CHAPTER V. HARRY AND HIS WIFE.

vetheyhavefortheirwhitechildren.Theyarehalf-ashamedofustheyareashamedtoshowtheirlove,iftheyhaveitand,then,there'sakindofremorseandpityaboutit,whichtheymakeuptothemselvesbypettingus.Theyloaduswithpresentsandindulgences.Theyamusethemselveswithuswhilewearechildren,andplayoffallourpassionsasifwewereinstrumentstobeplayedon.Ifweshowtalentandsmartness,wehearsomeonesay,aside,'It'sratherapity,isn'tit?'or,'Heistoosmartforhisplace.'Then,wehaveallthefamilybloodandthefamilyprideandwhattodowithit?IfeelthatIamaGordon.IfeelinmyveryheartthatI'mlikeColonelGordon—IknowIam,and,sometimes,IknowIlooklikehim,andthat'sonereasonwhyTomGordonalwayshatedmeand,then,there'sanotherthing,thehardestofall,tohaveasisterlikeMissNina,tofeelsheismysister,andneverdaretosayawordofit!Shelittlethinks,whensheplaysandjokeswithme,sometimes,howIfeel.IhaveeyesandsensesIcancomparemyselfwithTomGordon.IknowheneverwouldlearnanythingatanyoftheschoolshewasputtoandIknowthatwhenhistutorsusedtoteachme,howmuchfasterIgotalongthanhedid.Andyethemusthavealltheposition,andalltherespectand,then,MissNinasooftensaystome,bywayofapology,whensheputsupwithhisugliness,'Ah!well,youknow,Harry,heistheonlybrotherIhavegotintheworld!'Isn'tittoobad?ColonelGordongavemeeveryadvantageofeducation,becauseIthinkhemeantmeforjustthisplacewhichIfill.MissNinawashispet.Hewaswhollyabsorbedinher,andhewasfrightenedatTom'swickednessandsoheleftmeboundtotheestateinthisway,onlystipulatingthatIshouldbuymyselfonfavorabletermsbeforeMissNina'smarriage.Shehasalwaysbeenwillingenough.Imighthavetakenanyandeveryadvantageofherinconsiderateness.AndMr.JohnGordonhasbeenwilling,too,andhasbeenverykindaboutit,andhassignedanagreementasguardian,andMissNinahassignedittoo,that,incaseofherdeath,orwhateverhappened,I'mtohavemyfreedomonpayingacertainsum,andIhavegothisreceiptsforwhatIhavepaid.Sothat'stolerablysafe.Lisette,IhadmeantnevertohavebeenmarriedtillIwasafreemanbut,somehow,youbewitchedmeintoit.Ididverywrong." "Oh,pshaw!pshaw!"interruptedLisette."Ian'tgoingtohearanotherwordofthistalk!What'stheuse?Weshalldowellenough.Everythingwillcomeoutright,—youseeifitdon't,now.Iwasalwayslucky,andIalwaysshallbe." Theconversationwashereinterruptedbyaloudwhooping,andaclatterofhorse'sheels. "What'sthat?"saidHarry,startingtothewindow."AsIlive,now,ifthereisn'tthatwretchofaTomtit,goingoffwiththathorse!Howcamehehere?Hewillruinhim!Stopthere!hallo!"heexclaimed,runningoutofdoorsafterTomtit. Tomtit,however,onlygaveatriumphantwhoop,anddisappearedamongthepine-trees. "Well,Ishouldliketoknowwhatsenthimhere!"saidHarry,walkingupanddown,muchdisturbed. "Oh,he'sonlygoingroundthroughthegrovehewillbebackagain,"saidLisette"neverfear.Isn'theahandsomelittlerogue?" "Lisette,younevercanseetroubleanywhere!"saidHarry,almostangrily. "Ah!yesIdo,"saidLisette,"whenyouspeakinthattone!Pleasedon't,Harry!Whatshouldyouwantmetoseetroublefor?" "Idon'tknow,youlittlething,"saidHarry,strokingherheadfondly. "Ah,therecomesthelittlerascal,justasIknewhewould!"saidLisette."Heonlywantedtotakealittleracehehasn'thurtthehorse"and,trippinglightlyout,shecaughtthereins,justasTomtitdroveuptothegateanditseemedbutamomentbeforehewasoverinthegarden,withhishandsfullofflowers. "Stop,there,youyoungrascal,andtellmewhatsentyouhere!"saidHarry,seizinghim,andshakinghimbytheshoulder. "Laws,MassaHarry,Iwantstogetpeaches,likeotherfolks,"saidtheboy,peepingroguishlyinatthewindow,atthetea-table. "Andheshallhaveapeach,too,"saidLisette,"andsomeflowers,ifhe'llbeagoodboy,andnottreadonmyborders." Tomtitseizedgreedilyatthepeachshegavehim,and,sittingflatdownwherehestood,andthrowingtheflowersonthegroundbesidehim,beganeatingitwithanearnestnessofdevotionasifhiswholebeingwereconcentratedintheact.Thecolorwasheightenedinhisbrowncheekbytheexercise,and,withhislong,droopingcurlsandeyelashes,helookedaveryprettycentretotheflower-piecewhichhehadsopromptlyimprovised. "Ah,howprettyheis!"saidLisette,touchingHarry'selbow."Iwishhewasmine!" "You'dhaveyourhandsfull,ifhewas,"saidHarryeyingtheintruderdiscontentedly,whileLisettestoodpickingthehullsfromafinebunchofstrawberrieswhichshewasreadytogivehimwhenhehadfinishedthepeach. "Beautymakesfoolsofallyougirls,"saidHarry,cynically. "IsthatthereasonImarriedyou?"saidLisette,archly."Well,IknowIcouldmakehimgood,ifIhadthecareofhim.Nothinglikecoaxingisthere,Tom?" "I'llboun'therean't!"saidTom,openinghismouthforthestrawberrieswithmuchtheairofahandsome,saucyrobin. "Well,"saidHarry,"Ishouldliketoknowwhatbroughthimoverhere.Speak,now,Tom!Weren'tyousentwithsomemessage?" "Ohlaws,yes!"saidTom,gettingup,andscratchinghiscurlyhead."MissNinasentme.Shewantsyoutogetondatarhorse,andmaketracksforhomelikesplitfoot.Shedonegotlettersfromtwoorthreeofherbeaux,andsheisdancingandtearingroundthererealawful.Shedonegotscared,spectsfeardthey'dallcometogether." "Andshesentyouonamessage,andyouhaven'ttoldme,allthistime!"saidHarry,makingamotionasthoughhewasgoingtoboxthechild'searsbuttheboyglidedoutofhishandsasifhehadbeenwater,andwasgone,vanishingamongtheshrubberyofthegardenandwhileHarrywasmountinghishorse,hereappearedontheroofofthelittlecabin,caricolinganddancing,shoutingatthetopmostofhisvoice,— "AwaydownoldVirginny, DereIboughtayellowgirlforaguinea." "I'llgiveittoyou,sometime!"saidHarry,shakinghisfistathim. "No,hewon't,either,"criedLisette,laughing."Comedownhere,Tomtit,andI'llmakeagoodboyofyou."