Oh, for Monday to arrive! Oh, for any light to guide the perplexed child in this crisis! But she had no time to think now. She flew to the garret, to find only the wreck of the feast and one or two candles flickering in their sockets. She put the candles out, and went next to the children’s bedrooms. Bob and Bunny, with flushed faces, were lying once more in their cribs, fast asleep. They were dreaming and tossing about, and Nurse stood over them with a perplexed and grave face.
“This means nightmare, and physic in the morning,” said the worthy woman. “Now, don’t you fret and worry your dear head, Miss Helen, pet. Oh, yes, I know all about it, and it was a naughty thing to do, only children will be children. Your aunt needn’t expect that her old crabbed head and ways will fit on young shoulders. You might go to Miss Firefly, though, for a minute, Miss Helen, for she’s crying fit to break her heart.”
Helen went off at once. Firefly was a very excitable and delicate child. She found the little creature with her head buried under the clothes, her whole form shaken with sobs.
“Lucy, darling,” said Helen.
The seldom-used name aroused the weeping child; she raised her head, and flung two thin arms so tightly round Helen’s neck that she felt half strangled.
“Oh, it’s so awful, Nell; what will she do to poor Polly! Oh, poor Polly! Will she half kill her, Nell?”
“No, Fly—how silly of you to take such an idea into your head. Fly, dear, stop crying at once—you know you have all been naughty, and Polly has hurt Aunt Maria, and hurt me, too. You none of you knew Aunt Maria was coming, but I did not think you would play such a trick on me, and when father was away, too.”
“It wasn’t Polly’s fault,” said Firefly, eagerly. “She was tempted, and we were the tempters. We all came round her, and we did coax, so hard, and Polly gave way, ’cause she wanted to make us happy. She’s a darling, the dearest darling in all the world, and if Aunt Maria hurts her and she dies, I—I——”
The little face worked in a paroxysm of grief and agony.
“Don’t, Fly,” said Helen. “You are much too tired and excited for me to talk calmly to you to-night. You have been naughty, darling, and so has Polly, and real naughtiness is always punished, always, somehow or another. But you need not be afraid that any real harm will happen to Polly. I am going to her in a moment or two, so you need not be in the least anxious. Now fold your hands, Fly, and say ‘Our Father.’ Say it slowly after me.”