'tkeepthedayofthemonth,thatIdidn'tknowanythingaboutitbutIdid.AndIhaveputdownnowachalk-markeveryday,forfourweeks,rightunderwhereIkeepmyironing-account,soastobesureofit.AndI'vebeenbusyaboutiteversincetwoo'clockthismorning.Andnow—there,thetea-kettleisboiling!"—andawaysheflewtothedoor. "Oh,dearme!—dearme,now!—I'vekilledmyself,now,Ihave!"shecried,holdinguponeofherhands,andflirtingitupintheair."Dearme!whoknewitwassohot?" "Ishouldthinkalittlewomanthatissousedtotheholdermighthaveknownit,"saidHarry,ashecaressedthelittleburnthand. "Come,now,letmecarryitforyou,"saidHarry,"andI'llmakethetea,ifyou'llletmegointothatmysteriousroom." "Indeed,no,Harry—I'mgoingtodoeverythingmyself"and,forgettingtheburntfinger,Lisettewasoffinamoment,andbackinamomentwithashiningteapotinherhand,andtheteawasmade.Andatlastthemysteriousdooropened,andLisettestoodwithhereyesfixeduponHarry,towatchtheeffect. "Superb!—magnificent!—splendid!Why,thisisgoodenoughforaking!Andwheredidyougetallthesethings?"saidHarry. "Oh,outofourgarden—allbutthepeaches.ThoseoldMistgaveme—theycomefromFlorida.There,now,youlaughedatme,lastsummer,whenIsetthosestrawberry-vines,andmadeallsortsoffunofme.Andwhatdoyouthinknow?" "Think!Ithinkyou'reawonderfullittlething—aperfectwitch." "Come,now,let'ssitdown,then