IX.—THE CRACKED SCENT-BOTTLE.
Mohendro, the Padre Sahib’s bearer, saw that Melo, the Mem Sahiba’s new ayah,[58] had a troubled countenance.
“Why are you troubled, Melo?” asked he.
“When dusting the Mem Sahiba’s room,” replied Melo, “I threw down her beautiful scent-bottle. The scent-bottle was cracked, and the sweet water was all spilt.”
“What matters it to you?” said the bearer, smiling. “You have been but one day in the house; put the bottle back in its place, and when the Mem Sahiba sees that it has been emptied and cracked, say that you found it so, and that the last ayah certainly did the mischief.”
A short time before, Melo would have thought nothing of telling a lie; but she was now a baptized Christian, and had been taught God’s Commandments. Melo knew that one of them is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour (Ex. xx. 16). Melo had resolved to keep a strict watch over her lips, for she had learned the text: Lying lips are abomination to the Lord (Prov. xii. 22). “I am afraid to tell my Mem Sahiba a lie,” she replied.
The bearer laughed at her words. “Why, to lie comes as natural as to eat!” he cried. “The last ayah has gone away to Benares, so your lie will do no harm to any one in the world.”
Melo thought to herself, “Will it do no harm to myself?” But Melo was but a new Christian; habit is strong, and she had been accustomed to tell lies from the time that she first could speak. Melo resolved that when her Mem Sahiba noticed the harm done to the scent-bottle, she would say that the last ayah had done it. She was timid, and could not bear that the Mem Sahiba, whose service she had just entered, should think her careless.
The Padre Sahib had morning prayers in Urdu, and such of his servants as were Christians were always allowed to attend. It was the first time that Melo had ever been present at family worship. She sat on the carpet, watching the Sahib as he unclosed the Holy Book. On the knees of the Mem Sahiba sat her little boy Henry, a lovely blue-eyed child of four years of age.
The Sahib read about heaven; of the bright happy home of those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, and who, believing, have loved and obeyed Him. Melo did not know this part of the Bible at all. She listened with delight to the account of the glorious place, till the reader came to the following words:—And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie (Rev. xxi. 27).
Melo was startled to hear this. “Shall I be shut out from heaven?” she said to herself. But Melo could not even yet make up her mind to tell her Mem Sahiba all the truth about her beautiful scent-bottle.
When prayers were over, Melo was ordered to take Baba Henry into the garden; for it was the cold season, and the weather was not yet too hot. Melo loved children very much, and it was with pleasure that she watched the gambols of the fair little English boy.
Henry ran about the garden, and in his play he forgot to keep to the gravel path. Carelessly running across the border, the child brushed past a beautiful flower which he knew that his mother greatly prized, and in doing so broke off its head. The child stood still at once, and looked with vexation at the mischief which he had done.
“Oh! mamma told me not to run over the border, or to touch the flowers! She will be so vexed!” cried the child, almost bursting into tears.
“Never mind, Baba Henry,” said Melo; “you need say nothing to the Mem Sahiba about the matter.”
The boy looked indignantly into the face of the ayah with his steady blue eyes. “If I did not tell the truth, God would be angry,” he cried; and off darted the child, to confess everything to his mother.
Melo looked after him, and tears came into her eyes. “Shall that little one fear God and speak truth?” she exclaimed; “and shall I, who have given myself to the God of truth, tell lies like a heathen? O Lord! help me to put away this great sin!” And quickly Melo followed her little charge, and confessed to her Mem Sahiba that she had thrown down and cracked her bottle.
And was the Mem Sahiba angry? No; her words were: “I thank God that I have at last a servant whose word I can trust.”