“I wonder if Ezra took his medicine after supper,” Pegeen said suddenly. “I’d most forgotten about him. Being terribly happy’s sort of selfish, isn’t it?”
“Not when you are making other people happy by being happy, and you are doing that.”
She pressed her cheek against his shoulder for an instant.
“Well, being so happy was what made me remember Ezra. I suppose he doesn’t know what it feels like. You see, he can’t; because he doesn’t love anybody. You can’t have the real, soaked-in, choky kind of being happy unless you love somebody a whole lot and feel sure the somebody loves you. I tried awfully hard to love Ezra. I did honestly, and I did get real fond of him, but you can’t exactly love anybody that won’t be lovable. You can feel sorry and kind and everything like that, but loving’s different. I guess God’s the only one that can go right ahead and love everybody no matter what they’re like. It doesn’t make any difference about sinners. I could love sinners just as quick as scat, if they were nice sinners that would love back; but I’m afraid God will have to do the loving with Ezra. I can’t get any further than liking him, even if he does swear and act ugly. I do hope he’ll take his medicine and change the sheets.”
“Well, he won’t,” said Archibald encouragingly. “Ezra’s now engaged in going back to the blanket literally and figuratively, but don’t fret about him, Peg. We’ll do all we can for him, but you’re back on your old job now and you’ll have to give your whole time and attention to seeing to me.”
“And Mrs. Benderby and Boots and Wiggles and Spunky,” added Pegeen. “Isn’t it a lovely family!—and just think of my having you all right here together—not having to go away to see Mrs. Benderby or take Boots home nights or anything. I used to hate leaving you and sometimes I’d wake up in the night and worry for fear you’d get sick here all alone with nobody to see to you, and I’d always hurry as fast as I could, coming up in the morning for fear something had happened.”
“Bless you!” Archibald rumpled the thick black hair with an affectionate hand. “I hated being left alone myself, not because I was afraid of anything happening but because the place was forlorn without you. Peggy, Peggy! How you do creep into hearts and settle down to housekeeping in them!”
XI
Mrs. Benderby proved herself a most satisfactory addition to the family. Just at first there was a ripple on the surface because Pegeen jealously resented any infringement of her rights in the matter of seeing to Archibald, but the two had that out promptly and satisfactorily.
“It’s this way, Peg,” the man explained seriously. “Mrs. Benderby needs something to do. She’ll feel dependent and unhappy if she isn’t allowed to make herself useful, and the only way she can make herself useful is by cooking and washing dishes. It’s different with you. Cooking and dish washing were the least of the things you did for me. You did them mighty well. I can’t deny that, but you’ve fed my heart and washed the cobwebs out of my eyes, and you can afford to turn the cooking and dish washing over to somebody else. I want you free to go with me anywhere at any time. Your job is seeing to my heart and soul, Peggy O’Neill. As long as you can do that why should you give a hoot who sees to my meals and dishes?”