CHAPTER XI. NEEDLES AND TONGUES

edy.'Goingaboutdoinggood,inponyphaetons,'assomebodysays,maysucceedinEngland,butitwon'tworkhere,”saidFanny,whohadbegun,lately,tothinkagooddealofsomeonebesideherself,andsofoundherinterestinherfellow-beingsincreasingdaily. “Wecan'tdomuch,perhaps,justyetbutstilltherearethingsleftundonethatnaturallyfalltous.Iknowahouse,”saidPolly,sewingbusilyasshetalked,“whereeveryservantwhoentersitbecomesanobjectofinteresttothemistressandherdaughters.Thesewomenaretaughtgoodhabits,booksareputwheretheycangetthem,sensibleamusementsareplannedforthemsometimes,andtheysoonfeelthattheyarenotconsideredmerescrubs,todoasmuchworkaspossible,foraslittlemoneyaspossible,buthelpersinthefamily,whoarelovedandrespectedinproportiontotheirfaithfulness.Thisladyfeelsherdutytothem,ownsit,anddoesit,asconscientiouslyasshewantsthemtodotheirsbyherandthatisthewayitoughttobe,Ithink.” AsPollypaused,severalkeeneyesdiscoveredthatEmma'scheekswereveryred,andsawasmilelurkinginthecornersofthemouththattriedtolookdemure,whichtoldthemwhoPollymeant. “DotheBiddiesallturnoutsaintsinthatwellregulatedfamily?”askedtheirrepressibleTrix. “Nofewofusdothat,evenintheparlorbuteveryoneoftheBiddiesisbetterforbeingthere,whethertheyaregratefulornot.Ioughtnottohavementionedthis,perhaps,butIwantedtoshowyouonethingthatwegirlscando.Weallcomplainaboutbadservants,mostasmuchasifwewerehouse-keepersourselvesbutitneveroccurstoustotryandmendthematter,bygettingupabetterspiritbetweenmistressandmaid.Thenthere'sanotherthingwecando,”addedPolly,warmingup.“Mostofusfindmoneyenoughforourlittlevanitiesandpleasures,butfeeldreadfullypoorwhenwecometopayforwork,sewingespecially.Couldn'twegiveupafewofthevanities,andpaytheseamstressesbetter?” “IdeclareIwill!”criedBelle,whoseconsciencesuddenlywoke,andsmoteherforbeatingdownthewomanwhodidherplainsewing,inorderthatshemighthaveanextraflounceonanewdress.“Bellehasgotavirtuousfitpityitwon'tlastaweek,”saidTrix. “Waitandsee,”retortedBelle,resolvingthatitshouldlast,justtodisappoint“thatspitefulminx”asshesweetlycalledheroldschool-mate. “NowweshallbeholdBellegallopingawayatagreatpace,onhernewhobby.Ishouldn'tbesurprisedtohearofherpreachinginthejail,adoptinganicedirtylittleorphan,orpassingroundtractsataWoman'sRightsmeeting,”saidTrix,whonevercouldforgiveBelleforhavingalovelycomplexion,andsomuchhairofherownthatsheneverpatronizedeitherrats,mice,waterfalls,switches,orpuff-combs. “Well,ImightdoworseandIthink,ofthetwo,I'dratheramusemyselfso,thanassomeyoungladiesdo,whogetintothepapersfortheirpranks,”returnedBelle,withamoralair. “Supposewehavealittlerecess,andrestwhilePollyplaystous.Willyou,Polly?Itwilldousgoodtheyallwanttohearyou,andbeggedI'dask.” “ThenIwill,withpleasure”andPollywenttothepianowithsuchobligingreadiness,thatseveralreproachfulglancesfelluponTrix,whodidn'tneedherglasstoseethem. Pollywasnevertoosad,perturbed,orlazytosing,foritwasalmostaseasytoherasbreathing,andseemedthemostnaturaloutletforheremotions.Foraminuteherhandswanderedoverthekeys,asifuncertainwhattoplaythen,fallingintoasad,sweetstrain,shesang“TheBridgeofSighs.”Pollydidn'tknowwhyshechoseit,buttheinstinctseemedtohavebeenatrueone,for,oldasthesongwas,itwentstraighttotheheartsofthehearers,andPollysungitbetterthansheeverhadbefore,fornowthememoryoflittleJanelentitatenderpathoswhichnoartcouldgive.Itdidthemallgood,formusicisabeautifulmagician,andfewcanresistitspower.ThegirlsweretouchedbytheappealPollywasliftedoutofherself,andwhensheturnedround,thesoftenedlookonallthefacestoldherthatforthemomentfoolishdifferencesandfrivolousbeliefswereforgottenintheonewomanlysentimentofpityforthewrongsandwoesofwhichthelisteners'happyliveswereignorant. “Thatsongalwaysmakesmecry,andfeelasifIhadnorighttobesocomfortable,”saidBelle,openlywipinghereyesonacrashtowel. “Fortunatelysuchcasesareveryrare,”saidanotheryounglady,whoseldomreadthenewspapers. “Iwishtheywere,butI'mafraidtheyarenotforonlythreeweeksago,Isawagirlyoungerthananyofus,andnoworse,whotriedtodestroyherselfsimplybecauseshewassodiscouraged,sick,andpoor,”saidPolly. “Dotellabouther,”criedBelle,eagerly. Feelingthatthesonghadpavedthewayforthestory,andgivenhercouragetotellit,Pollydidtellit,andmusthavedoneitwell,forthegirlsstoppedworktolisten,andwhensheended,othereyesbesidewarm-heartedBelle'swerewet.TrixlookedquitesubduedMissPerkinsthawedtosuchadegree,thatsomethingglitteredonherhandasshebentoverthepinkpinaforeagain,betterandbrighterthanherbiggestdiamondEmmagotupandwenttoPollywithafacefullofaffectionaterespect,whileFanny,movedbyasuddenimpulse,caughtupacostlySevresplatethatstoodontheetagere,andlayingafive-dollarbillinit,passeditround,quotingPolly'swords,“Girls,Iknowyou'llliketohelppoorlittleJenny'beginagain,anddobetterthistime.'” Itwasgoodtoseehowquicklytheprettypurseswereout,howgenerouslyeachgaveofitsabundance,andwhatheartyapplausebrokefromthegirls,asBellelaiddownhergoldthimbl