Marilla came in with a bunch of flowers.
“Jane said I might pick them for the doctor, and the ride was so nice. I shall put it in among the splendid things of my life—like the dream, and coming here—and when I get settled in bed and all is dark I can make a real fairy land out of it.”
He took her flowers and kissed her, and said “Good-night” to them in a low tone. But he went home racking his brains to see if something could not be done toward keeping her. 134
Bridget came around one afternoon and was enthusiastic over her improvement.
“They’re doing pretty well and I believe the twins are not to get any more teeth in a year or two. And the boss says they’ve thinned out astonishing, and they can talk a good bit. And that girl’s going to the other place and they say you just must come down. But not a foot should you stir if you wasn’t real well. An’ its glad enough I am to have himself at breakfast at the morn and dinner at night. It’s like living again, but I don’t want to see any more twins.”
Marilla laughed. “Yes, I feel all well only sometimes I have a little catch in my breath; and I’ll be ready to go on Saturday.”
“An’ I’ll just be praying to the saints to send you back safe and sound. I don’t see why people should be kitin’ off to strange places, when they’ve a good, comfortable house to stay in. But the saints be praised for the rest with that imp of a Jack being away! They do be grown up after awhile an’ I s’pose you couldn’t have men if there were no boy babies.”
Then Mr. Borden called late one afternoon 135 and brought a note from his wife. Ellen had to leave on Saturday or lose the nice place, and the babies were well now, walking all round and beginning to say cunning words. Pansy called “Illa, Illa,” and then looked around for Marilla to come, and said—“Papa bing Illa.” They wanted her so much. All their meals were taken over in the next cottage, and the laundress came twice a week for the washings. The children were out of doors most of the time, and they were on the ground floor, so there was no going up and down stairs. Marilla would have it very easy and they would take the best of care of her.
Mr. Borden was both kind and gentlemanly. He hoped there would be some way in which they could repay Miss Armitage for all her care. Would she accept a contribution for the Babies’ Hospital, he had heard she was interested in, or any other charity?
It was very nice of him, Miss Armitage thought, and she chose the hospital. Marilla had been out walking with Jane and when she came in Mr. Borden was so cordial that it won the child’s heart, and she was the more 136 willing to go because she should lose her dear Miss Armitage for a month.