Mercy! gasped Nancy. No-no!
Why, you dont mean shed CARE! cried Pollyanna, plainly disturbed.
No-er-yes-well, never mind. II aint so very particular about knowin what shed say, truly, stammered Nancy, determined to keep one scolding from Pollyanna, if nothing more. But, say, we better hurry. Ive got ter get them dishes done, ye know.
Ill help, promised Pollyanna, promptly.
Oh, Miss Pollyanna! demurred Nancy.
For a moment there was silence. The sky was darkening fast. Pollyanna took a firmer hold of her friends arm.
I reckon Im glad, after all, that you DID get scared-a little, cause then you came after me, she shivered.
Poor little lamb! And you must be hungry, too. IIm afraid youll have ter have bread and milk in the kitchen with me. Yer aunt didnt like it-because you didnt come down ter supper, ye know.
But I couldnt. I was up here.
Yes; but-she didnt know that, you see! observed Nancy, dryly, stifling a chuckle. Im sorry about the bread and milk; I am, I am.
Oh, Im not. Im glad.
Glad! Why?
Why, I like bread and milk, and Id like to eat with you. I dont see any trouble about being glad about that.
You dont seem ter see any trouble bein glad about everythin, retorted Nancy, choking a little over her remembrance of Pollyannas brave attempts to like the bare little attic room.
Pollyanna laughed softly.
Well, thats the game, you know, anyway.
The-GAME?
Yes; the just being glad game.
Whatever in the world are you talkin about?
Why, its a game. Father told it to me, and its lovely, rejoined Pollyanna. Weve played it always, ever since I was a little, little girl. I told the Ladies Aid, and they played it-some of them.
What is it? I aint much on games, though.
Pollyanna laughed again, but she sighed, too; and in the gathering twilight her face looked thin and wistful.
Why, we began it on some crutches that came in a missionary barrel.
CRUTCHES!
Yes. You see Id wanted a doll, and father had written them so; but when the barrel came the lady wrote that there hadnt any dolls come in, but the little crutches had. So she sent em along as they might come in handy for some child, sometime. And thats when we began it.
Well, I must say I cant see any game about that, about that, declared Nancy, almost irritably.
Oh, yes; the game was to just find something about everything to be glad about-no matter what twas, rejoined Pollyanna, earnestly. And we began right then-on the crutches.
Well, goodness me! I cant see anythin ter be glad about-gettin a pair of crutches when you wanted a doll!
Pollyanna clapped her hands.
There is-there is, she crowed. But I couldnt see it, either, Nancy, at first, she added, with quick honesty. Father had to tell it to me.
Well, then, suppose YOU tell ME, almost snapped Nancy.
Goosey! Why, just be glad because you dont-NEED-EM! exulted Pollyanna, triumphantly. You see its just as easy-when you know how!
Well, of all the queer doins! breathed Nancy, regarding Pollyanna with almost fearful eyes.
Oh, but it isnt queer-its lovely, maintained Pollyanna enthusiastically. And weve played it ever since. And the harder tis, the more fun tis to get em out; only-only sometimes its almost too hard-like when your father goes to Heaven, and there isnt anybody but a Ladies Aid left.
Yes, or when youre put in a snippy little room way at the top of the house with nothin in it, growled Nancy.
Pollyanna sighed.
That was a hard one, at first, she admitted, specially when I was so kind of lonesome. I just didnt feel like playing the game, anyway, and I HAD been wanting pretty things, so! Then I happened to think how I hated to see my freckles in the looking-glass, and I saw that lovely picture out the window, too; so then I knew Id found the things to be glad about. You see, when youre hunting for the glad things, you sort of forget the other kind-like the doll you wanted, you know.
Humph! choked Nancy, trying to swallow the lump in her throat.
Most generally it doesnt take so long, sighed Pollyanna; and lots of times now I just think of them WITHOUT thinking, you know. Ive got so used to playing it. Its a lovely game. F-father and I used to like it so much, she faltered. I suppose, though, it-itll be a little harder now, as long as I havent anybody to play it with. Maybe Aunt Polly will play it, though, she added, as an afterthought.
My stars and stockings! HER! breathed Nancy, behind her teeth. Then, aloud, she said doggedly: See here, Miss Pollyanna, I aint sayin that Ill play it very well, and I aint sayin that I know how, anyway; but Ill play it with ye, after a fashion-I just will, I will!
Oh, Nancy! exulted Pollyanna, giving her a rapturous hug. Thatll be splendid! Wont we have fun?
Er-maybe, conceded Nancy, in open doubt. But you mustnt count too much on me, ye know. I never was no case fur games, but Im a-goin ter make a most awful old try on this one. Youre goin ter have some one ter play it with, anyhow, she finished, as they entered the kitchen together.
Pollyanna ate her bread and milk with good appetite; then, at Nancys suggestion, she went into the sitting room, where her aunt sat reading. Miss Polly looked up coldly.
Have you had your supper, Pollyanna?
Yes, Aunt Polly.
Im very sorry, Pollyanna, to have been obliged so soon to send you into the kitchen to eat bread and milk.
But I was real glad you did it, Aunt Polly. I like bread and milk, and Nancy, too. You mustnt feel bad about that one bit.
Aunt Polly sat suddenly a little more erect in her chair.
Pollyanna, its quite time you were in bed. You have had a hard day, and tomorrow we must plan your hours and go over your clothing to see what it is necessary to get for you. Nancy will give you a candle. Be careful how you handle it. Breakfast will be at half-past seven. See that you are down to that. Good-night.
Quite as a matter of course, Pollyanna came straight to her aunts side and gave her an affectionate hug.
Ive had such a beautiful time, so far, she sighed happily. I know Im going to just love living with you but then, I knew I should before I came. Goodnight, she called cheerfully, as she ran from the room.
Well, upon my soul! ejaculated Miss Polly, half aloud. What a most extraordinary child! Then she frowned. Shes glad I punished her, and I mustnt feel bad one bit, and shes going to love to live with me! Well, upon my soul! ejaculated Miss Polly again, as she took up her book.
Fifteen minutes later, in the attic room, a lonely little girl sobbed into the tightly-clutched sheet:
I know, father-among-the-angels, Im not playing the game one bit now-not one bit; but I dont believe even you could find anything to be glad about sleeping all alone way off up here in the dark-like this. If only I was near Nancy or Aunt Polly, or even a Ladies Aider, it would be easier!
Downstairs in the kitchen, Nancy, hurrying with her belated work, jabbed her dish-mop into the milk pitcher, and muttered jerkily:
If playin a silly-fool game-about bein glad youve got crutches when you want dolls-is got ter be-my way-o bein that rock o refuge-why, Im a-goin ter play it-I am, I am!
Chapter VI
A question of duty
It was nearly seven oclock when Pollyanna awoke that first day after her arrival. Her windows faced the south and the west, so she could not see the sun yet; but she could see the hazy blue of the morning sky, and she knew that the day promised to be a fair one.
The little room was cooler now, and the air blew in fresh and sweet. Outside, the birds were twittering joyously, and Pollyanna flew to the window to talk to them. She saw then that down in the garden her aunt was already out among the rosebushes. With rapid fingers, therefore, she made herself ready to join her.
Down the attic stairs sped Pollyanna, leaving both doors wide open. Through the hall, down the next flight, then bang through the front screened-door and around to the garden, she ran.