Theres Marilla getting home from the funeral, she said to her husband, who was lying on the kitchen lounge. Thomas Lynde lay more on the lounge nowadays than he had been used to do, but Mrs. Rachel, who was so sharp at noticing anything beyond her own household, had not as yet noticed this. And shes got the twins with her, yes, theres Davy leaning over the dashboard grabbing at the ponys tail and Marilla jerking him back. Doras sitting up on the seat as prim as you please. She always looks as if shed just been starched and ironed. Well, poor Marilla is going to have her hands full this winter and no mistake. Still, I dont see that she could do anything less than take them, under the circumstances, and shell have Anne to help her. Annes tickled to death over the whole business, and she has a real knacky way with children, I must say. Dear me, it doesnt seem a day since poor Matthew brought Anne herself home and everybody laughed at the idea of Marilla bringing up a child. And now she has adopted twins. Youre never safe from being surprised till youre dead.
The fat pony jogged over the bridge in Lyndes Hollow and along the Green Gables lane. Marillas face was rather grim. It was ten miles from East Grafton and Davy Keith seemed to be possessed with a passion for perpetual motion. It was beyond Marillas power to make him sit still and she had been in an agony the whole way lest he fall over the back of the wagon and break his neck, or tumble over the dashboard under the ponys heels. In despair she finally threatened to whip him soundly when she got him home. Whereupon Davy climbed into her lap, regardless of the reins, flung his chubby arms about her neck and gave her a bear-like hug.
I dont believe you mean it, he said, smacking her wrinkled cheek affectionately. You dont look like a lady whod whip a little boy just cause he couldnt keep still. Didnt you find it awful hard to keep still when you was only s old as me?
No, I always kept still when I was told, said Marilla, trying to speak sternly, albeit she felt her heart waxing soft within her under Davys impulsive caresses.
Well, I spose that was cause you was a girl, said Davy, squirming back to his place after another hug. You was a girl once, I spose, though its awful funny to think of it. Dora can sit still but there aint much fun in it I dont think. Seems to me it must be slow to be a girl. Here, Dora, let me liven you up a bit.
Davys method of livening up was to grasp Doras curls in his fingers and give them a tug. Dora shrieked and then cried.
How can you be such a naughty boy and your poor mother just laid in her grave this very day? demanded Marilla despairingly.
But she was glad to die, said Davy confidentially. I know, cause she told me so. She was awful tired of being sick. Wed a long talk the night before she died. She told me you was going to take me and Dora for the winter and I was to be a good boy. Im going to be good, but cant you be good running round just as well as sitting still? And she said I was always to be kind to Dora and stand up for her, and Im going to.
Do you call pulling her hair being kind to her?
Well, I aint going to let anybody else pull it, said Davy, doubling up his fists and frowning. Theyd just better try it. I didnt hurt her much she just cried cause shes a girl. Im glad Im a boy but Im sorry Im a twin. When Jimmy Sprotts sister conterdicks him he just says, Im oldern you, so of course I know better, and that settles her. But I cant tell Dora that, and she just goes on thinking diffrunt from me. You might let me drive the gee-gee for a spell, since Im a man.
Altogether, Marilla was a thankful woman when she drove into her own yard, where the wind of the autumn night was dancing with the brown leaves. Anne was at the gate to meet them and lift the twins out. Dora submitted calmly to be kissed, but Davy responded to Annes welcome with one of his hearty hugs and the cheerful announcement, Im Mr. Davy Keith.
At the supper table Dora behaved like a little lady, but Davys manners left much to be desired.
Im so hungry I aint got time to eat plitely, he said when Marilla reproved him. Dora aint half as hungry as I am. Look at all the excise I took on the road here. That cakes awful nice and plummy. We havent had any cake at home for evern ever so long, cause mother was too sick to make it and Mrs. Sprott said it was as much as she could do to bake our bread for us. And Mrs. Wiggins never puts any plums in her cakes. Catch her! Can I have another piece?
Marilla would have refused but Anne cut a generous second slice. However, she reminded Davy that he ought to say Thank you for it. Davy merely grinned at her and took a huge bite. When he had finished the slice he said,
If youll give me another piece Ill say thank you for it.
No, you have had plenty of cake, said Marilla in a tone which Anne knew and Davy was to learn to be final.
Davy winked at Anne, and then, leaning over the table, snatched Doras first piece of cake, from which she had just taken one dainty little bite, out of her very fingers and, opening his mouth to the fullest extent, crammed the whole slice in. Doras lip trembled and Marilla was speechless with horror. Anne promptly exclaimed, with her best schoolmaam air,
Oh, Davy, gentlemen dont do things like that.
I know they dont, said Davy, as soon as he could speak, but I aint a gemplum.
But dont you want to be? said shocked Anne.
Course I do. But you cant be a gemplum till you grow up.
Oh, indeed you can, Anne hastened to say, thinking she saw a chance to sow good seed betimes. You can begin to be a gentleman when you are a little boy. And gentlemen never snatch things from ladies or forget to say thank you or pull anybodys hair.
They dont have much fun, thats a fact, said Davy frankly. I guess Ill wait till Im grown up to be one.
Marilla, with a resigned air, had cut another piece of cake for Dora. She did not feel able to cope with Davy just then. It had been a hard day for her, what with the funeral and the long drive. At that moment she looked forward to the future with a pessimism that would have done credit to Eliza Andrews herself.
The twins were not noticeably alike, although both were fair. Dora had long sleek curls that never got out of order. Davy had a crop of fuzzy little yellow ringlets all over his round head. Doras hazel eyes were gentle and mild; Davys were as roguish and dancing as an elfs. Doras nose was straight, Davys a positive snub; Dora had a prunes and prisms mouth, Davys was all smiles; and besides, he had a dimple in one cheek and none in the other, which gave him a dear, comical, lopsided look when he laughed. Mirth and mischief lurked in every corner of his little face.
Theyd better go to bed, said Marilla, who thought it was the easiest way to dispose of them. Dora will sleep with me and you can put Davy in the west gable. Youre not afraid to sleep alone, are you, Davy?
No; but I aint going to bed for ever so long yet, said Davy comfortably.
Oh, yes, you are. That was all the much-tried Marilla said, but something in her tone squelched even Davy. He trotted obediently upstairs with Anne.
When Im grown up the very first thing Im going to do is stay up all night just to see what it would be like, he told her confidentially.
In after years Marilla never thought of that first week of the twins sojourn at Green Gables without a shiver. Not that it really was so much worse than the weeks that followed it; but it seemed so by reason of its novelty. There was seldom a waking minute of any day when Davy was not in mischief or devising it; but his first notable exploit occurred two days after his arrival, on Sunday morning a fine, warm day, as hazy and mild as September. Anne dressed him for church while Marilla attended to Dora. Davy at first objected strongly to having his face washed.