At dusk all was completed, and this famous church lighted up by means
of the bit of candle inside. Benja clapped his hands with delight. It
was a novel, ingenious, picturesque sight, especially to a child. The
fire had burned low and there was no other light in the room, so that
the church was shown off to perfection, and was a really striking and
conspicuous object. Suddenly the flame inside began to whiffle.
"It's the draught from that door," observed Honour. "Shut it, Benja;
shut it gently."
She spoke of the door which opened into Mrs. St. John's dressing-room.
It is possible that you may remember there was formerly no door there;
but Mrs. St. John had caused one to be made at the birth of George,
that she might pass into the nursery at will, without going into the
corridor. Now that George was beyond babyhood, this door was generally
kept bolted, the bolt being on Mrs. St. John's side, not any on that
of the nursery; but it was sometimes, as now, left open.
Honour turned her head to the door as she spoke, and saw the little
boy place his hands upon the panel to push it to, after the manner of
children, and it closed gently. Benja came to the table again to feast
his eyes. The flame was steady now.
"There ought to be moss all round here," observed Honour, pointing to
the board on which the church rested. "But it's too late to put it on
tonight: and, for the matter of that, I have no moss. If I stop, we
will ask the gardener to get some."
Benja did not care for the moss. To his admiring eyes nothing could
improve its present aspect. He gazed at it on the drawers, he danced
before it on the table, he carried it to and fro in the room, obeying
Honour's injunctions to keep it upright and steady. In this manner
some time passed, and they allowed the fire to go out.
"Bother take the fire!" ejaculated Honour. "And I have neither wood
nor matches up here."
She had her hand upon the bell, when it suddenly occurred to her that
she would go down for the things herself. No one living liked a gossip
better than she, and the scene in the dining-room was burning her
tongue. Placing the church on the table, and strictly charging Benja
not to touch it while she was away, Honour went out by the ordinary
door, and descended the backstairs. To this door, and I would have
you note the difference, the fastening was inside. It was not a bolt,
but a common button, placed high up beyond reach of the children.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account