CHAPTER VIII. SIX YEARS AFTERWARD

heresolutionofPolly'sfacewhenshesaidthatforsheknewherweakness,andbeyondthatblacksilkshehaddeterminednottogo.Fannysaidnomore,forshefeltquitesurethatPollywouldrelentwhenthetimecame,andsheplannedtogiveheraprettydressforaChristmaspresent,sothatoneexcuseshouldberemoved. “Isay,Polly,won'tyougivesomeofusfellowsmusiclessons?Somebodywantsmetoplay,andI'dratherlearnofyouthananySenorTwankydillo,”saidTom,whodidn'tfindtheconversationinteresting. “Oh,yesifanyofyouboyshonestlywanttolearn,andwillbehaveyourselves,I'lltakeyoubutIshallchargeextra,”answeredPolly,withawickedsparkleoftheeye,thoughherfacewasquitesober,andhertonedelightfullybusiness-like. “Why,Polly,Tomisn'taboyhe'stwenty,andhesaysImusttreathimwithrespect.Besides,he'sengaged,anddoesputonsuchairs,”brokeinMaudwhoregardedherbrotherasavenerablebeing. “Whoisthelittlegirl?”askedPollytakingthenewsasajoke. “Trixwhy,didn'tyouknowit?”answeredMaud,asifithadbeenaneventofnationalimportance. “No!isittrue,Fan?”andPollyturnedtoherfriendwithafacefullofsurprise,whileTomstruckanimposingattitude,andaffectedabsenceofmind. “Iforgottotellyouinmylastletterit'sjustout,andwedon'tlikeitverywell,”observedFanny,whowouldhavepreferredtobeengagedfirstherself. “It'saverynicething,andIamperfectlysatisfied,”announcedMrs.Shaw,rousingfromaslightdoze. “Pollylooksasifshedidn'tbelieveit.Haven'tItheappearanceof'thehappiestmanalive'?”askedTom,wonderingifitcouldbepitywhichhesawinthesteadyeyesfixedonhim. “No,Idon'tthinkyouhave,”shesaid,slowly. “Howthedeuceshouldamanlook,then?”criedTom,rathernettledathersoberreceptionofthegrandnews. “Asifhehadlearnedtocareforsomeoneagreatdealmorethanforhimself,”answeredPolly,withsuddencolorinhercheeks,andasuddensofteningofthevoice,ashereyesturnedawayfromTom,whowasthepictureofacomplacentdandy,fromthetopmostcurlofhisauburnheadtothetipsofhisaristocraticboots. “Tommy'squenchedIagreewithyou,PollyIneverlikedTrix,andIhopeit'sonlyaboy-and-girlfancy,thatwillsoondieanaturaldeath,”saidMr.Shaw,whoseemedtofinditdifficulttohelpfallingintoabrownstudy,inspiteofthelivelychattergoingonabouthim. Shaw,Jr.,beinghighlyincensedatthedisrespectfulmannerinwhichhisengagementwastreated,triedtoassumeasuperbairofindifference,andfindingthatadecidedfailure,wasabouttostrolloutoftheroomwithacomprehensivenod,whenhismothercalledafterhim:“Whereareyougoing,dear?” “ToseeTrix,ofcourse.Good-by,Polly,”andMr.Thomasdeparted,hopingthatbytheskillfulchangeoftone,fromardentimpatiencetocondescendingcoolness,hehadimpressedoneheareratleastwiththefactthatheregardedTrixasthestarofhisexistence,andPollyasapresuminglittlechit. Ifhecouldhaveheardherlaugh,andFanny'sremarks,hiswrathwouldhaveboiledoverfortunatelyhewassparedthetrial,andwentawayhopingthatthecoquetriesofhisTrixwouldmakehimforgetPolly'slookwhensheansweredhisquestion. “Mydear,thatboyisthemostdeludedcreatureyoueversaw,”beganFanny,assoonasthefrontdoorbanged.“BelleandTrixbothtriedtocatchhim,andtheslyestgothimfor,inspiteofhisairs,heisassoft-heartedasababy.YouseeTrixhasbrokenofftwoengagementsalready,andthethirdtimeshegotjiltedherself.Suchafussasshemade!Ideclare,itreallywasabsurd.ButIdothinkshefeltitverymuch,forshewouldn'tgooutatall,andgotthin,andpale,andblue,andwasreallyquitetouching.Ipitiedher,andhadherhereagooddeal,andTomtookherparthealwaysdoesstandupforthecrushedones,andthat'sgoodofhim,Iallow.Well,shedidtheforsakenveryprettilyletTomamuseher,andledhimontillthepoorfellowlosthiswits,andfindinghercryingoneday(aboutherhat,whichwasn'tbecoming),hethoughtshewasmourningforMr.Banks,andso,tocomforther,thegooseproposed.Thatwasallshewantedshesnappedhimupatonce,andthereheisinanicescrapeforsinceherengagementsheisasgayasever,flirtsawfullywithanyonewhocomesalong,andkeepsTominafumeallthetime.Ireallydon'tthinkhecaresforherhalfasmuchashemakesbelieve,buthe'llstandbyherthroughthickandthin,ratherthandoasBanksdid.” “PoorTom!”wasallPollysaid,whenFanhadpouredthestoryintoherear,astheysatwhisperinginthesofacorner. “MyonlyconsolationisthatTrixwillbreakofftheaffairbeforespringshealwaysdoes,sothatshemaybefreeforthesummercampaign.Itwon'thurtTom,butIhatetohavehimmakeafoolofhimselfoutofpity,forheismoreofamanthanheseems,andIdon'twantanyonetoplaguehim.” “Noonebutyourself,”saidPolly,smiling. “Well,that'sallfairheisatormentsometimes,butI'mratherfondofhiminspiteofit.Igetsotiredoftheotherfellows,theyaresuchabsurdthingsandwhenTomisinhisgoodmoodheisveryniceandquiterefreshing.” “I'mgladtohearit,”saidPolly,makingamentalnoteofthefact. “Yes,andwhengrandmawasillhewasperfectlydevoted.Ididn'tknowtheboyhadsomuchgentlenessinhim.Hetookherdeathsadlytoheart,for,thoughhedidn'tsaymuch,hewasverygraveandsteadyforalongtime.Itriedtocomforthim,andwehadtwoorthreerealsweetlittletalkstogether,andseemedtogetacquaintedforthefirsttime.Itwasverynice,butitdidn'tlastgoodtimesneverdowithus.Wesoongotbackintotheoldway,andnowwehectoroneanotherjustasbefore.” Fannysighed,thenyawned,andfellintoherusuallistlessattitude,asifthebriefexcitementofPolly'scominghadbeguntosubside. “Walkhomewithmeandseemyfunnylittleroom.It'sbrightnow,andtheairwilldoyougood.Come,bothofyou,andhaveafrolicasweusedto,”saidPolly,fortheredsunsetnowburninginthewestseemedtoinvitethemout. 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