CHAPTER XVIII. THE WOMAN WHO DID NOT DARE

strue!”criedFan,asPollypausedtolookatthepicture,whichappearedtoregardherwithagrave,steadylook,whichseemedrathertobelieherassertions. “Idon'tmeanthathe'sweakorbad.Ifhewas,Ishouldhatehimbuthedoesneedsomeonetolovehimverymuch,andmakehimhappy,asagoodwomanbestknowshow,”saidPolly,asifansweringthemutelanguageofTom'sface. “IhopeMariaBaileyisallhethinksher,”sheadded,softly,“forIcouldn'tbeartohavehimdisappointedagain.” “Idaresayhedon'tcareafigforher,andyouareonlyborrowingtrouble.WhatdoyousayNedansweredwhenyouaskedaboutthisinconvenientgirl?”saidFannyturninghopefulallatonce. Pollyrepeatedit,andadded,“Iaskedhiminanotherletterifhedidn'tadmireMissB.asmuchasTom,andhewrotebackthatshewas'anicegirl,'buthehadnotimefornonsense,andIneedn'tgetmywhitekidsreadyforsomeyearsyet,unlesstodanceatTom'swedding.Sincethenhehasn'tmentionedMaria,soIwassuretherewassomethingseriousgoingon,andbeinginTom'sconfidence,hekeptquiet.” “Itdoeslookbad.SupposeIsayawordtoTom,justinquireafterhisheartinageneralway,youknow,andgivehimachancetotellme,ifthereisanythingtotell.”“I'mwilling,butyoumustletmeseetheletter.Ican'ttrustyounottohintorsaytoomuch.” “Youshall.I'llkeepmypromiseinspiteofeverything,butitwillbehardtoseethingsgoingwrongwhenawordwouldsetitright.” “Youknowwhatwillhappenifyoudo,”andPollylookedsothreateningthatFantrembledbeforeher,discoveringthatthegentlestgirlswhenrousedaremoreimpressivethananyshrewforeventurtledovespeckgallantlytodefendtheirnests. “IfitistrueaboutMaria,whatshallwedo?”saidFannyafterapause. “BearitPeoplealwaysdobearthings,somehow,”answeredPolly,lookingasifsentencehadbeenpasseduponher. “Butifitisn't?”criedFan,unabletoendurethesight. “ThenIshallwait.”AndPolly'sfacechangedsobeautifullythatFanhuggedheronthespot,ferventlywishingthatMariaBaileyneverhadbeenborn. Thentheconversationturnedtolovernumbertwo,andafteralongconfabulation,PollygaveitasherfirmbeliefthatA.S.hadforgottenM.M.,andwasrapidlyfindingconsolationintheregardofF.S.WiththissatisfactorydecisionthecouncilendedaftertheratificationofaLoyalLeague,bywhichthefriendspledgedthemselvestostandstaunchlybyoneanother,throughthetrialsofthecomingyear. Itwasaverydifferentwinterfromthelastforboththegirls.Fannyappliedherselftoherdutieswithredoubledardor,for“A.S.”wasadomesticman,andadmiredhousewifelyaccomplishments.IfFannywantedtoshowhimwhatshecoulddotowardmakingapleasanthome,shecertainlysucceededbetterthanshesuspected,forinspiteofmanyfailuresanddiscouragementsbehindthescenes,thelittlehousebecameamostattractiveplace,toMr.Sydneyatleast,forhewasmorethehouse-friendthanever,andseemeddeterminedtoprovethatchangeoffortunemadenodifferencetohim. FannyhadbeenafraidthatPolly'sreturnmightendangerherhopes,butSydneymetPollywiththeoldfriendliness,andverysoonconvincedherthatthenippinginthebudprocesshadbeeneffectual,forbeingtakenearly,thesproutingaffectionhaddiedeasy,andleftroomforanolderfriendshiptoblossomintoahappierlove. Fannyseemedgladofthis,andPollysoonsetherheartatrestbyprovingthatshehadnowishtotryherpower.Shekeptmuchathomewhentheday'sworkwasdone,findingitpleasantertositdreamingoverbookorsewingalone,thantoexertherselfeventogototheShaws'. “Fandon'tneedme,andSydneydon'tcarewhetherIcomeornot,soI'llkeepoutoftheway,”shewouldsay,asiftoexcuseherseemingindolence. Pollywasnotatalllikeherselfthatwinter,andthosenearesttohersawandwonderedatitmost.Willgotveryanxious,shewassoquiet,paleandspiritless,anddistractedpoorPollybyhisaffectionatestupidity,tillshecompletedhisbewildermentbygettingcrossandscoldinghim.SoheconsoledhimselfwithMaud,who,nowbeinginherteens,assumeddignifiedairs,andorderedhimaboutinastylethataffordedhimcontinuedamusementandemployment. Westernnewscontinuedvague,forFan'sgeneralinquiriesproducedonlyprovokinglyunsatisfactoryrepliesfromTom,whosangth