CHAPTER XIX. TOM'S SUCCESS
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neusanyharm,andIloveyouallthebetterforyourtrial.ButI'mafraidyouryearhasbeenharderthanmine,youlooksomucholderandgraverthanwhenyouwentaway.YouneverwouldcomplainbutI'vehadafeelingthatyouweregoingthroughagooddealmorethananyofusguessed.”
“Prettytoughworkatfirst,Iown.Itwasallsonewandstrange,I'mafraidIshouldn'thavestooditifithadnotbeenforNed.He'dlaughandsay'Pooh!'ifheheardmesayit,butit'strueneverthelessthathe'sagrandfellowandhelpedmethroughthefirstsixmonthslikeawell,abrotherasheis.Therewasnoreasonwhyheshouldgooutofhiswaytobackupashiftlesspartylikeme,yethedid,andmademanythingseasyandsafethatwouldhavebeenconfoundedlyhardanddangerousifI'dbeenlefttomyself.TheonlywayIcanexplainitisthatit'safamilytrait,andasnaturaltothebrotherasitistothesister.”
“It'saShawtraittodothesame.ButtellmeaboutMariaisNedreallyengagedtoher?”
“Verymuchsoyou'llgetaletterfullofrapturestomorrowhehadn'ttimetosendbyme,Icameoffinsuchahurry.Mariaisasensible,prettygirlandNedwillbeahappyoldfellow.”
“Whydidyouletusthinkitwasyou?”
“IonlyteasedFanalittleIdidlikeMaria,forsheremindedmeofyousometimes,andwassuchakind,cosylittlewomanIcouldn'thelpenjoyinghersocietyafterahardday'swork.ButNedgotjealous,andthenIknewthathewasinearnest,soIlefthimaclearfield,andpromisednottobreatheawordtoanyonetillhehadgotaYesorNofromhisMaria.”
“IwishI'dknownit,”sighedPolly.“Peopleinlovealwaysdosuchstupidthings!”
“SotheydoforneitheryounorFangaveuspoorfellowstheleasthintaboutSyd,andthereI'vebeenhavingallsortsofscaresaboutyou.”
“Servesusrightbrothersandsistersshouldn'thavesecretsfromeachother.”
“Weneverwillagain.Didyoumissmeverymuch?”
“Yes,Tomvery,verymuch.”
“MypatientlittlePolly!”
“Didyoureallycareformebeforeyouwent?”
“SeeifIdidn't”andwithgreatprideTomproducedaportlypocket-bookstuffedwithbusiness-likedocumentsofamostimposingappearance,openedaprivatecompartment,andtookoutaworn-lookingpaper,unfoldeditcarefully,anddisplayedasmallbrownobjectwhichgaveoutafaintfragrance.
“That'stheroseyouputinthebirthdaycake,andnextweekwe'llhaveafreshoneinanotherjollylittlecakewhichyou'llmakemeyouleftitonthefloorofmydenthenightwetalkedthere,andI'vekeptiteversince.There'sloveandromanceforyou!”
Pollytouchedthelittlerelic,treasuredforayear,andsmiledtoreadthewords“MyPolly'srose,”scribbledunderthecrumblingleaves.
“Ididn'tknowyoucouldbesosentimental,”shesaid,lookingsopleasedthathedidnotregretconfessinghisfolly.
“IneverwastillIlovedyou,mydear,andI'mnotverybadyet,forIdon'twearmyposynextmyheart,butwhereIcanseeiteveryday,andsoneverforgetforwhomIamworking.Shouldn'twonderifthatbitofnonsensehadkeptmeeconomical,honest,andhardatit,forIneveropenedmypocket-bookthatIdidn'tthinkofyou.”
“That'slovely,Tom,”andPollyfounditsotouchingthatshefeltforherhandkerchiefbutTomtookitaway,andmadeherlaughinsteadofcry,bysaying,inawheedlesometone,“Idon'tbelieveyoudidasmuch,forallyourromance.Didyou,now?”
“Ifyouwon'tlaugh,I'llshowyoumytreasures.Ibeganfirst,andI'vewornthemlongest.”
Asshespoke,Pollydrewouttheoldlocket,openedit,andshowedthepictureTomgaveherinthebagofpeanutscutsmallandfittedinononeside
